Craft Beer WalkAbout at Urban Solace

On Tuesday November 9th we are hosting some of our favorite brewers and their wares (including Anchor Brewing, Green Flash, Airdale, New Belgian along with our friends from Palm). Each brewery is paired with a dish from Chef Matt. This will be a fantastic event, don't miss it! For more info and how to reserve follow this link. Cheers!

Beer Week at the Linkery and El Take It Easy: This Ain't Your Grandpa's Beer Week

Mostly because this is only the second Beer Week, so how could it be, but still.

At The Linkery and El Take It Easy, we've got a lineup of Beer Week events that will make you feel jealous and terrible for missing any single event...unless you don't miss one. Then you'll be mostly satisfied, and full of amazing beer and food.

Click here to go directly to any of our events:
Thursday, Nov 4: Cask v. Draft
Friday, Nov 5: Cask v. Draft
Saturday, Nov 6: Cucapá Nite
Sunday, Nov 7: Green Flash Smokeout (10am to 11:30pm)
Monday, Nov 8: Cellar Nite
Wednesday, Nov 10: Craftsman Brewing Nite
Thursday, Nov 11: Green Flash Progressive Dinner
Friday, Nov 12: LagerFest with Ballast Point and friends
Saturday, Nov 13: Serious Madness 3.0 with Mad River Brewing
Sunday, Nov 14: Courtyard Cookout at Counterpoint

Thursday 4 Nov and
Friday 5 Nov at the Linkery
Cask v. Draft Night(s). Ever wonder how different a certain beer is when it cask-conditioned, as opposed to served on draft? You can find out Thursday and Friday, as we present the following beers in both formats:

-Black Market Brewing Co. Temecula CA. Rye IPA gold medal Winner at GABF '10
-Ballast point Sculpin IPA Gold Medal at WBC '10
-Airdale Afterburner Amber ale cask conditioned with chamomile
-Sudwerks pilsner, Sudwerks Brewery, Davis CA. The cask is unfiltered. This is the first lager we have done on cask, we think it is the second lager on cask in San Diego.

We'll offer special pricing when you buy a half pour of the same beer, cask & draft. This event officially starts on Friday, but most of the beers will also be available Thursday, for those who want to get a head start.

Saturday 6 Nov at El Take It Easy
Cucapá Night at El Take It Easy, featuring a full lineup of Cucapá beers and paired dishes from the El Take It Easy kitchen. DJ Astronauta Jackson (Tijuana/San Diego) spins.

Sunday 7 Nov at the Linkery
2nd annual Green Flash Smoke-Out from 10am to 11:30pm. A complete array of Green Flash beers on cask and draft, a plethora of pastured meats smoked over local Red Oak, and football (including the Chargers) on TV in the bar. GF head brewer Chuck Silva will be on hand celebrating with us again. This event was a huge success last year, and this year we're going to build on it.

Beers include:
On Cask
-8th anniversary IPA
-Le Freak
-Citra Session ale
-Green Flash ESB
-GF Porter

On Draft
-Super Freak
-Summer Saison
-Citra Session ale
-Fire Roasted Pumpkin Ale
-Fizzy Yellow Beer


Casks are being filled right now!

Monday 8 Nov at the Linkery
Cellar Day where we're going to bust out a few interesting things from our beer closet, including:
-Stone's Vertical Epic '06 '07 '09 '10 by bottle and small glass
-Green Flash, Grand Cru '09 by bottle and small glass
-Green Flash, Vintage Barleywine '08 on draft
-Select bottles from our cellar

Wednesday 10 Nov at the Linkery
Craftsman Brewing night with beers and pairings. Each pairing is $9 for the food and a half pour of beer, or get food and beer a la carte. Beers include:

- Craftsman 1903 Lager. Pre prohibition pale lager, 5.7 abv.
- Fireworks Saison. Red Spicy Dry American hops.
- Craftsman Smoked Black Lager. Brewed with Alderwood smoked malt; a delicate smooth dark beer.
- Triple White Sage. Aromatic Belgian style Strong ale
- Edgar's Ale (on cask). A tribute to Edgar Allen Poe. Black Strong Ale; a beer of mystery and imagination.

Thursday 11 Nov at the Linkery and El Take It Easy
Green Flash progressive dinner on 30th Street, with free shuttle. DJ Mr. Cotton Candy (aka Ethan) at EZ.

Friday 12 Nov at El Take It Easy
Lagerfest! Featuring craft lagers from Ballast Point and friends. DJ Claire pairs the smooth lagers with smooth yacht rock and vintage soul.

We'll be pouring the following Ballast Point lagers:

* Longfin helles-style lager
* Pescadero pils
* Abandon ship smoked lager
* Fathom IPL (2 gold medals this year WBC and GABF)
* Navigator Doppelbock

And we'll also have lagers from the local Gordon Biersch and from Green Flash (Fizzy Yellow Beer).

Saturday 13 Nov at the Linkery
Mad River Serious Madness 3.0. Last year we had 6 casks and 6 drafts from Mad River, and several food pairings, look for something similar this year. Mad River, by the way, just won Best Small Brewery at the Great American Beer Festival. So this is the best chance all year for San Diegans to check them out.

On Cask:
-Steelhead Scotch Porter (with oak)
-Extra Stout (with cocoa nibs)
-Extra Pale Ale
-Jamaica Red Ale

On Draft
-Bourbon barrel aged John Barleycorn
-Brandy barrel aged John Barleycorn
-Chili pepper ale
-Imperial Brown (Rorschach anniversary beer)
-Mad River Extra Pale Ale
-Mad River Sunset IPA
-Scotch Porter

Sunday 14 Nov at Counterpoint in Golden Hill
Wind Down Sunday: Courtyard Cookout at Counterpoint. We're going to set up an auxiliary kitchen in Counterpoint's beautiful courtyard at 25th near E St., hang out with Cam and the boys, drink a bunch of beer from their 15 craft taps, and reminisce about all the ridiculous things that happened during the week. We'd love for you to join us.

2nd Annual San Diego Beer Week Starts This Friday Nov. 5

Ritual Tavern is gearing up for 10 days of craft beer in America's Finest City!

We start SDBW2010 with an opening event featuring one of San Diego's newest breweries, Manzanita on Friday November 5th. We'll pair 3 full size beers with 3 food courses for $30. (tax & tip not included) Please RSVP 619.283.1618

Saturday 11/6 We'll be at the San Diego Brewers Guild Festival in the VIP lounge serving up food from noon to 2pm. Ritual Tavern opens regular hours 5:30 for your dining and craft beer pleasure.

Sunday 11/7 Featuring beers of Merchant Du Vin and Samuel Smith Brewery with importer representative Laird Butler. No reservations necessary.

Tuesday 11/9 AleSmith Dinner & Paring with brewer Bill Batten. Four courses paired with 4 beers. Likely to sell out, please RSVP soon.

Wednesday 11/10 Scottish, English and Belgian beers paired with food. Order one or all pairings, no reservations required. Live music from Trio Gadjo and it's DrinkAbout too! FREE Brewery Tours of San Diego bus transports you up and down 30th St.

Thursday 11/11 Green Flash Progressive Dinner/Pairings. 3 potential small plate pairings at each participating location. Join us here at Ritual Tavern, Linkery, El Take it Easy, also Sea Rocket and Blind Lady Alehouse too! No reservations necessary.

Friday 11/12 Avery Night! Colorado comes to North Park: 4 courses with beer pairings. Brewery representative Ted Whitney on hand to dine, drink & answer questions at the same time. RSVP

Saturday 11/13 Ommegang Night! 3 course dinner with beer pairings. Brewery representative Brian Hackler on hand to inform and educate on Brewery Ommegang. RSVP

We look forward to spending Beer Week with you!
Be Safe, have fun & stay classy, San Diego :-)

Cheers!