One of the things I most admire about The Homebrew Chef is Sean’s insistance on continuing to innovate and experiment. I’ve attended more than a few of his dinners now, and I never see dishes repeated – quite the opposite really.  While Sean has a few favorite tropes (and who doesn’t, really?) he always pulls [...]

Great times as usual at The Bistro‘s Barrel Aged Festival for 2009.  Favorite from the day were Lagunitas’ Crusin’ with Ruben & the Bretts on Cherries, Scotch Ale aged in a scotch barrel from Sierra Nevada, and Fifty Fifty’s Imperial Eclipse Stout 2008 on Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Barrel. For more tasting notes, be sure [...]

I feel like I’ve been saying I wanted to go to Aziza forever.  Between a busy travel and work schedule, it always seemed like trekking out into the Richmond was too far just for dinner.  Eventually, I finally made it, raising the question: what took me so long? Aziza is stellar.

Our last stop in Chicago was Hopleaf.  Leaning more towards the “bar with a nice kitchen” vibe than The Publican, it was packed from when we arrived till when we left.  The menu highlights local purveyors, and looked like a nice spin on upscale bar food. We were excited to see what the kitchen produced.

Let me start with this: Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head are some of my favorite breweries.   They are two of the most successful, widely available success stories of the craft beer movement.  One is a bit conservative, one a wild child, coming together to brew a collaboration beer – Life & Limb.  The beer(s) [...]

While in Chicago, it seemed worthwhile to find out how they make beer in the Windy City.  Fortuitously,  when I happened to meet Goose Island brewer Tom Korder at GABF, I mentioned I was coming to town and would love to see the facilities.  He happily agreed, and met us with us on a chilly [...]

Gastropub is the new catchphrase of the moment. It implies a lot – the congenial atmosphere of your neighborhood watering hole, combined with upscale (but not too upscale!) food, and an above average beer collection. Ideally, a place like this has a beer manager, or cicarone, who will guide you through the many, many options [...]

Pictures from a delightful lunch at Coronado Brewing Co, located on Coronado Island in San Diego.