Hello Beer Fans!
Our Bitter Beer Writer ESB will be on tap this weekend – hopefully in both draft and nitro versions if all goes well. I am going into the brewery today to transfer the beer and fill a number of casks to serve down the hill. The beer was a collaboration with local beer writer Brandon Hernandez who explains the background and the brew day on his San Diego Beer News blog: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2014/jan/09/beer-embracing-my-bitter-beer-writer-status/. The beer used primarily British ingredients but ramped up to more American standards in terms of the alcohol, bitterness and hop level. The beer should be on tap by early Saturday afternoon – check our Facebook page to confirm that.
We have upgraded our tasting room TV to a 42 inch screen for Sunday’s Chargers v. Broncos divisional playoff game. The new TV looks great and I can only hope that we get to watch yet another improbable Chargers victory on it. We’ll be open at 11:30 am on Sunday so we can show the second half of the 49ers v. Panthers game. On Saturday, we’ll have the Saints v. Seahawks game at 1:30 pm which should be much closer than the last time these two teams met. The next round of the playoffs will take place on Sunday, January 19th.
There is a new flavor of Beer Cheese this weekend for you spice fans – Habanero Cheddar Beer Cheese made with Devil’s Copper. It is a very pleasing spiciness that still leaves you craving more. We’ll also have our Traditional and Cracked Black Pepper Beer Cheeses both made with out Julian Pale Ale.
Looking Ahead
Next weekend we will tap a cask of the popular Volcan IPA on Friday the 17th. The cask is dry hopped with extra Columbus hops so it should come out nice and tasty. Our newest beer, Back Country Gold, is just finishing up with primary fermentation. It is a light colored ale brewed with German-style hops. I expect it to be on tap by Friday the 24th.
As mentioned, we will be doing some events down the hill in San Diego. On Thursday the 23rd I will be at Monkey Paw Brewery in the East Village downtown to brew a collaboration beer for our pub O’Brien’s 20th anniversary. In the evening Monkey Paw will be tapping a keg of nitro Stonewall Stout, Devil’s Copper and a cask of Bitter Beer Writer ESB. The following week, I will be at O’Brien’s doing an event also with a cask of Bitter Beer Writer ESB on Wednesday the 29th, but I have not set the draft list yet. I am hoping to bring down 4-5 styles of beer. On the 29th, the Bitter Beer Write himself will be there to sign autographs and take pictures, or maybe more realistically just enjoy a beer with us. In February we’ll be doing events at Toronado in North Park and at West Coast Barbecue and Brew in La Mesa as part of West Coast’s 2nd Anniversary celebrations.
In addition to being asked where to stay, where to eat is one of the big questions we get asked a lot. So I figured that I would mention some of the places we like to eat each email. This week’s restaurant is Romano’s, an Italian spot that has been serving Julian since 1982. We really like their Sausage Pizza with Garlic. They make their own sausage so the Sausage Sandwich is also great as is the homemade Meatball Sub which has baseball sized-meatballs on it – just remember to add cheese to it. They have a full menu of Italian favorites and be sure to see what the daily special is. And if you have had your fill of beer (not likely, I get it) you can get an inexpensive carafe of house wine.
That is your Nickel Beer News for now. We’ll see you soon for a great Julian brewed beer. Cheers, Tom