Beautiful day today in San Diego. Early yard work, now playoff football with this beauty. Creamy persistent head leads to mainly hay aroma. Flavors of straw, lemon, and phenols with a touch of astringency. It’s nicely bitter and dries out as you’d expect. A pleasant warm day brew. Cheers! #bskybeer

Playoff football! These guys know how to make lagers and this is one of my favorite lager styles. The aroma is lightly bready. Flavor is also lightly bready with some cracker and toast. It’s not as toasty as I like for the style but it’s still immensely enjoyable. 5.4% ABV. Cheers! #bskybeer

Last Xmas beer of the season 🥺 Surprising herbal aroma with not-so-surprising pine and a little anise. Highly carbed with brisk mouthfeel. Licorice, pine and brown sugar dominate the flavor profile (tho, not in that order). So good yet so sad to say goodbye to the season. Proost! #bskybeer

One more Xmas beer in the fridge after this. The ‘winteryness’ is subdued in this one. It smells like a fruity tripel. The flavor is still on the fruity tripel side but there’s something else there giving it a wintery essence - maybe juniper? It’s a nice midweek Belgian at 7%. Santé #bskybeer

I’ve only ever enjoyed this Belgian Amber at Societe so I was stoked to see it packaged. Belgian yeast and bready aromatics start it off. Caramel malt and some phenolic flavors dance on the palate. Just a touch of sweetness is left to linger. Cheers! #bskybeer

I still have a few partridges left in my pear tree…sweet fruit cake and licorice meld nicely in this fairly big beer (though it doesn’t drink big). The label says it’s made with orange peel and thyme and they’re there, though honestly wouldn’t have nailed that without the label. Santé! #bskybeer

Starting the weekend off with this beauty. The creamy thin head hangs around a while. Sweet malt and cherry esters on the nose. That sweet malt aroma carries into the flavor with an aftertaste I attribute to the alt yeast. Light bodied, easy drinking, but full flavored. Love it! Cheers! #bskybeer

Christmas is over but the seasonal brews are still in my fridge. This one’s big on molasses (or is it treacle?). Sulfur and rich brown sugar are prominent. Subtle roast and sweetness linger on the palate. Here’s to hoping our blue skies are bluer next year. Cheers! #bskybeer

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, daddy was drinking number 10 on his list. He’s had a few already, and rhyming is not easy, so merry Christmas to all and may your goblet never be empty. Cheers! #bskybeer

Pregaming a bit with this one. Toffee and caramel are dominant with some definite roast and graininess. I get some bitterness, which plays nicely with the malt. Clears off the palate pretty well. Slainte! #bskybeer

#9 from Fat Orange Cat. Double chocolate chunk cookie aroma. Rum soaked chocolate cookies with nutmeg is the best description I could come up with for the flavor. Chocolate liquor lingers nicely in the palate. Despite the liquor notes, it’s not hot. A really pleasant fireside sipper at 7%. #bskybeer

No 8: RIP 21A. This is/was an annual favorite. I get primarily cocoa and ginger aromas and flavors on top of a solid malt backbone. Maybe a hint of bitterness or dark malt astringency that helps balance the restrained sweetness. Drinks too easy for 7.8%. Maybe one more. Cheers! #bskybeer

#7 of my favorite season. Rapidly diminishing head. Anise and fruit cake on the nose. Rich sweet malt with ginger and cordial cherry flavors. Well carbonated but still some residual sweetness, though not cloying. Really tasty. At 10.0% ABV, I could be in trouble. Cheers!🍻 #bskybeer

Xmas beer 6: do I need to say anything about this one? Too bad I couldn’t find the St.B goblet. Cheers! #bskybeer

Xmas beer 5: pleasant ginger and fruit cake aroma. Light to medium body and no significant bitterness. Brown sugar, ginger and anise flavors are prominent but not overpowering. It drinks like 6%er, not 8%. I like this quite a bit. Cheers! #bskybeer

Xmas beer 4. It’s not actually Delirium Noel. It’s my yet-to-be-named #homebrew American Strong Ale with a solid dose of pine (Chinook hops) and ginger. It’s fresh, too fresh, but I’m impatient and don’t have another on tap. Could use some help with a name. Cheers! #bskybeer

Game day. Today’s easy drinker starts with some hay and a hint of honey in the aroma. Crackers, straw, and slight sweetness from the malt. Bitterness is present in the right amount. Very enjoyable! #bskybeer

Starting the evening off with this beauty (shhhh, it’s not 5 yet). I get hay in the aroma and biscuity/light bread toast flavors. Bitterness is present but balanced. A pleasant way to start the weekend. And hats off to Pete Crowner. Prost! #bskybeer

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Second Chance used to be my neighborhood brewery. Now only contract brewing (I think). They support the pups so they’ll always be a fav. Caramel malts are nicely balanced with bitterness, so this medium body beer is very drinkable. It’s roastier than most ambers but still tasty. Cheers! #bskybeer

Xmas beer 3: I was expecting a syrupy mess. It’s got a sweet/estery aroma that leads to a medium/big bodied ale with the Xmas sweet/spice character you expect, but has enough carbonation to balance the sweet. I get a chocolate-cherry Coke vibe. One for cooler nights by the fire. Cheers #bskybeer

Don’t think I’ve had this one before. Crackery, crisp and clean. A real crusher! Cheers #bskybeer

Entry 2: Pine and candied orange on the nose yields to a malty, citrus and pine flavored pleaser. Though it’s only 7.4%, it reminds me of an American barley wine, without the alcohol heat. Says it’s made with anchovy hops-had to look them up. Might have to brew with them myself. Cheers! #bskybeer

With Thanksgiving dinner in the rear view mirror, it’s Christmas beer season! Enter my first. Comes off like a soft ginger beer with cranberries (tho no fruit noted on the label). Would pair well with fruit cake. At 9.5%, wise not to have too many in one sitting. Cheers! #bskybeer

Happy Thanksgiving!

2nd stop of the afternoon (and likely last). Docent Brewing taproom in Carlsbad. Color Scheme red ale (5.8%). Toffee and roast, light bodied, with a dry finish. Wife had Canteen pilsner, which was a bit thin for my liking. Cheers! #bskybeer

At Pizzaport (Carlsbad, CA). Orloj Czech Dark Lager - around 5% ABV. Sunlight makes it look lighter than it is, though it is light colored for the style. Still a real nice beer. Cheers! #bskybeer

AP is back in court today to defend itself and the right to speak freely without government retaliation.

It’s gameday! Dallas sucks! But this does not. Slight kiss of malt sweetness paired with those spicy saaz hops. 5.8% ABV. Cheers! Go Birds 🦅 #bskybeer

Family movie night and this beauty. Cheers! #bskybeer

Brewed a Christmas beer yesterday. American Strong Ale with ginger. Hops are Chinook and Amarillo. Yeast are happily doing their thing! #homebrew

After dinner drinks at the Brewer’s Deck in Del Mar. BBA Russian Imperial Stout from Mission Brewing. Delicious decadence. Cheers! #bskybeer

Enjoying a few at White Labs-San Diego. Still Classy Ambers made with WLP001 (left) and WLP1995. 001 is brighter by a mile. 1995 has some nuttiness and mild astringency. Both nice beers but I’d drink the hell out of 001. Cheers! #bskybeer

This is not a drill…It’s that time of year! Caramelly, hoppy deliciousness in a 12oz package. Cheers #bskybeer

Happy Halloween! Gotta stay alert for ghouls and goblins. This 5%er hits the spot! #bskybeer

Setting up animatronics for Friday while enjoying this organic Helles from Aslan (5.6% ABV). This is a nice crackery brew. Prost! #bskybeer

Cherrywood-smoked pumpkin went into this Scotch Ale #homebrew. The head is creamy, body is medium with lots of toffee and caramel. Smoke is pleasant, not “hammy”. Pumpkin pie spices were added and are in tune with everything else going on. Enough bitterness to balance the sweet. 5.5%ABV. #bskybeer

Hundreds of anti-science bills have hit statehouses, targeting key public health protections such as vaccines, milk safety, fluoride. bit.ly/4qkw167

Sweet toffee, rich chocolate (cherry cordial?), booze. Delicious! Cheers! #bskybeer

Festbier Friday? Indeed! Never had Fair State Co-op before. I like this one quite a bit. A little grassy and bready, with a solid dose of bitter. 5.7% ABV. Prost! #bskybeer

I typically like Anderson Valley. This one is just not my style. Burnt brown sugar and a very strong dose of pumpkin spices. I’d prefer the spice be a little more subtle or nuanced. Cheers! #bskybeer

Societe knocks it out of the park! 4.6% ABV. Light but flavorful. Uber clean and crushable. Prost! #bskybeer

Eagles loss, boo. But I’ve got this winner and playoff baseball on outside. Sweet cracker and a clean finish. Prost! #bskybeer

Impromptu dinner at a nice Italian joint. Food was fantastic. I really wanted to like this “craft” Italian beer. Adjectives that came to mind: uninspired, muddled, meh. It felt like the boat ride over took its toll. Happy to have had the opportunity to try something new, tho. Cheers! #bskybeer

Aleschmidt! Alesmith are masters. Totally crushable, highly enjoyable. Light, toasty malt and clean. Prost! #bskybeer

Playoff baseball and Firestone Walker! Cheers! #bskybeer

Another banger from Wayfinder. Deadsommar 4.9%. This one has a nice grain character with a hint of honey on the finish (no honey noted on the label, however). Love the glass recommendation too! Cheers! #bskybeer

This one is overtly pumpkiny. Not sure if it’s allspice or nutmeg but there’s something in there shouting at me. It’s boozy too. Only one for me tonight. Cheers! #bskybeer

Dreary day in SD, but it’s still SD so no complaints. Plus, I’m enjoying this stellar festbier from wayfinder. Prost! #bskybeer

Back home to #homebrew. A coconut pale ale (5.6% ABV). One Love! #bskybeer