Hello Nickel Beer Fans!

Although it does not quite feel like it yet, the calendar is insisting that it is fall.  The apples and pears are ripe on the trees so perhaps it really is fall.  No matter the weather or the season, we have some great beers coming down the hill and a very special collaboration in the fermenter.  And with our expanded hours, you can now enjoy beers in our tasting room every day of the week.  Here are all of the details on the upcoming events and brews….

This Weekend

We’ll be opening at 10 am on Sunday the 27th for the Chargers v. Vikings game.  Granny’s Kitchen will be delivering brunch for us.  We’ll put the food order in about 10:30 am with food expected around 11 am.  In addition to tasty brunch, we’ll have the popular Ballast Point Bloody Mary Mix – it is particularly good with the Jalapeno Back Country Gold.  Look for a pre-mixed Ballast Point Bloody Mary coming in a 12 oz can using the Ballast Point Fugu Vodka and their Bloody Mary Mix.  I got to taste one the other day it is awesome.

This weekend is the Apple Days festival taking place at Menghini Winery.  The event will run from 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday.  There are lots of vendors (including great ice cream from Niederfranks) and family activities.  Of course, there is Nickel beer.  We have Irish Red, Julian Pale, Filthy Paws Porter and the debut of the new Pearfect Apple Pie Ale.  The Pearfect Apple Pie Ale was made with a blend of Hyslop Crab Apples 50/50 with our pears from the brewery property.  I expect to have it on at the tasting room for next weekend as we finish off the end of the Wholly Crab! Apple Pie Ale.

For more info on the Apple Days Festival, visit: http://www.julianca.com/apple-days.html

We just tapped our last kegs of Hopster Douchebag Double IPA and Penalty Shot Pale.  I am not selling the Hopster to go so that everyone can enjoy it in the tasting room.  We also have our Green Truck Fresh Hop Double IPA on tap so this is the first time that we have had 2 Double IPAs on tap.  I have to say that the current tap list is very hop friendly.

Wet Hops Down the Hill

We have two great events this coming week in San Diego.  On Monday the 28th we will be doing a Monday Night Football Keep the Glass Night at Hamilton’s in South Park with our 16 oz logo mason jars.  On tap we will have all 4 of our San Diego fresh hop beers including 3 different versions of the Blair’s Not Bitter brewed with Hamilton’s owner Scot Blair.  Look for Star B Pale, My Way IPA, Green Truck Double IPA all on tap.  Then there will be cask, draft and nitrogen versions of the Blair’s Not Bitter, which is a 4.1% English-style Best Bitter made with Glacier hops from San Diego Golden Hop Farm.  This will the only place that all 3 versions of the Blair’s Not Bitter will be on tap at the same time.  I expect everything will be on tap when they open at 3 pm on Monday.

Wednesday night, the 30th, we finish off the month at West Coast Barbecue and Brew in La Mesa with another full line up of wet hop beers – Star B, My Way, Green Truck and both draft and nitrogen Blair’s Not Bitter.  All of the brews should be on by 4 pm and I highly recommend showing up hungry in addition to thirsty.  The BBQ at West Coast is great and I have been loving the new Burnt Ends Sandwich.

I am planning to be at both Hamilton’s and West Coast to enjoy these once a year fresh hop brews.

Last Sips

We have expanded our hours.  We are now showing Monday, Thursday and Sunday night football and we open for all Chargers games.  On game nights, we will be open until at least 7:30 pm and we will stay open until the end of the game as long as folks are there watching it.  Here are the new hours:

Monday: 2 pm to 7:30 pm (or end of game)
Tuesday: 2 pm to 6 pm
Wednesday: 2 pm to 7 pm
Thursday: 2 pm to 7:30 pm (or end of game)
Friday and Saturday: 11:30 am to 8 pm
Sunday: 11:30 am to 7:30 pm (or end of game)

Yesterday I had the privilege to brew with my good friend Colby Chandler from Ballast Point.  We made a beer that we brewed together down at the Little Italy Ballast Point last year called Saludos Saison.  It was brewed to help celebrate the 20th Anniversary of O’Brien’s and it was inspired by Brasserie Dupont’s Avec Les Bon Voeux (which translates roughly to With Best Wishes).  The Dupont beer is a strong golden hued Saison around 10% alcohol.  Our version has some honey and is lightly spiced and should also be right around 10%.  I expect to have it on tap in about 3 weeks in the tasting room and we are trying to coordinate releases at O’Brien’s and Ballast Point Little Italy.

Local restaurant The Candied Apple is now delivering food to the tasting room from 12-6 pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  You are also welcome to bring your own food anytime.  I am planning to have some vendors in October including the taco cart on Saturday the 10th and BBQ on the 17th.

Finally I would like to offer up a big congratulations to all of the San Diego breweries that took medals at the Great American Beer Festival, especially Rip Current for being named the Very Small Brewing Company of the year.  You can find all of the winners listed here: http://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/the-competition/winners/.  We did not enter this year, so you won’t find us listed!

Thanks for enjoying Julian our mountain brewed beer.  We’ll see you soon to enjoy a hopefully fall-like day (don’t forget about the upcoming lunar eclipse).  Cheers, Tom