Beersfest 2015 Recap - Stubbs Edition

It's been awhile, boys and girls! All it took was an intersection of two of my favorite things, beer and free beer, to bring me crawling back here.

First off, tons of thanks to Jon Moore for reaching out to us on the invitation.  We hope that we were just the kind of sardonic derelicts you had in mind when you first thought of SoSG!

I caught up with our very own Dusty Baker around 2pm, who had bravely pre-loaded a few beers beforehand. Our first assessment: it was hot. The radiating pavement pushed all of us fun-seekers to any available shade, and we wore a path back and forth between the event booths and the nearest tree or large shrub.

Hiding from the sun like small desert animals

The folks there representing their products were universally cool. Let me be the first to admit I may be ever so slightly biased.

Fireman's Brew, Mission Brewing, Absolution, Solarc, Figueroa Mountain, and Escape Craft Brewery all had representation. A decent showing, and with the furthest coming just up from San Diego, it does say some nice things about the state local brewing.

As for the beers themselves, some I had encountered before, some I had not. I do not fancy myself a connoisseur by any stretch, but here are those that stood out to me (relative buzz level indicated. Adjust your personal expectations accordingly)

Fireman's Brew Brunette - (Buzz - Sober)

I had tried their amber before at the stadium, which was quite decent. The Brunette, a doppelbock, was better. A little smoother than an average bock, and a nice start to a hot day of drinking.

Mission El Conquistador - (Buzz - Noticably Pleasant)

A nice, crisp session IPA. Plenty of hops, as is to be expected.

Solarc Dunes - (Buzz - Everything is Funny)

The sneaky favorite of the day for me. Belgian style, but more spicy than expected. Different, maybe just to be different, but I'll allow it.

Figueroa Mountain Lizard's Mouth - (Buzz - Egregious Misspelling)

Really floral IPA. Sharp enough to cut through the beer haze at this point in the afternoon. I look forward to revisiting a pint with all my faculties at my disposal.

A good experience all around. I'll be interested to hear if Dusty remembers streaking when he tells his side of things!