Neighborhood San Diego

The ONLY thing I don’t like about Neighborhood in down town San Diego, is that it is too popular.  I’m the type of guy that walks down the street, sees a crowded bar and thinks “Yuck…people”.  I like the abandoned bars, with great atmosphere, good beer, and a few well mannered people with great life experience.  Don’t get me wrong, I like people one at a time, but I get uncomfortable in large a group, that’s why I like drinking at 2 in the afternoon.

Any who…Neighborhood has been an important part of San Diego's East Village for the last five years.   They have a great beer selection, excellent food, an attractive staff, and a big secret in the back behind the Keg Wall.  In the last few months I’ve been there four times. It’s a good place to go with family, friends and even colleagues. 

Food Recommendations:

The burgers are fantastic, but if you are looking for ketchup for your burger, head down the street, they have unique sauces that will definitely satisfy.  However, the one item I always get there are the Chorizo Corn Dogs.

Drink Recommendations:

They always have Pliney the Elder, so end your night with one of these if you aren’t driving home.  Every Thursday they have a cask beer on tap.  When I went last week it was Stone Vertical Epic 12.12.12 and was excellent (AND is the last release in the Vertical Epic Series!!!!).  I also had a Stone Double Bastard last week and was reminded how smooth the double was compared to the original Arrogant Bastard, or the Oaked Bastard.  The DB’s flavor has the beginnings of a Barley Wine…yum.  You will find something new everytime you go, so go often.

If you are into liquor, there are two really cool things to know about Neighborhood. First, they have a great Whisky selection, and you can get flights in the main bar.  Second, take a look at The Noble Experiment, reserve a spot and take a trip behind the Keg wall into a room wallpapered with bronze skulls.  Tell the bartender what your liquor of choice is and let them make you something awesome.

Happy Holidays and Good Drinking!

The League of Extraordinary Beers

 

 

Two months ago, seven of my friends and I met at Mission Brewery  in downtown San Diego for the first session of the League of Extraordinary Beers (LXB).  Here is how it’s run; a group of beer enthusiasts meet every two months, and each member chooses a beer to submit to the group and purchases enough of that beer to share with the rest of the members at the meeting.  So if there are six members, you bring six of your favorite beers, give out five of them, and you get a beer from the other five members to take home with you.  Over the next two months, you drink and rate those beers.  We decided to keep it simple, so we rank the beers by personal preference from 1 to 8 (or however many beers there are).  Ratings are submitted to the league administrator to tally up.  The beer with the lowest total score wins, the beer with the highest score loses.  The winner gets to choose the location of the next meeting and the theme of beers that will be swapped.  The loser has to buy a round at the next meeting.  This concept is evolving to potentially include a “Stanley Cup” trophy that is handed over every two months. And we are working on a good way to buddy up and share larger volume beers so we don’t have to purchase a 22oz beer for every member of the group.

Below is a list of the beers that were submitted in the first meeting and how they stacked up.  I came in the top 3, not bad, and I have to admit the first place winner has been one of my favorites for a long time.

1st place - StoneSublimely Self-Righteous - 16 points (Jeremy)

 2nd place - Green Flash Double Stout - 20 points (Yun)

 3rd place - Green Flash Hop Head Read - 23 points (Greg)

 4th place - Ballast Point Sculpin IPA - 29 points (Shaun)

 5th place - Dogfish Head My Antonia - 30 points (Dawley)

 6th place - Coronado Idiot IPA - 38 points (Dan)

 7th place - Spaten Oktoberfest - 44 points (Vu)

8th place - BuffaloBill Pumpkin Ale - 53 points (Jin)

                   

Our second meeting was a few weeks ago at the Regal Beagle in San Diego.  The theme chosen by last month’s winner Jeremy was “Nor Cal” beers, and the quality has been kicked up a notch this time around.  No beer submitted can be criticized as harshly as we hammered Buffalo Bill Pumpkin Ale last month.  Below is a list of the beers submitted. How do you think they are going to stack up when the votes are cast?

Red Rocket Ale - BearRepublic - Jin

Double Barrell Ale -Firestone - Dan

 Wookie Jack Black IPA - Firestone - Vu

San Quentin'sBreakout Stout - Marin Brewing Co. – Jeremy

 Old Stock Ale - North Coast - Yun

 John Barley Corn Barleywine Ale - Mad River - Greg

 Old Rasputin Imperial Stout - North Coast - Shaun

Anchor Christmas -Anchor Brewing - Ryan

 Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale - Lagunitas Brewing Co. – Brent

I’ve already downed 6 of these and was pleasantly surprised by a few of them, and extremely disappointed by one…I’ll let you know after the voting is done. 

If you live in SD and want to be a part of the LXB, please let me know.  If you don’t live in SD, I encourage you to begin a group like this in your home town.   I’ve learned a lot about beer just from the first two meetings.  It also never hurts to have an excuse to grab a beer with friends on a weekday night…not that we need one.

Good Drinkin!