Volume 4 | Issue 3 - Origlio Beverage

USABy Lew Brysonne of the best things thatever happened to me at anairport was at San DiegoInternational. My ride toan event was delayed, soI called Greg Koch atStone Brewing Co., upthe road in Escondido.I’m bored. I said to him; entertain me.He did better than that. He was nearby,and picked me up and we went to thebrewery.Wow, did we ever. I took the tour witha group that was just starting, and thebig steel, and the process, and the combineddedication and joy of the folksworking was a knockout. But then Icame back to the huge stone-accentedpub, and tap after tap of hop-cranked,palate-flooding Stone beers (and guestbeers, which I always like to see) andexcellent locally-sourced food, whichwas all pretty great…until Greg tookme out to the beer garden, which wassimply incredible, a lush, beautifullyplannedand executed vision of Californiahillside brought right into thebrewery patio. It was a beer garden thatwas actually a garden!If you want to have some eye-poppingbeer adventures, get out of your usualbeer-visiting routine and really see, andtaste, and experience something trulydifferent… you should go where morecraft-brewed beers are being madethan anywhere else: California. I lovethe East Coast, Belgium is a uniquelywonderful joyride and Germany is mylager-loving heaven, but there’s nothinglike the Golden State’s mix of boldcraft brewers. Let’s get you (and yourdesignated driver) on a plane, drop intoSan Diego and your rental convertible,and get things started!You definitely want to visitStone’s mind-blowing complex,but on your way,stop in at GreenF l a s h .Not only can you get your palatewrecked with fresh Palate Wrecker(and Hop Head Red, and West CoastIPA etc.), you can try some of theirpub-only beers from the 30 taps in thetasting room (and check out their beergarden as well; might as well enjoythat California sun!).Next? Find Lost Abbey! (Here’s a hint:it’s at Port Brewing). The phenomenallyhuge barrel-aging program here(over 800 and growing) is worth a visitalone, along withthe tasting roomexperience. BrewerTomme Arthur continuesto push everyenvelope brewing’sgot, and the firstplace to taste theresults is right here.You’ll want to stopin one of the PizzaPort brewpubs, too:great Cali-style piesand brewing teamsthat are kicking outawesome pub-only beers.How you spend your time between Escondidoand Paso Robles is your affair— a little Hollywood action, maybesome surfing — but once you get uphere in the hills and farms and forests,you have to stop in at FirestoneWalker and get a fresh-as-anythingglass of the wonderful Union Jack IPA.Then settle in and start sampling morebarrel-aged beers; remember that FirestoneWalker is in the midst of winecountry. These folks know their wood!Feel free to wander outside beer and4