Favorite Beers

My enjoyment of beer has shifted from quantity towards quality. If I'm only going to drink one beer a night, I want to have a really good one.

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA: This is a really nice IPA brewed in Delaware, my current favorite. Their 90 Minute is over-the-top good.
Samuel Smith Old Brewery Pale Ale: Almost like a good wine, lots of complex tastes
Ommegang Farmhouse Ale: A new find (2004). Belgian-style ale brewed in Cooperstown, New York. Gorgeous rich taste and head.
Celis Grand Cru: Strong and spicy. Miller bought Celis out and then closed them and sold the label. Now brewed in Weberville Michigan.
Frankenmuth Bock: From Michigan. Got this from the microbrew of the month club. Fantastic.
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: Remarkably good.
Ballard Bitter IPA: Tried a whole slew of so-called "India Pale Ales" from Beverages & More. This was my west coast favorite.
Ballantine India Pale Ale: Wonderful & strong. Don't think it is made any more. Ballantine closed the Cranston brewery, where it used to be made, and was producing it in Indiana. Then they were bought by the Falstaff division of Pabst.
Andeker: I mean the old time Detroit Andeker, before the brewery was bought by one of the big conglomerate brewers. It used to come in funny skinny-necked bottles & had a strong hoppy flavor.

Good Places To Drink Beer (SF Bay Area)

Alas, Live Soup in Santa Cruz is closed. Left at Albuquerque doesn't have Celis Grand Cru any more. And Sports City is replaced by a less interesting place without any Samuel Smith.

Ben and Nick's, Piedmont, Berkeley: Lots of fine beer on tap. Get whatever's on the hand pump. And a burger.
21st Amendment, San Francisco: Second street near Brannan. (20 Tank Brewery closed, this is more upscale.)
Tied House, Mountain View: Microbrew, sausage sandwiches, ah!
Gordon Biersch, Palo Alto, San Jose, Hawaii: Microbrew & California food. Now a chain, multiple locations.
Alpine Inn (Rosotti's), Palo Alto: Arastadero & Alpine Rd above Silicon Valley. Picnic tables and VCs.

Take a look at realbeer.com's thorough and beautiful beer page.

Updated 03/31/08