In the wake (cross fingers) of the mixology craze people are starting to realize that cocktails aren’t the only booze based beverages worthy of appreciating. In fact, despite what you may think, the craft beer trend has been growing right along with mixture of fine spirits, elderflower liqueurs, and cutesy cocktail names. After a sit-down with Ryan Sweeney –of Verdugo Bar and now The Surly Goat –I began to get the picture.
In craft beer, black vest donned bartenders and their engorged egos are replaced by a brotherhood of slightly sloppy dudes moseying around a neighborhood pub in their favorite brewery’s T-shirt. There’s no hopping from bar-to-bar, “consulting” cocktail lists in search for the next highest bidder whose willing to pay you that much more for your name. There are no gimmicks or tricks, long lines or pretentious attitudes. These are just regular guys who appreciate the flavor of hops and a full, froppy head crowning their mug.
[read on for Top 5 Summer Beers]
“The morning of our soft opening the guys from the Kern County Brewery tossed a Keg in the back of their truck and drove it straight to our front door just hours before we opened to assure that we’d have enough to get through the night,” Sweeney explains as he begins to pour us a little taster, “They ended up drinking too much to drive home so they huddled up in the motel just across the street.”
These guys in the beer scene just aren’t in it for the fame or glory. They don’t care if people know their names or who’s worked for what bar, they just want to provide a product that they know, trust and genuinely appreciate in an honest and sincere way.
That being said, the Craft Beer Fest 2010 is just around the corner and you need to get your buds into shape. Tomorrow night, head out with beer on the brain –at places like Wurstkuche, Blue Palms, The Surly Goat, Verdugo Bar –and see if you don’t feel a little better about spending 20 dollars on a liter of Hitachino Nest Ale, knowing full-well that the dude who served you didn’t have a pre-shift routine consisting of squat lunges and push-ups.
Top 5 Craft Beers you Should Probably be Privy To
1.) Pliny The Elder (A Double IPA)
2.) Ballast Point Barrel Aged Sea Monster (Stout)
3.) Bear Republic Heritage (Ale)
4.) Libertine Imperial (Amber Wit Bier)
5.) Kern River’s Just Outstanding (IPA)
