Karl Strauss Brewing Co. | Queen of Tarts

You know the scene in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure where he’s saving pets from the burning pet store, and he keeps passing over the snakes because they gross him out? Eventually he bites the bullet, grabs the snakes and runs out screaming. Sometimes that’s how I feel about the Sours in my cellar. I know I’m going to drink them all eventually, but aren’t there any Barrel-Aged Stouts I can rescue first?

That’s probably a little dramatic. Just like with Sours, some snakes are pretty cool. I used to have an empty field by my house where we’d go and collect garter snakes to take to school and put them in teachers’ desks. That’s not really relevant other than now you know I was kind of a dick as a kid. I’m sure I’ve outgrown that through the years. Anyway, to push myself out of my cozy, hoppy, comfort zone, several times a year I like to sit down and get personal with a bottle of funky tartness. This month’s offering to the Sour Gods is Karl Strauss‘ fan-favorite Queen of Tarts.

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Funkwerks | Pineapple Provincial

Here in Colorado, it’s the beginning of the season for patio sitting, flip flop wearing, and summer time imbibing. The abundance of sunshine has got me in vacation mode and not just any kind of vacation mode—the kind where you sink your toes in the sand and smell the salt in the air. Sadly, I won’t be embarking on such a vacation anytime soon but Funkwerk’s Pineapple Provincial, paired with a tiny umbrella, will take you on a tropical vacation one delicious sip at at time.

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Almanac Beer Co. | Cherry Vanilla Dogpatch

My passion for beer has been full of trial and error, forced experiments and a lot of stubbornness. That picky five-year old appetite can still be found 22 years later. Try and give me a sliver of tomato? Don’t even think about it. And if those Sour Patch Kids aren’t the watermelon ones—no thank you. I mean honestly, the watermelon Sour Patch Kids are life. The fact I’m sitting here with a sour beer in hand deserves at least one high-five (or maybe an award)?

While my fridge is stocked up with all the winter goodies I could possibly want, I’m still on this huge sour beer kick that doesn’t seem to be going away! While visiting San Francisco over the summer before the big move, Almanac Beer Co. wasn’t actually even on my mind. And let me tell you… that was a mistake! While hunting for donuts in the Mission District, I got a glimpse of the Almanac taproom and had to stop in. Not only do they have an amazing and beautiful bar, but also their tap list of 15 beers is seriously on point and so is their food menu! Read More