Mission Pizza and Elysian Loser Pale Ale

Stopped in at Mission Pizza in Fremont for lunch recently. What a nice surprise this place was. 20 or so craft brews on tap. Appears they rotate the taps frequently as well by the collection of tap handles throughout the place. My new all time favorite place in Fremont, with all due respect to my sister's place.



Slice of pepperoni and a Green Flash Hop Head Red. Heck of a combo right there.



Place also has live country & bluegrass music Friday & Saturday nights. Awesome.

As well as a fine collection of beer cans, bottles, tap handles, and KFAT stuff. KFAT was an old time Bay Area country station my pops & uncle would listen to while swillin Bud Light. Thankfully I didn't inherit their taste buds.



On tap during my visit were 4 different Green Flash brews: Hop Head Red, West Coast IPA, Imperial IPA, Barleywine. Sierra Nevada Bock. Abita Purple Haze. Schmaltz Lenny's RIPA. Uncommon Siamese Twin. North Coast Pranqster & Old Rasputin on Nitro. As well as many others. Well worth the trip.





Check out Mission Pizza here http://www.missionpizza.com/index.html


I'll be back for sure.

Oh yeah. Elysian Brewery in Seattle has brewed Loser Pale Ale in honor of 20 years of Sub Pop Records. You can read my review from Beer Advocate here: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/700/44568/?ba=bbothen a little over the top with many Sub Pop artist references, but hey I was happy.

That's the all time great Mudhoney on the label.

Red is in the fermemter

4 weeks away from drinking a homebrewed American style Red ale. Yet to be named.



7 lbs Ultralight malt extract
1 lbs Crystal malt
2 oz black roasted malt
1 oz Magnum bittering hops
1 oz Vangaurd flavoring hops
2 oz Santiam aroma hops

The Trappist, Cato's Alehouse, Pliny The Elder & recent tastings

Catching up with some recent tastings & onsite "research".

The Trappist in Oakland. Tiny fairly new spot in Oakland. Think the maximum capacity is 50. Place has beautiful workworking throughout, bar, and doors, archways, etc. 15 taps of mostly Belgian Trappist brews. St Bernardus, Urthel, Chouffe, Chimay, Caracole & more. Also a few local American made brews from Russian River, Avery, Port, & Stone.

Feels like a real Belgian beer bar. Check it out.

http://thetrappist.com/











Also stopped into Cato's Alehouse in the Piedmont area of Oakland. First time at this place. I'll be back for sure.

Real cool laid back vibe. Nice selection of California brewsd on tap. Moonlight Bombay By Boat(on cask!), Stone 12th Anniversary, Lagunitas, Bear Republic, Russian River, & lots more. Menu includes pizzas, sandwiches, salads, etc.

http://www.mrcato.com/





Some recent oddities I've liked.

Peche Mortel Imperial stout brewed with coffee. Delicious. Roasted/toasted flavors with a big coffee presence. Made in Canada. Not all Canadian beers are fizzy yellow lagers.



One of my all time favorite beers, Pliny The Elder fromRussian River, is now in bottles. I drank this about 2 weeks after it was bottled! The hop aroma is awesome. You can smell it from across the room.



Tiny the cat takes lots of naps.



Big A Imperial IPA from Smuttynose Brewing in New Hampshire. One of the "Big Beer Series" releases. Huge citrus hop overload in this one. Filled with the "chronic" of hops. Oily, sticky, & delicious.

21st Amendment's Hell Or High Watermelon Wheat. Now available in cans. Not a huge fan of fruit infused wheat beers, but this one is good for what it is. Very refreshing. Great out of a cooler on a hot summer day.