Rock & Roll Happy Hour

Our tour of San Diego county beers continue with the San Diego Brewers Guild and the countdown to Saturday's Capital of Craft Fest! Today we drop into San Marcos' Blue Fire Brewing and their very local White Sage IPA.

Half way through the week and another day closer to The San Diego Brewers Guild, Capital of Craft Fest on Saturday! Today VP Estela and member of the Kilowatt team as bought a very unique kettle sour beer that has won the brewery a number of awards, their Peach Cobbler (and yes, it taste just like mom's peach cobbler).

It's Super Tuesday and the San Diego Brewers Guild brought a super beer to the party! This years Capital of Craft IPA! Brewed in collaboration with Fall, Black Black Plague, BLAH, Hodad's, Hopnonymous, Ketch and a few local vendors. This is a picture perfect example of what the San Diego West Coast IPA has evolved into!

San Diego Beer Week is in full swing and it all wraps this weekend with the Capital of Craft Festival. All week Erick and Estela from the San Diego Brewers Guild joins us for a tour of San Diego County beers and will give us some insight on what to expect this weekend. Our first stop in this tour of beer is San Marcos' own My Yard Live and their 4 Stone Cold Dudes Pilsner.

Bonus Beer time! Today not only kicks off San Diego Beer Week but also MEBC's Fresh Hop Fest. Tapping three fresh hop beers, on of which is this year's edition of Fresh As It Gets featuring a hop so fresh and new that the brewers stayed late to accommodate the hop delivery schedule so this beer really is as fresh as it gets.

Its the kick off of San Diego Beer Week and Andrew from Mother Earth Brewing gets the first toast! Debuting a beer that we tried very recently as a R&D beer, Ascent makes it's way into the world officially for the Capital of Craft Fest but we get to try it first now.

T'was the night before Beer Week and all Hallows eve. Not a brewer was stirring, not even a leave...of delicious hops that rest in the kettle of a West Coast IPA, to test a brewers metal. Chris Banker was the one to put it all together, but name he ran out of when he started this endeavor. He tried and he tried to conjure it's title but gave up and said "we straight outta names!"

Hey, we just saw Bay City in the studios a few weeks ago! Rob and Austin are back to talk about their newest beer they are dropping tonight and their Hockey seasonal Power Play IPA that they brew for the the San Diego Gulls season. We've got the inaugural batch of that beer on deck tonight!

I didn't expect something this blue when Hayden and Kyndall opened up the crowler of Haterade but this already very popular hard seltzer has a tribute and a story behind it that Kyndall shares in this SDBW bonus segement!

Apologies to Camfield and Mady since the Alt 94/9 studio smells like we just hot boxed it. I promise no weed was harmed in the drinking of Weir Beer's "I Don't Get Angry When My Mom Smokes Pot" IPA! A well balanced beer and a ridiculous amount of terpenes makes this IPA a real treat to enjoy as Weir officially opens their brewery on Friday for the kick off of San Diego Beer Week.

Since we've got the time and William from Embolden beer brought an extra we're going to try a BONUS BEER! Under their new sub-brand Shogun, Embolden has crafted a first ever Macha Hazy IPA called Shogun - Midnight in Tokyo! Hear about it's origins and how it was received in Tokyo.

We're counting down the days to the kick off of San Diego Beer on Friday, all week we'll be hosting different breweries in the Alt 94/9 studios. To kick things off we have Embolden Beer and their currently seasonl beer Dark as Day Horchata Golden Milk Stout.

We wrap up a week of craft beer and conservation with Pure Project and Wildcoast with a special beer that will not see public release. Part of Pure Project's Cellar Cyndicate, Vanua Lava is a big barrel aged stout with a heavy dose of coconut and vanilla. With a big flavor and smooth sip this beer is almost liquid desert.

Today we taste The beer that will kick off San Diego Beer Week for Pure Project! Liquid Allusion is a murky IPA brewed in collaboration with Karl Strauss, light bodied, hazy and very drinkable!

Our adventure into the partnership of Pure Project and Wildcoast takes a passionate turn! Where is takes a lot of passion to work and maintain a non-profit, it also takes a lot of passion fruit to make today's beverage...POG Fizz. Not a beer but one of the first Hard Seltzer from Pure Project with a bunch of passion fruit, orange and guava.

Fresh off a medal tour of the Great American Beer Festival, Mount Eden is a Barrel Aged Saison that flaunts the flavors of Kiwi, Quiunce and White pepper with a healthy finishing of Nelson Sauvin Cryo at bottling. The results is a complex balance of kiwi and lemon with subtle oak flavors with a small hint of acidity to finish.

Drinking beer for a cause this week as we prepare for San Diego Beer Week and the recent partnership announcement between Pure Project and Wildcoast! Mat and Anne drop in all week to talk about how their new couwdfunding campaign to build a trash boom in Tijuana's Matadero Canyon. Prepare to learn a lot about what goes on to help keep our water clear and a little as well about the beer it makes with Rain.

It the beer that could break up the brew team, Coco Ono is not for the faint of heart. Actually, this is the perfect beer for anyone who is afraid of IPA's. This beer is a literal Pina Colada of IPA's with huge flavors of both coconut and pineapple, you might forget you're drinking a beer!

Bay City Brewing has already demonstrated what they can do with Hazy IPA's after yesterday's Ron Murkundy. Today we see what happens when Bay City throws a Double in front of that Hazy. Let me tell you from from personal experience, the tiger on the can will get you if you're not careful, this a very easy drinking almost 9% IPA.

Stay Classy San Diego, I'm Ron Murkundy?

With a beer named Chilly Nelson you better be ready to show off some hops and Baycity Brewing delivers on this beer. If you've never tried a Cold IPA before, you might want to put this one at the top of your list!

It's been a long time since we've seen Bay City Brewing!  Since we last saw them (pre-covid) they've got two great spaces and a whole line up of fantastic core beers.  This week we get into those beers, starting with a very cool and crushable summer time Pilsner that has both a dog charity tie in and a uniquely San Diego twist.

Last year Tom killed me with a pepper beer so after we were done with our Friday night Fresh Mountain Crystal he decided to put my heat sensitivity to the test, AGAIN!  At least this time i knew it was coming and what I got was very delightful.

It's been ten years since Tom Nickel got to brew with fresh hop Crystal and let me tell you the world has been missing out!  Tonight's beer has all the fruity-sweet notes of candied tangerines and it all comes from the Oregon grown Crystal hops in this Fresh Mountain Crystal IPA.

Direct from Oregon, Strada hops and all the dankness that they have to offer!  Tom Nickel does not mess around when it comes to his hoppy beers and if he gets the chance to hijack the brewhouse and brew beers his way, things happen (like the now infamous Cheat Sheet IPA).  He's done it yet again and made this My Way IPA.

One of the best parts of wet hopped beers is using a beer recipe that you already have and throwing in fresh hops where you might have used pelletized hops.  Today's beer a riff off Nickel Beer's Vulcan IPA, but with the usage of Ramona grown Columbus, Centennial, Cascade and Chinook hops, it adds a softer hop experience on what is a big San Diego style IPA.

Bring on another wet hop beer!  A tribute to the former hop growers Star B Ranch in Ramona, Standing Eagle IPA is beer hopped exclusively with locally grown Cascade hops.  The flavor is one that really has to be tasted to be understood but we'll try and do a good job describing it to you!

It's Wet Hop season and there's almost no one in San Diego that digs as deep into these fresh hops as Tom Nickel from Nickel Beer Company!  This week he's showcasing some of these amazing beers he's crafted that you can find at weekend #2 of O'Brien's Wet Hop Festival.  We get things underway with a crispy pale ale featuring Ramona grown Chinook hops in what Tom calls Valley of the Sun Pale Ale.

Speedway Stout it a decades old AleSmith tradition that keeps getting better.  Once only reserved for 24K gold glad bottles, this 12% AVB Imperial Stout can now be found everywhere in 16oz 4-packs.  But, don't let the form factor fool you, every ounce of craft and flavor is still intact.  In fact at first sip you may question if this beer is really 12%, that is until you try and stand up.

This is what happens when you let people who drink lots of AleSmith Party Trips IPA who also love tropical Tiki drinks!  A brand new tropical take on their staple IPA that will give you all the Island vibes.  Huge notes of mango and pineapple mixed with the citrus flavors you'd expect from a San Diego IPA.  This beer may only be seasonal now, expect to find this on shelves fulltime in 2025.

A Combination of new and old school IPAs, Party Tricks from AleSmith is a perfect easy drinking, Fridge-stocker IPA.  With notes of grapefruit, strawberry and passion fruit, this beer can satisfy the palates of both seasoned Hop-heads and new comers to craft beer.

Crazy to think that AleSmith has been crafting .394 Pale Ale for 10 years now!  Brewed in collaboration with Mr. Padre aka Tony Gwynn when he wanted a beer that was uniquely San Diego with bright citrus notes, yet enough backbone to enhance the beer and still leave it sessionable and crushable.

With the Pads in the post season it's a perfect time to get AleSmith in the studio since they have been so intertwined with Tony Gwynn and local SD sports.  Its a perfect lead in for our Monday beer, State Ale brewed in collaboration with SDAU is a hoppy Blonde Ale that is very San Diego and VERY crushable.  Perfect for concerts, tailgating or any sun-soaked activities you can do in SD.

Personally its one of the most iconic Pizza Port Brewing beers, it was a malty introduction to the flavorful world of San Diego Beers.  Now, you don't have have to pop into one of the pubs to grab a pint as it's now in cans, Bacon and Eggs Imperial Stout!  Honestly with the tweaking the team has been doing, this could be the best year EVER to try this beer.

It's Fresh Hop/Wet Hop Season!  As local breweries are getting same day deliveries of harvest hops it's a wonderful time to be a hop-head!  Offering more depth and complexity then just floral bitterness, these beers offer a more raw taste then pelletized hops.  Slamarak Cold IPA is one of the first of the season to drop and it's named after a North County wave contest where they try and jam as many people as they can on one wave.

Playing with hops is what Pizza Port does, so when they get the freedom to play with hops they go all out with their seasonal beers.  Vibrant Views is one of their latest seasonals brewed by a notorious San Diego brewer (who will remain unnamed here) that as crafted an absolute masterpiece IPA perfect for an SD Fall.

It's was the second beer that Pizza Port brewed back in 1992, Swami's IPA now isn't the same as it was then but it's still carries the same spirit.  Lean about it's inspiration and how its changed from Director of Brewery Operations Sean.

It's been a long time since the brewers from Pizza Port dropped in for a beer!  This week we dig into what the San Diego brewing institution that is Pizza Port Brewing has been up to starting with a collaboration beer with our friends from Alpine, McIlhenny Brewing and a crushable, tropical and flora New Zealand Pilsner called Sunrise Valley.

Andrew from Mother Earth always likes to end the week with a BIG BIG treat!  Today we dick back to a big Bourbon Barrel aged stout from 2019.  A beer that has aged amazingly well, as the heat dropped off the and the chocolate notes have come sailing though!  That's the fun part about big cellared beers, you just never know what it's going to taste like until you open it up!

A spook-tacular twist on an already amazing beer!  Cali Creamin' has been a staple beer for Mother Earth since the start and over the years there have been different variations.  This year we got a "pumpkin spice" version with a metric-ton of pumpkin flavor with hints of clove but still incredibly drinkable since it's base is the popular vanilla cream ale.

It's been a while since Mother Earth added a new core IPA to the line-up and today's beer is a work in progress to what will be a new beer from them in 2025.  A taste of what is to come for today's beer.

It's Oktoberfest time and Mother Earth Brewing is rolling out (for the first time) a production version of their taphouse exclusive Oktoberfest Lager.  All the Malty goodness you'd expect from a Oktoberfest beer but with a light crushable body and 5% AVB.  This beer is ready for a giant glass stein and a tent with an Oom-Pa Band!

We've gone full-send on the hops for a Friday!  Whatcha Say IPA focuses on the hop aroma and flavors for Mosaic, Citra and Nectaron without a lot of the bitterness.  A true San Diego Style IPA masterpiece like the song it's named after.

Up to this point it's been light crushable beers that don't feature a lot of hops.  Today the Roadies crew pops the top on a must-try San Diego style Pale Ale called Pocket Pale.

When you take your name from a song like Blondie's Rapture, you better bring your S+ game.  If you're looking for spirit of their light lagers in a fuller bodied ale, Rapture delivers all that delicious biscuity-goodness and is still insanely crushable.

In true Roadie fashion light crushable lagers are a must have when you're working behind the scenes.  Continuing to flex on crushable easy drinking beers Roadies Corazon Espinado is much like Uncle John's Lager with it's full body and drinkability but you get that subtle hint of influence from South of the border.

Please put your hands together and welcome The Roadies! The crew from Roadies Brewing in Vista has dropped by with beer as they countdown the days till their Grand Opening on Friday!  They kicked things off with a perfect beer for the oppressive heat we've had all weekend with their take on an American Light Lager called Uncle John's Lager (no to be confused with Uncle John's Band).

A perfect beer to wrap up the 5th Anniversary prelude for Harland Brewing, Cryo Eyes is pure dank hop juice you just need to drink to appreciate.

A small flashback to the time of covid when Harland was throwing pounds marshmallow fluff into beers!  Miami Fluff comes at the will and request from collaborators Trippin Animals out of Florida. Another off the wall, fruity beer that will leave you asking...is it beer or smoothie?

Another collaboration beer for the up coming 5th Anniversary celebration!  This one named for the 400-ish miles between Harland Brewing and Pedal Haus, 400 Miles Ride showcases a new and little used New Zealand hop variety that might make this your new favorite beer.

Fun thing about an anniversary party is that you get to bring back some one-off beers like last years Tropical Popsicle.  It's back again for anniversary 5 and honestly this years beer might be better than last years!

It's 5th Anniversary time for Harland Brewing AND this year they are throwing a huge party that combines their anniversary and their famed "ube day"  This week we dig into some of the 13ish collabs you'll find on September 14th,  We start with a beer perfect for the season, a Marzen collab with Florida's Trippin' Animals.

A surprise cocktail to wrap up the week!  Cask & Coast has showed off their creativity with mixology all week adding a splash of Mescal to an Old Fashioned and a splash of red wine to a Bourbon and Ginger, it should be no surprise that they swapped out the gin in a Negroni and substituted their Bourbon, the results of which are unbelievable!

For bourbon drinkers the Old Fashioned is a passion and everyone does it a little different.  For Cask and Coast the twist they like is a little splash of Mescal.  Let's see how this goes over!

Taking two loves and mixing them together the guys from Cask & Coast mix up what they call a Coast Cocktail; essentially a bourbon and ginger with a splash of lime ALSO gets a splash of red wine to add even more flavor and depth.

Cask & Coast wanted to make a statement when they released their first anniversary single barrel bourbon last November.  It had to be something that really emphasized the flavor profile they had already established and there was one barrel that really exemplified this palate.  That one barrel made 100 bottles of the finest cask strength sipping bourbons you might ever have.

Back with another San Diego maker!  This week we get to know Cask & Coast a small batch San Diego Bourbon that is rapidly getting a reputation for their insane quality.  Today we jump in with both feet and see what to buzz is all about with their base bourbon.

I tribute to all the hard work put into the San Diego brewing scene over the years.  Steeltoes IPA is a combination of both old school and new school San Diego IPAs.

The staff favorite!  One of the most coveted IPAs among the My Yard Live staff and patrons, Flight of the Kiwi New Zealand IPA!  Find out why this beer is so beloved.

Its almost a shame for his noted distain towards the style because head brewer Shaggy from My Yard Live, Shaggy makes this beer so dang well!  A fantastic example of how Hazy IPAs should be, but no two version of Muddy Waters is ever the same because of one subtle twist.

Malty beer!  IPAs are amazing but sometime your palate needs a break.  Enter Red Rover Amber from My Yard Live!  With as much depth of flavor and drinkability as humanly possible this brew makes a great addition with and to food, find out how!

They are back for another week!  The crew from My Yard Live in San Marcos kicks off their 5th Anniversary on Friday so we're counting down the days with beers!  We start the week off with another 4 Dudes collaboration beer that is crushable and perfect for when the weather is HOT, like it is now.

Billy brought the devil, literally a robust buckwheat honey still mead with tart cherry and a little pepper, called Jakel....lets see what it's all about.

Don't let the cabernet appearance fool you, this monster is a jammy beast!  Manticore Tears is packed with fresh raspberries and blueberries but being a mead is a perfectly balanced drinking experience.

We've gone from drinking mead to sipping mead as Billy from Lost Cause brings their Tripping Islands still mead.  Don't fear the lack of carbonation, this mean offers a huge explosion of flavor in every sip!

Strip mead down to it's most basic form, it just yeast, water and honey.  But, honey can change flavor depending on what is flowering in the areas where the bees are.  In San Diego Buckwheat honey is the most common, so Lost Cause offers the actual taste of San Diego with their Buck it All, all Buckwheat honey mead.

Kicking off our week of exploring Lost Cause Meadery, we couldn't have asked for a better start.  A mead that takes its flavors roots right from our own backyard (in more ways then one) with Tepache Mode!

Have some beer with your coconut!  That's actually an understatement when it comes to this Coconut O.D. Imperial Stout.  Derek flexes again as we wrap up the week with a pastry stout that has no comparison, you just need to try it!

If we've learned anything about GOAL. Brewing so far this week is that all flavors are very deliberate, Dereck exercises his exacting process in this hugely fruity 7% ABV beer called Hard Nectar.

Taking art inspo from sneakers and taking flavor cues from one of his favorite hops, Dereck from GOAL. Brewing crafts a super complex but insanely drinkable Hazy IPA.  Find out what makes Royal Ones so special.

It started as a collaboration and ended up becoming a staple.  GOAL originally. brewing got together with Animae and Mostra for a beer dinner, it rapidly become a fan favorite for it's next level use of Nelson hops. AMG is a truly San Diego West Coast IPA

Dereck from GOAL. is crafting beers that accompany you while you "Get Out And Live."  WE get our first taste of that with His Philippine style Rice Lager, Kampeon.

It's San Diego history in a glass, brewed in conjunction with Ballast Point. Barley and Sword crafted their West Coast IPA reflect how we've come from the English IPA and have crafted something truly out own.

Despite one of the most famous producers of this style of beer going out of business, The California Common was one of the first styles of beer that was uniquely Californian.  Barley and Sword pay homage to that OG brewery and beer style with their Sawmill Steam beer.

Our history lesson in beer continues but today is special since we're tasting the style of beer that kicked off a cultural movement in San Diego, English IPA.  This historic beer also has a very cool story behind the name that you should probably listen to!

Just as much history lesson as it is a refreshing beer!  Today Mike introduces us into his Defence of the Realm Act London Brown Ale that has a crazy history he reflects in his modern day version.

In the world of San Diego Craft Beer, IPAs are king, but there are other styles of beer that are just as good!  Mike from Barley and Sword is a perfect example. Nestled comfortably on the corner of El Cajon Blvd and Ohio St in North Park Barley and Sword are cranking out some delicious historical brews that may have you reaching for something different next time your sitting down for a session, we start with their Beoir Dearg Irish Red.

It's better living through science!  To end the week of fantastic beers that you can find at the SD Fair Experience, Tom Nickel brings a beer that you normally can't find outside of the hop harvest or "Wet/Fresh Hop" season.  Using flash frozen wet hops from the harvest Tom has bought his Green Truck Wet Hop Double IPA back to existence!

Today's beer defines the San Diego IPA experience, so of course it has to be at the SD Fair Craft Beer Experience! Massive flavors with and aroma of bright citrus and tropical fruit balances with a substantial bitterness that reminds you that you are drinking a West Coast IPA.

Societe Brewing has made a name for themselves with their exacting science in  crafting and it shows in how they created Bulbous Flower Hazy IPA.  Floral, fresh with that stylistic mouthfeel.  Bulbous Flowers makes a great Hazy to go with a Turkey Leg!

Not everything at the San Diego Fair Craft Beer Experience is beer, there are some other fantastic crafts represented like our local Cider makers.  Today we explore a show favorite from Bivouac and their San Diego Jam Mixed Beery Cider.

This year when the SD Fair kicks off, it'll have a whole new revamped Craft Beer Experience!  Tom Nickel from Nickel Beer Company and O'Brien's Pub has helped curate this years offerings so he joins us for Last Call all week!  Tonight we start with a cool new brewery that is focusing on more traditional styles that will open your palate up beyond just West Coast IPAs, North Park's own Barley And Sword.

A surprising note to end what was a very hoppy week!  Kelsey from North Park Beer Company flexing his over all skill at crafting any kind of beer with a 6% AVB stout that packs and immense amount chocolate called Molten Phenix.  Come listen and wish him a happy early birthday!

Anchovies and IPAs don't necessarily sound like they make the best bedfellows (unless you're into salty/fish & hoppy, no kink-shame here) but when the anchovy in question is a name for a new experimental hop...we're talking about a match made in heaven.  Kelsey from North Park Beer Company makes good work out of this new hop with a triple dry hopped double Hazy IPA called Extra Anchovies.

North Park Beer Company isn't afraid to use a few hops and their Triple Dry Hopped Art is Hard Hazy IPA is a perfect example of how fearless they are.  A staple hazy in the core lineup with an un hinged amount of hops, yet somehow is still incredibly balanced and crushable!

One of the most storied and awarded beers in NPBC history, Hop Fu is THE staple IPA that has more accolades then most can even dream of.  Find out why as we knock a few back on a Tuesday.

With multiple tap rooms open and one in development, it's easy to see why it's been forever since Kelsey from North Park Brewing appeared on the show, but we finally got him back!  We kick off a week of beers with something very unexpected, a West Coast Pilsner called Simcoe Slammer. What is a West Coast Pilsner you ask? Listen and find out.

Getting a small taste of Winter to wrap up a week with McIlhenny Brewing!  Every year they release one barrel aged beer and this last year with Molotov Special Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout.  But, don't let this 13% ABV monster fool you or scare you, it's incredibly drinkable with amazing flavors and zero heat!

Come for the beer, stay for the story.  The McIlhenny family provenance with New Zealand hops if unchallenged and for good reason, the Rye IPAs they've been making in San Diego are legendary.  Muntz is no exception.  Listen to why and how it all happened.

McIlhenny Brewing makes an IPA for just about every taste or flavor profile.  In a world where the tropical IPAs are king, why not give the people something else to enjoy?!  Wizards Wand IPA while fraught with hoppy goodness almost expresses a beeriness.  Just try it.

Not a Gangster for life, but a Dankster for life.  A throwback San Diego/West Cost IPA with some super choice PNW IPAs and a much more significant malt profile that isn't very common anymore.

It's been (almost) three years since McIlhenny opened their doors in Alpine and we're going to celebrate!  Kicking off a week of beers Jamie and Sean have brought a Helles with a twist, some hops from the Pacific Northwest!

It's the staple that made me fall in love with Bivouac Cider, OMG.  While POG has been a Hawaiian influenced treat many have done a take on, Lara from Bivouac likes to do things that no one else has done.  That's why she put together a Orange, Mango and Guava cider that will have you saying OMG after every sip.

Another Cider from the Road Trip Series and inspired by the Oregon Coast, West Coastin' Blueberry Honey Lavender. Featuring fresh blueberries and lavender with honey from a small PNW farm, this cider has a rich complex nature with a subtle hint of honey.

Inspired by Arizona and our own desert, Prickly Perry get its name from the Prickly Pear fruit in this beverage.  A bold flavor and a beautiful color will have you obsessing over this time and time again.

Helping San Diegans slow down and enjoy, Bivouac Cider opened the doors on their Adventure Lodge.  Grab and stay coffee and food accompany all their wonderful ciders like their current "Road Trip" series cider, Locals Only Pear Citrus Cider.  Featuring local Myers Lemons and Tangerines this cider evokes all the feels of San Diego's citrus bloom in the spring.

In their mission to prove that cider is as approachable as beer yet nuanced as wine,  Bivouac Cider kicks off a week of Last Call with their Albright Dry Pear Cider.  It's dry and crushable but also holds on to a very subtle sweetness thanks to Pear that will keep you coming back sip after sip!

Beware the unmarked bottle!  Shaggy had put this bottle on hold for a celebratory toast, but instead brought it to share on a Friday.  A beer he strictly brews for My Yard Live's barrel program, this monster stout spends a good portion of it's life in Bourbon barrels then gets inoculated with different flavor blends, this creation the Hawaiian Baba Yaga will haunt your dreams!

A welcomed Flight of the Concords reference, Flight of the Kiwi's is the New Zealand IPA from My Yard Live.  Featuring all New Zealand hops to drive tropicality of flavor but balanced out enough to make it very satisfying for West Coast IPA fans.  There is also a small secret about this beer that's brewing for the My Yard Live anniversary, listen to find out what.