San
Francisco Beer Week was happily invaded on Fat Tuesday by beers from the East.
Dogfish
Head from Delaware burst into Noc Noc and The Sycamore with a volley of its
off-centered ales for off-centered people. Portland, Maine-based Allagash
Brewing, meanwhile, made its own foray into Beer Week at Pi Bar. And Unibroue
and Dieu du Ciel introduced a taste of Eastern Canada, along with traditional
poutine, to Rosamunde in the Mission.
Such
incursions during Beer Week are to be expected. Although beers from East of the
Rockies are not by any stretch of the imagination local, they are widely
available in the Bay Area and are typically prized by beer drinkers. Who hasn’t
enjoyed Allagash White or Curieux, or Dogfish Head 90-Minute IPA and Palo Santo
Marron?
Moreover,
the distributors made available beers that we don’t typically see. Among the
more unusual offerings from Dogfish Head were 120-Minute IPA, Birra Etrusca
Bronze, Immort Ale, Noble Rot, Chicory Stout, Olde School Barleywine, Positive
Contact, Urkontinent, and two of my favorite homages to musicians: Hellhound on
My Ale, an Imperial IPA tribute to bluesman Robert Johnson, and Bitches Brew,
an Imperial Stout that celebrates Miles Davis’ iconic album of the same name.
For its
part, Allagash resurrected its sublime wild ale Avance, which beer site
Beeradvocate has listed as “no longer available.” Fortunately, rumors of its
demise appear to have been exaggerated. Avance is like strawberry preserves in
a glass, but without the overpowering sweetness.
Also
making an appearance locally was the legendary and formidable Bourbon County
Stout from Goose Island Brewing in Chicago. So far, at least, Goose Island’s
acquisition by mega distributor InBev does not seem to have diminished the
quality of the beers.
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