Your Next Pint

Cheers the 4th of July on the slopes with Mammoth Paranoid Pale Ale

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If you've been to Mammoth, I'm sure you've had Mammoth Paranoid Pale Ale apres ski, in between skiing – or for the adventurous souls – before skiing. Despite its name, there's nothing paranoid about this refreshing, piney Pale Ale. It's perfect for inducing some Alchovation (my word for that extra fuzzy feeling you get when drinking alcohol at a high elevation), minus the urge to pee mid-slope like other watered-down beers tend to do.

And yes, you heard me right – Mammoth is still open for skiing & boarding until July 5th, complete with 4th of July activities and lodging deals. If your plans for the 4th are already booked ('cuz you're just that popular) don't sweat it. The 15th Annual Mammoth Festival of Beer & Bluespalooza is August 6th-8th, so mark your iCals & Gcals.

The Washdown:

- crisp, thick headed, amber colored, piney citrus malt Mammoth Paranoid Pale Ale (Mammoth Brewing Company, Mammoth Lakes, CA) 5.5% ABV

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Continuing from yesterday's YourNextBite.com blog post, whenever I go boarding in Mammoth I always get 2 things – my favorite chili deal and Mammoth Paranoid Pale Ale. When you're fresh off the slopes and need your muscles to relax, it does the body good, and tastes delicious going down.

It's got a citrus nose and bitter finish, like grapefruit. It has a slightly toasted caramel malt flavor with hints of pine trees. The head pours nice and creamy. It's well carbonated, very refreshing, and not too heavy so you can definitely get a couple more runs in after knocking back a few ;)

You can get Mammoth Paranoid Pale Ale on tap at just about any lodge on the mountain, as well as at John's Pizza Works off Main St. & Manzanita. They're open 'til midnight, have two separate bars (one more spiffy & modern with HD TVs) and truly fantastic, affordable homestyle pizza.

From classic Jack Londons Taproom to modern Brophys Tavern in Carmel

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If you're visiting Carmel By the Sea in California, or lucky enough to live in this coveted, treelined, oceanside town, make sure to grab Your Next Pint at Jack London's Taproom (complete with old-fashioned English Telephone Booth), or newcomer Brophy's Tavern ("where the locals go.")

After grabbing a Bite at Flaherty's Oyster Bar, my hand model & I decided to make a mini pub crawl from Jack London's (recommended by my British father) to Brophy's (recommended by our British hotel-mates from the Carmel Wayfarer Inn.) Both pubs couldn't be more different, which was part of the fun.

The Washdown:

- light like a Hef, yellow-orange colored, tangerine and honey wheat tasting Carmel Wheat Ale (at Jack London's)

- bitter, citrus nose, malty brown taste Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 5.6% ABV (at Brophy's)

Walking into Jack London's was like walking into a time warp. From the English telephone booth outside to the carpeted floors, dark lighting, stained glass & white-haired (yet extremely knowledgeable) bartender on the inside, it kinda took me back to my semester abroad in London (before the gastropub movement, of course.)

Since we were in Carmel, I had to try the town's signature beer on tap, the Carmel Wheat Ale. It's refreshing with a citrus tangerine, honey banana wheat bread flavor, and hints of coriander. It is cloudy yellow-orange in color, kind of like a Hefeweizen, and pours a fluffy head. This beer is definitely for the ladies and would go great with some of Jack's Monterey Fish & Chips ($11.95) that smelled amazing at the table next to us, the massive Nacho Appetizer ($8.95), or even their St. Louis Ribs ($22.75). Other beers on tap (they have 10) include Scrimshaw Pilsner (4.4% ABV), Fat Tire Amber Ale (5.2% ABV), Guinness (4.2% ABV), and a rotating handle. On Friday nights they have a live entertainment Blues Happy Hour from 4:30-6:30pm with local bands and singers.

After downing our pints, we headed over to Brophy's Tavern where we were greeted by the bouncer. The place was popping inside and much more modern with wood floors & flat screen TVs. (You could definitely tell this is where the locals hang out, 'cuz as soon as I snapped a pic of the bar, EVERYONE turned around like "Who's the new girl?")

While I enjoyed the atmosphere and liveliness of Brophy's, I thought their 6-beer tap selection was rather standard (see pictured) – Budweiser, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Newcastle, Guinness, Harp and Sierra Nevada. So we decided to go with my hand model's favorite beer of all time, Sierra Nevada. It has a citrus nose, a bitter taste, and a malty bread brown finish. It pours a thick head, is amber in color, and is lively carbonated.

Although we didn't order anything to eat, I thought I'd mention that Brophy's menu is American & Pacific inspired with appetizers like Kobe Beef Sliders ($9.95), Prawn Scampi Boat ($10.95) & Luau Seared Ahi Tuna Salad ($14.95). Entrees range from $6.95 (2 Stadium Hot Dogs with all the Fixins) to $26.95 (Full Rack of Baby Back Ribs with Cole Slaw, Sweet Potato Fries & Garlic Bread.) Brophy's Happy Hour is nightly from 3-6pm. Tuesdays are $1 Fish Tacos. Friday Night's Special is Prime Rib.

All in all, it was a great Pub Crawl from old to new.

Jack London's. Dolores St. b/t 5th & 6th, Carmel, CA 93923. 831.624.2336.

Brophy's Tavern. San Carlos St. & 4th, Carmel, CA 93923. 831.624.2476.

If you're going to go Organic, go with Samuel Smiths Organic Ale (and Vegan too)

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If organic beer is your new thing, head straight to Whole Foods to pick up a 550ML bottle of Organic Ale from Samuel Smiths – a Yorkshire brewery in Tadcaster since 1758, renowned for using a strain of yeast from the early 1900s and brewing water from a 200-year-old sunken well.

I know what you're thinking. Beer from 1758? Not so sure I wanna drink that. Wrong. Ever since Samuel Smith's was introduced to the U.S. in 1978 by Merchant Du Vin, the beer became so popular it practically started the craft beer movement, and continues to be one of the most awarded beer brands today. (Perhaps it's because Samuel Smiths is of the last breweries to aerate & ferment their beer in stone squares.)

The Washdown:

- fruity nose, copper color, thick head, mildly carbonated, sweet malt Samuel Smith's Organic Pale Ale (England, UK) 5% ABV

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I really enjoy Samuel Smith's Beer – I was first introduced to it by my British father, of course. So when I found out Whole Foods sold an Organic version brewed with Organic Malted Barley, Organic Hops and Yeast, I had to try it. Now it's going on my regular grocery shopping list.

Pop the cap and aromas of sweet caramel apples, vanilla, and coconut fill the air. Pour it in the glass and a frothy thick head forms, while fruity notes like apricot take over. When tasting, flavors of sweet malt, honey, and mild citrus come out to play.

The Organic Ale is not very hoppy, or bitter, and not too sweet either – this is definitely not a dessert ale, but you can taste hints of fruits and honey with each sip. It's smooth, a beautiful golden copper color, and should be enjoyed with chicken, fish, or even a fruit pie a la mode for dessert. The carbonation is mild too, very characteristic of an English brew.

Samuel Smith's Organic Ale is certified Organic by the USDA-accredited UK Soil Association. Also, Vegans will be happy to know that ALL Samuel Smith beers are registered as Vegan Products with The Vegan Society.

Cheers to Organic & Vegan Pints!

Mirror Pond Pale Ale Makes it Easy to Cross Over to the Darker Side

If you like lagers, but are looking to cross over to the darker side, then you'll love Mirror Pond Pale Ale – it's Cascade Hops make it very drinkable, it's not too bitter, and has a yummy malty lemon flavor.

The Washdown:

- smooth, orange amber color, butterscotch malt, subtle lemon undertones Mirror Pond Pale Ale (Bend, Oregon) 5% ABV

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Mirror Pond Pale Ale from Deschutes Brewery, oh how I love thee, especially on a lazy Sunday, drinking you on draft from 326 Beer & Wine at LA's Original Farmers Market.

When I bring you up to my nose, I smell scents of flowers sun-kissed by lemons.

Your head is thin, but still bubbly and frothy.

When you touch my lips I never want to let you go, because you're so easy going down. 

And you taste like a soft hoppy, bready malt with subtle hints of sweet caramel and citrus.

You're so charming, both men and women like you.

I look forward to drinking you again soon.

Love,

      Your Next Pint