Your Next Pint

New SideDoor Pub at Five Crowns in OC is Bloody Brilliant with 4oz Pour Paddles & Worldly Gastropub Fare

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SideDoor Pub in Corona del Mar, OC gives 45-year-old Five Crowns English Restaurant a much-needed update with fun 4 oz beer pours, real gastropub fare, and a cool, yet friendly, neighborhood feel – now The Crow Bar & Kitchen has serious competition.

The Washdown:

- crisp, hints of raisin, dark color with a frothy head Wells Bombardier E.S.B. (England)

- smooth 'n creamy, flat "Brit style" Old Speckled Hen (England)

- refreshing, hoppy, honey-colored Rogue Dead Guy Ale (Oregon)

- light, sweet vanilla with mild hints of coconut Allagash Curieaux Tripel Ale (Maine)

- crisp, caramel, chocolatey UnibroueTrois Pistoles Ale (Canada)

- golden banana, not-too-bitter Green Flash Le Freak Imperial IPA/Belgian Tripel (California)

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Growing up with a father from Liverpool, it's only natural I've been going to Five Crowns ever since I was 6 – for the food of course. So, when I find out the restaurant revamped their old English pub inside to become a new gastropub, I thought, "Fantastic!" The first time I went I was so impressed by the beer, food, and vibe, I came back 2 days later – and ever since I've secretly been wanting to keep this review all to myself because the SideDoor is just that good.

But alas, here I am to deliver you the goods on Your Next Pint. Let's start with the mini 4 oz pour on the left (closest to the paddle's handle) and work our way to the right, including the 2nd picture. All pours, by the way, cost $3 each. Paddles come in 3's for $9 and 4's for $12.

Pour #1 Wells Bombardier E.S.B. (Extra Special/Strong Bitter) 4.3% ABV – It has a beautiful dark color that settles into a copper tone at the bottom of the glass. It has a frothy head, a bittersweet raisin taste, and has a crisper finish than most English beers.

Pour #2 Old Speckled Hen 5.2% ABV – For most people, this classic English beer is an acquired taste, if you're not used to the flatter, less bubbly beers of the Brits. It has a nice Amber color, a smooth malty flavor, and a thick foamy head.

Pour #3 Rogue Dead Guy Ale 6.5% ABV – At first sip, I thought to myself, "Why haven't I had this beer before because it's definitely going on my list!" It's refreshing like a lager, a little bit fruity, hoppy, and has a beautiful caramel color.

Pour #4 Allagash Curieaux Tripel Ale 11% ABV – If you love coconut like me, you might be a little disappointed. While this beer is fresh 'n fruity with sweet vanilla flavors, the coconut (at least for me) was way too mild, almost unnoticeable. It pours foggy like a Hef, and has a slight Bourbon finish from the Bourbon Barrel it's aged in.

Pour #5 Unibroue Trois Pistoles Ale 9% ABV – The minute this beer touched my lips, I knew it was a Unibroue, one of my favorites. It tastes like a crisper, lighter, less bitter version of Maudite with chocolate & clove notes, except adds a fruity caramel flavor, 1% ABV, and has a malty amber-brown color. Wow, I could really go for one now!

Snifter ($7) Green Flash Le Freak Imperial IPA/Belgian Tripel 9.2% ABV – I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one, and I think it's because the hoppy American Imperial IPA is blended with a Belgian Tripel to lighten the bitterness. It has flavors of banana and clove, is really refreshing, and pours a beautiful rich orange-light brown color.

Although we didn't try any bottled beers ($7-18) they do have 18 different kinds, including my favorite Maudite.

And if a glass of Rombauer wine ($15), Pimms #1 Cup ($10), or Macallan 18 Scotch ($30.5) is what you prefer to be poured, they've got that too. For those wimps who want water, it's available by request only, but served in a cute old-fashioned jug.

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Now for some grub to go with your pub. Executive Chef Dennis Brask changes the menu every night, but usually keeps British classics like Shepherd's Pie & Fish 'n Chips on deck.

The Fish 'n Chips ($7 for 1 piece, $12 for 2 pieces) while expensive, were some of the best I've had at a pub or gastropub. The fish was tender and the breading was flaky, as it should be, and it wasn't greasy. The Chips were good, but I was more intrigued by the crispy fried leaves on them. And the tartar sauce was really amazing with fresh chopped pickles verging on cucumber.

As for the 20-minute Shepherd's Pie I had two different kinds on two different nights: Root Vegetable Mash ($10) & Wild Boar with Sage Potato Crust ($11). The Root Vegetable Mash HANDS DOWN was the best! It had an unexpected tangy, creaminess to it, which I later found out was Goat Cheese. The meat was tender, the gravy wasn't too thick and I'm tempted to call ahead for the days it's served. The Wild Boar with Sage Potato Crust, on the other hand, was a MAJOR disappointment. I'm not sure if they didn't let it cook long enough, but it was extremely soupy, more like a stew, and after having the tangy goat cheese one, the sage just didn't live up to it.

The Side of Asparagus with Shallots and Crispy Ham ($7) were the biggest asparagus I'd ever seen, and as my friend said, "the best asparagus I've ever had" – probably because of it's amazing bacon flavor. I also had a Side of the Steamed Brussel Sprouts with Chestnuts ($7) (not pictured) and was really surprised by the chestnuts' flaky texture and brown-butter flavor.

I think I would've enjoyed the StilCheddar Mac'n Cheese ($6) more if they used a different pasta than Penne, but the combination of the rich, creamy Blue Stilton & sharp Cheddar cheeses kept me comin' back for more.

While I didn't get to try the Charcuterie & Cheese ($4 Tastes, $10-16 Plates), I still snagged an eye-candy pic on my way out for your viewing pleasure – and boy did it look good.

As you can read, SideDoor Pub has a great range of updated English classics, and some International ones too – like Avocado Mash ($4) (not quite Guacamole) with housemade Sesame Pita Chips, Lentils Du Puy ($6), Roast Beef Cuban sandwich ($9), Swedish Limpa ($7) (think Grilled Cheese), and GimmeMores ($7).

Well there you have it, my new favorite spot. When you go, just remember who told you about the place, so you can save me a seat, as it's "first come, first serve" – just like a traditional pub.

P.S. I overheard our kind waiter telling the table next to us he used to work for The Crow Bar & Kitchen. While I do love that place as it was one of the first gastropubs to hit the CdM strip, the SideDoor definitely brings in some stiff competition – and apparently their servers too.

Ballast Point "Victory At Sea" Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter makes for a winning Beer Float

On its own, or in an ice cream beer float, Ballast Point "Victoria At Sea" Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter definitely pleases the palate.

The Washdown:

- rich & Kahlua-like, dark Ballast Point "Victory At Sea" Imperial Porter

- smooth & creamy Organic Stonyfield Farm "Gotta Have Vanilla" Nonfat Frozen Yogurt

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The first time I had a beer float was at The Golden State Cafe in the LA Fairfax District. I had an amazing creamy & crunchy, cinnamon oatmealy Horchata ice cream topped with Old Rasputin Imperial Stout – and oh was it love at first Pint. But it wasn't until I was on my LA Miracle Mile St. Patrick's Day Bar Hopping Gameplan that I became inspired to create my own.

My trusty hand model Evan and I started the night off at Whole Foods Market for the $1 beer & cheese tastings from 5-7pm. It was there we were introduced to the dark, sweet & rich creaminess of Ballast Point "Victory At Sea" Imperial Porter, which one Silver for the 2009 Coffee Flavored Beer Award at the LA County Fair. So, we bought the 1 Pint 6 fl oz. bottle, along with with a Pint of Organic Stonyfield Farm "Gotta Have Vanilla" Nonfat Frozen Yogurt – hey, I gotta save my calories somewhere – and decided to get down to brew business.

The Victory at Sea poured like a Guinness and took about a minute to seductively settle into the ice cream, while it fizzed the whole way down. It had a dark blackish-brown color and tasted like a Hoppy Vanilla Caramel Espresso with a shot of Kahlua. It was slightly bitter in taste – think 85% Dark Chocolate – and had a Frothy Coffee Head. But, paired with the crunchy bits of Vanilla Bean from the creamy Vanilla Frozen Yogurt, it was like my own little cup of sweet Black Magic – not to mention its bold Alcohol Content of 10%!

Ladies – you might prefer Ballast Point "Victory At Sea" Imperial Porter as a dessert, or perhaps in a Snifter. Gents – you'll definitely enjoy this Victory on its own. Now go out & get it – it's Friday, you deserve it!

LA Beerfest Brews Up Fun, Food Trucks, and Fine Pints

What better way to kick off Your Next Pint than with a blog post on this past weekend's Los Angeles Beer Festival. $40 ticket admission (or $37 if you had the code word "rundown") got you unlimited 4 oz beer pours from 80+ breweries. While I didn't get to taste them all, here's a list of the best & worst I tried.

The Washdown:

- mellow and refreshing Sierra Nevada's Glissade Golden Bock

- caramel malt flavored Mission Brewery IPA

- light with cinnamon notes San Luis Obispo Einhorn Hefeweizen (like Maudite's little lager sister)

- metal, tap waterey Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale

- hoppy, grapefruity Ballast Point Big Eye IPA

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Getting to the LA Beerfest, put on by Drink Eat Play at Sony Pictures Studios, was quite a mission. There were three different intimidatingly long lines strewn about, in which the people standing in them AND the security guards directing them did not seem to know what they were for. But once my friends and I checked in and received our mini 4 oz beer mugs, it was time for the pours to begin!

We bypassed the main area's Food Truck lines and headed down a little alley off to the left where we found brewery stalls like Fat Tire and Sam Adams. Soon enough we stumbled on what was to be one of our favorites of the night – Sierra Nevada Glissade Golden Bock. Perfect for summer days, this crisp beer with a beautiful golden hue had just the right amount of carbonation to keep it refreshing, and a hoppy bitter finish balanced out by citrus flavors. The display at Sierra was one of the best of the Fest, too. They had barley grains and actual hops you could rub between your fingers to bring out the aroma of what you were tasting.

Moving on to Mission Brewery IPA, this beer was another favorite amongst my friends. While we were expecting bitterness, this light amber colored pour had a delicious caramel malty flavor that kept us coming back for more – definitely one to stock up on and sip alongside hamburgers or steak.

The San Luis Obispo Einhorn Hefeweizen was hit or miss for some, but I particularly enjoyed it and I think the ladies will too. It reminded me of a lighter lager version of one of my favorite beers, Unibroue Maudite, because of its cinnamon and clove flavors. This would be a good one to enjoy with a vanilla ice cream cone on a hot summer day.

Now for the bad brews. I don't know if something was wrong with the tap, but the Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale honestly tasted like dirty pipe water. It had such a metal tap water taste to it, we ended up dumping it out. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of Ballast Point, and was very thankful for the hoppy grapefruit flavor of their Big Eye IPA we shortly washed down afterward.

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On our way to the 40 oz to Freedom "Sublime Tribute Band" concert, we encountered some great people watching – frothy beer mug hats, guys in Lederhosen, and Sam Adams cardboard cut outs to be exact. But nothing topped the old dudes moshing to their all-time-favorite Sublime tunes.

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To eat there was a sampling of food trucks like Calbi, Border Grill, Nom Nom, and World Fare Bustaurant (check out Your Next Bite for my upcoming review!), Sony Pictures Studios catering service, and apparently some hefty pretzel necklaces. We tried the Banh Mi from the Nom Nom truck and were disappointed by how stale and hard the bread was. But the pickled daikon, carrot, and sweet vinegar BBQ pork inside definitely made up for it. The Mac and Cheese from the Sony catering service was totally flavorless and boring, but the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich on a Soft Bun was massive, packed with flavor, and super satisfying.

All in all the LA Beerfest was definitely a fun experience. Though they split up this year's event into two sessions, 1-4pm & 5-8pm, to avoid crowding we all wished we could've had a longer pour.

"Eh-lo. Half British Beer Chick Here..."

I'm a half British chick who knows a thing or two about Beer.

I've spent many a family summer & winter prowling the Pubs in my dad's hometown of Liverpool, as well as half a year abroad studying (more than just beer) in London – but the Beer doesn't stop here.

From Belgium to America I've discovered many more great Pours to share with you and pair with food. Some quite so intriguing that last year I had the pleasure of converting a strictly Rum drinking man into a Beer-only advocate. I eagerly plan to do so again with friends, strangers, and perhaps yourself.

So follow me on this journey from Pints to Pubs, where we'll explore the wonders of hops, the hangover curing qualities of Beer's B vitamins, and the best places to wash them down.

Cheers & Hoppy Drinking™!

P.S.

After indulging in Your Next Pint, naturally you may be interested in finding Your Next Bite – my other blog with a delectable quest to find you the best from Fine Dining to Food Trucks.

Or, perhaps reading a bit more about myself at ashleycreates.com