June 2009

Bear Republic Brewery

This weekend I took a trip up to the Russian River. For 5 hours I laid back in the sun, floated on the subtle current, and even paddled on occasion- all the while doing good drinking for the river- Enough Tecate and Coors Light to fill a bathtub. As fantastic of an afternoon as it was, the best was yet to come. My friends and I stayed at a hotel in Healdsburg and went for dinner at the Bear Republic Brewery- well worth the journey for anyone who finds him/her-self in Sonoma County and wants a break from the wine sipping.

I’ve had a few of their beers in bottles but never the chance to visit the brewery and enjoy their large draught selection right from the source. 

Pig and Whistle, San Francisco

In this crazy mixed up world in which we live, there are but a few constants. Bad Chinese food. Those little yappy dogs. Australians. And, of course, wherever you might roam, from Montpellier to Machu Picchu, you will find faux Irish bars. Some are good, some are bad, and some (shudder) serve chilled Guinness.

One thing I’ve always wondered about, however, is why there are not more English style pubs? The short answer might be that no-one likes poor service, rude patrons and warm beer. But that, I feel, is a somewhat myopic view of what a pub can be. I lived for a while in the south west of England, and whilst I’m not going to attempt to convince you of the merits of drinking beer at around room temperature (here’s a clue, though; it makes it taste nicer), I became very fond of a quiet pub on a Sunday afternoon, no gaudy neon, juke box quietly ticking over in the corner; hey, I even got to like the crappy food.

Hidden Gems - Jack's Club and Yats PoBoys, San Francisco

Jack’s Club, situated on the corner of 24th and Utah Streets in San Francisco’s Mission district, is fairly unremarkable from the outside. If you didn’t know about it, you probably wouldn’t even go in. There are plenty of bars nearby that are hipper, cheaper, flashier or more conveniently located. In fact, for the most part its clientele is made up of doctors, nurses and healthcare workers from the nearby general hospital, who come in to take advantage of their happy hour offers.

Their beer and drinks selection is fine; they have the usual selection of national beers (Budweiser, Coors, etc) with a few local ones thrown in for good measure. Prices are four to five dollars, or a recession busting two dollars during happy hour, which runs every week day from 2pm until 7pm. You can’t say better than that, really.

The Punchline, San Francisco

There’s always something a little different about comedy clubs. For a start, they want you to come in, drink up, and get out and leave in a couple of hours, so they can get the next show underway. And then, of course, there’s the whole thing with someone standing in front of you on a stage, telling jokes and trying to make you laugh. What’s that all about?

Beyond the Long Island

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Seeing as June is Iced Tea Month, I thought it might be fun to dig up some good tea recipes. Tea is delicious in many shapes and forms, and is an excellent drink base. You may think you’ve had a tea cocktail if you’ve had a Long Island Iced Tea, but the truth is that there’s no tea in it! There are plenty of ways, however, to get a refreshing glass of tea with a little something extra if you’re interested.

American Tea: For an easy sweet treat, add two ounces of honey liquor to your sweet tea and stir.  

Tea Spike: Mix an ounce and a half of white rum, half an ounce of dark crème de cacao, and 4 ounces of iced tea in a shaker; then pour into a highball glass. This makes for a sweet, cool summer drink.

Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista in San Francisco

 

Irish coffee. One of the great beverages to be created by the formidable hands of talented mixologists and passed across the bar into the grasp of locals and tourists alike.

And if you want an Irish coffee made the right way, you go to the Buena Vista in San Francisco, right at the end of the streetcar line near Fisherman's Wharf.

First thing's first: What's an Irish coffee? Whiskey, coffee and heavy cream. 

And like I said, they make 'em like they're supposed to make 'em at the Buena Vista.

They have a great rundown on how Buena Vista became the spot to go here.

But here's the quick and dirty: