Bottoms Up

STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH GRAPHICS AND LINKS ON THIS BLOG.
TO SEE IT THE WAY I WANT IT TO BE, PLEASE GO TO MY OTHER BLOG: www.beernewsletters.com/blog.

This list comes from Yelp.com. They asked viewers to choose their favorite breweries and beers in the San Francisco Bay Area. The results are heavily San Francisco-centric, of course. Down the list, Lucky 13, also has a location in Alameda. Highly recommended by me. You can find more on each of these places at Anchor Steam label Yelp.

TOP RATED LOCAL BREWERIES:
· Anchor Steam Brewing (5 stars, based on 65 reviews)
o “Anchor Steam is in my great neighborhood, but if that’s not enough, their tours are extraordinary with, as everyone said, free beer.” – L.B.
o “If you’re not a fan of Anchor Steam, go on the tour and you will be. First off, the tour starts with free beer. Yeah that’s right, drink up and no worries mate, you can take it with you on the tour.” Jeremy S. (CEO of Yelp)
· Trumer Pils (5 stars, based on 9 reviews)
o “The staff, facility and beer are top notch. One of the best Pilsners around and clearly rivals the Czech masters.” – Phil M.
· Speakeasy (4.5 stars, based on 23 reviews)
o “As much as I love the current lineup of bottled beers: Big Daddy IPA, Prohibition Ale, Double Daddy Imperial IPA and the Untouchable Pale Ale (and the elusive Godfather Barleywine), it’s the keg-only and the dearly departed brews that made this brewery tops in my book.” – Avery G.
· Triple Rock Brewery – Berkeley (4 stars, based on 75 reviews)Triple Rocking Brewery
o “In case you didn’t know, Triple Rock Brewery has the BEST HOMEMADE BEER in the Bay Area. It makes Pyramid as dumb as a wet rock. “ – Abendigo R.

GREAT PLACES TO GET A BEER:
San Francisco
· City Beer Store (4.5 stars, based on 49 reviews):
o “They have hundreds of beers from all over the world, some in the fridge ready to drink, some on the shelves, but all are about corner store prices.” – Chad N.
· Alembic (4 stars, based on 126 reviews):
o “…The beer selection was unmatched. I highly recommend the Drunk Monk Ale.” – Leslie F.
· Toronado (4 stars, based on 237 reviews):
o “Oh my god, talk about a beer selection. Whether I’m looking for something from the North Coast Brewery or prefer to explore non-local beers, Toronado is the place to be for beer-drinkers.” – Abendigo R.
· Lucky 13 (4 stars, based on 181 reviews):
o “This place could be my Mecca. Where a year is a week, and I make the pilgrimage every week. Especially when import draught beer is $2.50 a pint during Happy Hour.” – Rommy G.
·MAGNOLIA Brewing and Restaurant Magnolia’s (3.5 stars, based on 179 reviews):
o “I’ve visted all of the breweries in SF except for Anchor, and I think Magnolia may even give Speakeasy a run for my top spot, beer-wise. The variety definitely gives it a boost.“ – Jeff Troy McClure S. F.
· Gestalt Haus (4 stars, based on 91 reviews):
o High reviews are mostly based on Gestalt Haus’ offering of liter mugs
o “You know when folks joke and say they only workout when they do curls with 12ounce beers? Well… I found the place where you can actually walkout looking like Popeye on spinach. Talk about lots of beer… a liter!” – AKA G.

East Bay
· The Albatross (4.5 stars, based on 129 reviews):
o “It’s a good place to gather a large group, with plenty of seating and multiple rooms, and the selection of beers on tap is great, but the catalog of bottles is impressive.” – Matthew S.

Peninsula
· The Oasis Beer Garden – Menlo Park (4 stars, based on 55 reviews):
o “My favorite burger and beer joint on the Peninsula.” – Dennis M.

· The Dutch Goose – Menlo Park (4 stars, based on 46 reviews):
o “A great place for a couple of beers with a group of friends on a summer day.” – Katharine A.

I had dinner at A Cote in Rockridge last night. Delicious tuna tartare, pomegranate lamb in phyllo, artichoke soup. I actually skipped wine for one of their fabulous cocktails — mine was a lively Prosecco with grapefruit juice.

But A Cote, a bastion for delightful French tapas, is also a great place to learn about French wines, especially the juicy, au moment Loire Valley wines of Bourgueil and Chinon. I’m going to a dinner centered around Vouvray next month, and last year, I attended a Thanksgiving meal centered around their Cab Francs. Turkey and Cab Franc? You bet.

See what these wines are capable of yourself at A Cote’s upcoming winemaker’s dinner. They’re bringing in Pierre Breton of Domaine Breton. His wines, unfiltered and produced with minimal sulfur, express the terroir of the region. The reds have vivid fruit, crisp acidity and fresh flavors, all of which make them perfect for a summer table. He also has a sense of humor a la Bonny Doon, from Nuits d’Ivresse (Drunken Nights) to Le Trinch, named for the sound of two glasses clinking (in French). The 4-course meal on April 25 starts at 6 p.m. It costs $80. Here’s what you get:

First Course
Salmon with Sorrel Sauce, Asparagus, Leeks and Smoked Trout
Quenelles paired with Domaine Bréton, “Nuits d’Ivresse”, Bourgueil, Loire Valley 2003

Second Course
Boudin Blanc with Fennel Puree and Prunes paired with Domaine Bréton, “Les Picasses,” Chinon, Loire Valley 2003

Third Course
Confit of Duck Leg with Flageolet Beans paired with Domaine Bréton, “Les Perrieres,” Bourgueil, Loire Valley 2002 and Domaine Bréton, “Les Perrieres,” Bourgueil, Loire Valley 2003

Fourth Course
Fromage de Loire
paired with Domaine Bréton, “Les Picasses,” Chinon, Loire Valley 2002

Seating is limited for this special dinner, so call or e-mail today to reserve your place: events@acoterestaurant.com or 510.655.6469.

Here here to Julia Moskin’s piece in today’s Food & Wine section. Good timing. I actually cooked with a Chardonnay called Divas Uncorked Sisters Who Sip (I swear) last night. It’s a private label with the Mendocino Wine Company, and had been sitting in my fridge for over a week, half-full (screw capped, of course). It was a $13 bottle, decent in its finish, not overly buttery, with a fair amount of vanilla to round out the citrusy lemon and lime flavors.

I was tempted to open a Sauvignon Republic Cellars bottle to pour into my pasta dish, but used splashes of the Divas Uncorked instead, with my garlic, butter, lemon, non fat half and half and
salt ‘n’ peppa reduction. I agree with Moskin completely. If anything, my artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes loved the uber citrusy, simple wine. It worked with the ingredients and enhanced them, rather than overwhelming my dish, or worst yet, getting lost in the dish. (Worst, of course, if I’d used a higher quality, more expensive wine). Try it, you’ll see!