Got sick of this Phoenix-like weather going on in Albuquerque and decided to take a quick trip to San Diego, where the weather is warm but bearable. I have to say, though, that I was a little surprised at how chilly it got at night around the city. I think of SoCal, I think of warm weather, you know?? I should have remembered the scene in The Karate Kid, where Daniel-san and his new friends have a fire going to stay warm while at the beach (until Johnny and the Cobra Kais come and ruin it...and Daniel loses his "friends" just because he couldn't beat up a karate champion..."I thought you said this guy was cool." What a bunch of dicks.).
I don't like paying the huge jump in fees that come with renting from Avis, Hertz, National, and the like, but this experience with Advantage has me wondering. We waited an hour and a half just to get a damn rental car! The couple we flew with, Turtle and Majin from the upcoming Goat Head Brewing, had time to get their car and eat lunch at Karl Strauss before we finally got the car. And Advantage had three people behind the counter, but a family from Europe took up one rep's time for a whole HOUR arguing about pre-pay gas and extra drivers and God knows what else.
Once we got the sporty Nissan Versa, we headed downtown for the obligatory stop at Super Jr Mart, a.k.a. Best Damn Beer Shop, for some Russian River Row 2 Hill 56 and Ballast Point Dorado DIPA. Yeah, I know the selection is so big that you can't believe that's all we got, but this was only in the first couple hours of being there.
From there, it was a quick stop into Tiger!Tiger!, sister bar of famed Blind Lady Ale House, for some Firestone Walker Sucaba (Barrel-Aged Barleywine). The Sucaba was on tap as a part of a three-day tapping of four barrel-aged beers over three days. Kind of a rough first beer to drink after not sleeping so great (the usual night before going on a trip for good beer jitters), but I managed without even mixing it with MGD 64. We moved down 30th st. to Hamilton's (pictured), the classic craft bar that gets super-crowded with locals. Luckily, we got there just before the crush and enjoyed Ballast Point Sculpin with Habanero (and it was good!) and Upright Seven Saison.
To end the night, what better place than Toronado? Just a quick 15-minute bus ride up 30th (yup! Took the bus! Technology is such a great thing...looked up the bus route on the phone, saw there was one coming in five minutes, and boom! a $2.25 ride instead of a $15 cab. I'm very proud of myself for taking public transportation...I feel like I'm qualified to be the Green Party candidate for president now. This renowned beer bar didn't let me down- the beer list was heavy on the hops that night, so you know I wasn't crying. The first beer was the Ballast Point Dorado DIPA, on my list of drafts to try for years and it finally happened...along with Bear Republic Double Apex, Hop 15, Lost Abbey Bourbon Barrel Angel's Share...ouch. I can't help but going heavy on the first night.
Had to get up for the second day though...and it was an early start. Coming tomorrow!
2 comments:
You gotta hit up the lost abbey's tap room to try track #7 of their box set series.
I know, and we were supposed to, but it never worked out. Picked up some Framboise De Amarosa at least.
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