Mar 3

Written by: Ken
Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Wasn't there a book or movie to that name, or more like "Berkeley to Boston Forty Brick Lost Bag Blues"?
Met up with Dr. Fermento and Ms. Fermento in San Francisco for some of the festivities at San Francisco Beer Week. I, to judge at the Toronado Barley Wine Festival, (still unsure why it's called a festival), and Mr & Ms Fermento to visit family and endeavor for new beer adventures.

Without being redundant, I'll leave the details to Fermento's Foamy Rant, and his article in the Anchorage Press. However, on my side of the story, there was a conspiracy to get me from the beginning. "Drown him in beer" was the chant. Starting in San Francisco on 2/11, I was obligated to start the adventure at Tommy's Joynt for my first beer in the City. Big Daddy Double IPA from Speakeasy Brewing was my choice. I then went to Chimay on tap, only because we do not carry it at the restaurant.
On to Toronado for the pre-festivities. The bar was surprisingly busy. I did manage to get 2 beers and was double fisting the brews most of the evening.

I stayed there for a few hours reaquainting with people I have met in the previous years. I really couldn't stay too long, as I had an appointment with Dr. and Ms. Fermento the next morning to drive to Santa Rosa and visit with Russian River Brewing and down to Petaluma for Lagunitas Brewing. Then to make it to the Midnight Sun Brewing introduction to CA. We, for sure, had a busy day planned.

To make an ever long story short, Dr. and Ms Fermento had beers with me for 3 days. I enjoyed every minute of their company. They lefty on Monday morning and my friend and bar patron, Bill Lostukoff took over for them on Monday and we headed back north to Healdsbug, CA and stopped by Bear Republic Brewing. Met one of Bill's friends there for lunch and had a great time, great lunch, and great beers. We also stopped by a winery where Bill worked in his younger days.

Headed south, and hit Russian River Brewing, again. next on to Iron Springs in Fairfax, CA, then on to Moylan's Brewing in Novato, CA. Next, and final stop, was Chalet and Beach Resort in San Francisco. They all had wonderful beers, and as to which beers stood uut the most, I would have to say that Russian River and Moylan's were probably the best I tried on that trip.

I loaded on to the plane at 7:45 PM and headed on to Boston for the Extreme Beer Festival sponsored by BeerAdvocate.com and affiliated with Dogfish Head Brewing. I arrived in Boston at 7 AM and had an early check-in at the Chandler Inn. I text messaged Candice from BeerAdvocate.com and told her and Todd I made an early flight to Boston. They texted me back and had an extra ticket to a beer function at the Cambridge Common Pub. Next night was another function at Lord Hobo in Cambridge. The next day Adam, my future son-in-law arrived in Boston and proceeded to drink our livers away.

W had a great time in Boston. We were treated like royalty by all the BeerAdvocate people. I'm going back next year, and hope to have a following of people from Alaska.

I wasn't home one day and Shauna wanted to go for a few beers at Mooses Tooth...well,.. who am I to say "No" to beer, especially after 12 days of drinking....I was primed...

Anyway, I will go into depth with the details of the trip at a later date. Right now, that was just the highlights of the conspiracy, and tag-teaming.

Until next time......

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