Ballast Point Even Keel..

is delicious. It's on cask at Sea Rocket Bistro right now. If you like delicious beer on cask, please stop by for a pint.

Amber waves, and all that.

cross-posted to Casing the Joint.



It's great that the Obama/Gates/whoever "Beer Summit" is calling attention to the companies that actually make the mediocre beers which masquerade as being tied to a specific locale.

* You thought Bud Light was American? Try corporate Brazilian-Belgian.

* Blue Moon is from the Midwest, right? Nope. That would be from a multi-national version of nowhere which includes South Africa, the UK, and Canada.

* Red Stripe, as you know from its commercials, hails from London. I mean, to the extent that a corporation like Diageo can be said to exist anywhere.

What's marvelous about the curtain being pulled back on this charade is that it crystallizes this little-talked-about fact: actual American breweries are simply the world's powerhouse for quality beer. The joke about American beer being like a having sex in a canoe no longer holds -- that canoe now rides the Thames or the Amazon.

Anyway, if the Three Summiteers want to actually enjoy their beers, there are some obvious substitutes -- aka improvements.

Since President Obama drinks Bud, he'd probably really enjoy a quality Pilsner like Prima Pils from Victory Brewing. That's in Pennsylvania...like the Avenue.

Officer Crowley's could indulge his enjoyment of wheat beers by ditching the Blue Moon and instead sampling the witbier from Missouri's leading brewer: Boulevard Brewing.

And for Professor Gates, who strikes me as appreciating aesthetics, there is one very obvious step up from Red Stripe:



That would be Session Lager, brewed by employee-owned Full Sail Brewing in Oregon.

Beer of this quality makes me want caught breaking into my own home to drink some. Fortunately, I don't have to...since here on 30th Street, most of the bars, restaurants, and corner stores traffic in it.

New Happy Hours at Sea Rocket

Sea Rocket Bistro now offers two happy hours at the bar every day of the week!

Come in from five until seven and receive a free tapa with every draft beer purchase; tonight's tapa selection includes a fresh grilled San Diego sardine, organic California olives, Winchester gouda cheese drizzled with Temecula honey and more.

After nine, enjoy any of our local craft beers on tap for just three dollars! Right now we're pouring Lightning Fair Weather Pale Ale, Green Flash Hop Head Red and Double Stout, AleSmith IPA, Ballast Point Wahoo Wheat and Airdale Altitude.
These happy hour special offers are available at the bar only.

Also just arrived, fresh sea urchins, oysters, clams, mussels, halibut and mahi-mahi, a batch of lamb chili is finishing up right now.

South Park Summer Walkabout Sat. July 25

Here's a link with the full schedule of events: http://southparkscene.weebly.com

The popular South Park Walkabout returns for its Summer 2009 edition next Saturday, July 25th, from 6-10pm.

Plenty of free music (at Rebecca's Coffeehouse, at Prudential Financial on Fern near Cedar, and at the corner of Beech & 30th) ... plus a free trolley to help you roam the neighborhood.

Here's a story about all that will be going on, including restaurant tastings and specials, snacks and gifts at shops and services, and more:
http://bit.ly/walkaboutjuly25

Please come by!

The Life Aquatic, Le Freak, Green Flash Weekend

Some news from Sea Rocket Bistro:

Tonight, Thursday, is movie night, a chance to enjoy dinner and a movie for just $20!  The movie tonight is "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou," starring Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Anjelica Huston and Cate Blanchett.  The prix fixe menu includes a choice of appetizer, entree and glass of beer or wine for just twenty dollars.  Thanks as always to Citizen Video for helping us to offer these events.

All weekend long we'll be featuring the fantastic beers of the Green Flash Brewing Company, including Le Freak on cask.  We'll have flights of Summer Saison, Hop Head Red, Double Stout and Le Freak for just $8.  Saturday night, brewmaster Chuck Silva will stop by around 7 to answer your beer geek questions about Green Flash.  We'll also have a special three course tasting menu paired with, of course, Green Flash beers, for $25.  

Ritual Cask, Oysters and Live Jazz Thursday at the Tavern

Each and every Thursday, the Ritual Tavern features a local craft brew, served as nature intended it, free from artificially added carbonation, on the hand pump. This week we'll be pouring Ragtop Red Ale!
Featured on the San Diego Brewer's Guild Website it is noted for "A ruby red color and medium body best describes this award-winning beer! This Irish-style Red Ale has great caramel flavors which are well balanced by the fresh Goldings & Willamette Hops from the Pacific Northwest.
Great American Beer Festival® * 2008 * Silver Medal *
Great American Beer Festival® * 2000 * Bronze Medal *
"Irish- Style Red Ale” category for “Ragtop Red “ brewed by Brewmaster, Marty Mendiola at the LaJolla, CA location.

Join us for this cask and fresh-shucked oysters from Carlsbad Aqua Farms.
Happy Hour from 5:30-7:30pm Tues-Sat and 3:30-9:30pm Sun
$3.50 taps and $1 off select glasses of wine!

Enjoy live music from Trio Gadjo on the first and third Thursdays of the month.(tonight July 16, 2009!) Their Django Reinhart inspired musical ramblings are well suited to our old world tavern atmosphere. It’s easy to imagine yourself in 1930’s Belgium, eating fresh mussels, drinking and listening to live music in a candle-lit tavern.

Cheers!
Please vote for us, and all your North Park favorites at KGTV 10's A-list!
http://kgtv.cityvoter.com/ritual-tavern/biz/55779


Cheers!

DJ Greyboy and DJ Ratty spin at San Diego Natural Wine Summit Aug 9

Above: DJ Greyboy will be one of the special guests at the first-ever San Diego Natural Wine Summit on August 9. Check out his June 2009 release "Era Correct."

Jaynes Gastropub is proud to announce that DJ Greyboy and DJ Ratty will be joining us on August 9 for the first-ever San Diego Natural Wine Summit.

It's not so hard to imagine: the same people who dig great wine, also dig great tunes! We are very psyched to have two world-class DJs joining us.

Please join us on August 9 for this very special and unique event...

To reserve tickets please call 619.563.1011 or email info@jaynesgastropub.com

Click here for a downloadable and printable version of the flyer.

Ritual Cask and Oyster Thursday

Each Thursday at the Ritual Tavern a new cask of local craft brewed beer is featured. This week, July 9th we'll be pouring Lime Lite Wit from Coronado Brewing. Its is brewed with lime zest, chamomile, grains of paradise, and a belgian yeast. A great summer brew that comes in at a very drinkable 5% ABV Why not enjoy some on our patio with fresh shucked oysters from Carlsbad Aqua Farms?

Happy Hour pricing on draft beers $3.50 from 5:30-7:30 Tues-Sat and 3:30-9:30 Sun. $1 off select glasses of wine too!

Make your visit to the tavern a Ritual!
Cheers

Food from 30th to You, Velo'ed

Now you can get food from every restaurant on 30th (and, actually, from anywhere on the mesa or downtown), delivered to your door by your neighbor. On his/her bike.

This town gets cooler and cooler.