Wait, what? It's American Craft Beer Week? Here I thought it was Bike to Work Week, and I could have been sucking down beers instead of pedaling to the office, uphill and into a stiff headwind both ways.
Wil Dee, the Beverage Director at Haven Gastropub and enthusiastic road cyclist, can celebrate both “weeks” because he commutes to the restaurant by bike. Dee took another one of his Smokey and the Bandit style beer runs to San Francisco recently and hauled back kegs of 21st Amendment Brewery's best-selling flavors to mark Craft Beer Week. I've written about 21st Amendment's canned beers before because I love their hoppy, West coast stylings. The Haven Group restaurants are the only places to get them in Southern California because it's not otherwise distributed here.
The emphasis is on the American-ness of craft beer, and what's more American than Brew Free! Or Die IPA? That's 21st Amendment's best-seller. How about their Bitter American Extra Pale Ale? The IPA will be on tap today at Haven Orange and Haven Pasadena. The Bitter American will be on tap only in Pasadena. But fear not, for more 21st Amendment beers like the Back in Black dark IPA will be sold in cans at both locations.
]
As much as I like the San Francisco beer, and appreciate Dee going to the trouble of hauling it down personally, let's give props to some more local brewers during these high, holy days. Also on tap at both Haven locations are Craftsman Poppyfields Pale Ale from Pasadena, San Diego's Ballast Point Sculpin IPA, and Rancho Santa Margarita's own Cismontane Brewing represented by their First Anniversary Black Lager.
Hurry, though because American Craft Beer week ends this Sunday, May 20. Strike that. At Weekly HQ, every week is American Craft Beer Week. But the kegs of 21st Amendment really are in limited supply. Catch them while you can.
Follow Stick a Fork In It on Twitter @ocweeklyfood or on Facebook! And don't forget to download our free Best Of App here!
