Sunday, February 10, 2013

San Francisco bound this weekend!

San Francisco is by far one of my most favorite towns.  I love the drive from Southern California up north, the scenery is gorgeous.  I almost enjoy the drive more than the destination!  This next weekend, I'll be venturing to San Francisco for a few days and am debating what to do while there.  I've visited a few breweries and craft beer bars on past visits, but I always like to try something new with each trip.


No traffic driving through Los Angeles is always a nice treat.


Beer at Bear Republic, so yummy!


Breweries I have visited on the way and/or in the area of San Francisco include:
Hollister Brewing CompanyFigueroa Mountain Brewing CompanyFirestone Walker BreweryLagunitas Brewing CompanyBear Republic Brewery, and Russian River Brewing Company.
I'm looking for suggestions for craft beer bars or breweries to visit on my next trip.  Which ones are your favorites?

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Valiant Brewing Grand Opening

First customers in line to try some tasty beer!
Today I had the privilege of visiting Valiant Brewing in Orange, California for their Grand Opening.  It's not every day that you are able to enter a brand new brewery on their first official day of business.  I arrived at the brewery thirty minutes prior to their opening, not sure what to expect.  After a few minutes, I noticed other people were gathering at the entrance to the brewery and decided to wait in the small group.  At noon we were welcomed inside the brewery.


Pretty beer making equipment!


When you first enter the brewery, you are able to view all of the new shiny brewing equipment.  Being able to see where a brewery makes there beer is always fun for a beer drinker, especially if you don't have to go on an actual tour.  It also helps to make you appreciate even more all of the hard work that is involved in making a delicious beer.


Endless possibilities of beer!















First customers ordering beer.
After looking around and admiring the beauty of a brand new brewery, I decided it might be a good idea to sample some of the beer on tap.  There were three official beers on tap as well as a fourth beer that was available if you ordered a tasting flight.  Maverick's Mighty Ale, a 3.6 % abv Premium Bitter, 31 Kings, a 6.5% abv IPA, Veranda, a 8.5% abv French Ale, and Stentorian, a 13.5% abv Barley Wine.



31 Kings IPA, my favorite of the day!

While I enjoyed sampling all of the beers I sampled, 31 Kings was my favorite of the day.  Stentorian was a bit sneaky, in that it smelled far stronger than it tasted, but being 13.5% abv it is definitely a strong beer.






I am glad that I arrived when the brewery first opened their doors for the day, because many other craft beer fans had the same idea to visit today!  While many people helped make a continuous stream of customers, the lines moved in a timely manner.  All of the employees were friendly and helpful.  I loved seeing members of the brewery owners family helping out while we were there.  After finishing my beer, I decided to get a growler to take home, so that I would be able to share my new favorite beer with my friends.  I look forward to sampling more beers by Valiant Brewing Company and am excited to see what other beers they make in the future!

View of the many thirsty craft beer drinkers at the entrance.