Próst!

If you're just now asking about Oktoberfest, you're almost too late to the party. In Germany, Oktoberfest starts every year on September17 and runs through the first Sunday in October or October 3rd, whichever is later. (This year, that would be October 3rd.) But here, you have plenty of time to attend one or more Oktoberfest events.

I attended the opening Oktoberfest event at Coachella Valley Beer on September 17th. I'm not sure why they dubbed it an Oktoberfest event given they didn't have any German beer or any oom-pah-pahing but it was a lot of fun and it served the purpose of getting people in the door. Tomorrow, however, they will have a Laughtoberfest event from 2-10pm. It's not Oktoberfest-themed but there's no cover and it's lots of fun. They will have a Berliner Weisse on tap which is, generally, a tart wheat beer. Named 99 Problems, it's a collaboration with TKB. I haven't tried it but at least they're getting in the spirit of things. 

I went to their Comedy Festival last year where Michael Longfellow was the headliner. Now, he's one of the newest cast members on Saturday Night Live. (You can see him on YouTube's Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival.) Who knows whom you might see this year?

Desert Beer will have an Oktoberfest event tomorrow starting at noon. They will have bratwurst, sausages, and music. They will also have three German style lagers on tap: Olaf & Jurgen Festbier, Oh Face Oktoberfest, and Uncle Kunkle Dunkel. (I've had and can recommend the Dunkel.) Their Valle Molinillo colab with CVB will be on tap as well as several other styles of beers. 

I can't believe how many people don't know of Desert Beer. They're good people making really good beer. They're also opening a second location in Indio so that's something to keep an eye out for. (I certainly will be.)

La Quinta Brewing's Oktoberfest isn't until October 29 (at their Palm Desert location). They promise to have German beers, food, and authentic Bavarian music. They are even offering a prize for the best Oktoberfest-themed outfit - a $25 gift card to La Quinta Brewing. Might be worth breaking out the lederhosen.

Oktoberfest started early at Big Bear Lake on September 10th but runs every weekend through November 5th so you still have plenty of time. This is also a fun event but you must purchase a ticket to attend. Prices vary on when you go and where you want to be seated. It's also a bit of a drive from anywhere so if you don't have a designated driver, I strongly encourage spending the night at a local hotel or vacation rental.

In all cases, drink responsibly. Have a designated driver or take Uber and have yourself some Oktoberfest fun.

There's a new brewery in town and you should go.

"Support your local brewery," I like to say. I also like to say, "I'll have another!"

This weekend, we visited Luchador Brewing Company which recently opened in Cathedral City, smack in the middle of the Coachella Valley. They have a variety of beers on tap plus ceviche and tacos served from a food truck located inside the brewery, cleverly attached to the kitchen. It's located next door the CV Rep and about a block away from the Mary Pickford Theater. Parking is ample. (You can read all about it in the Desert Sun.)

It was a little loud inside but it was worth it for the beer and tacos. Plus, we can always use another local brewery. Their merch is great with slogans such as  "Cerveza Mas Macho" and "Hecho in Cat City."

It's been a while - seven years - since we've had a brewery on the east side of the valley although I understand there has been interest by both Desert Beer Company and Coachella Valley Brewing in establishing second locations here. We can certainly keep our fingers crossed and our growlers at the ready.

In the meantime, it's up to us to support the breweries in the Coachella Valley. We are thirsty here in the desert and can always use another beer. And good beer, at that.

Welcome, Luchador Brewing!

I have a beer problem. Maybe you can help.

Even as I write this, I'm walking it back. "Do I really?"

Hubby said I had to get rid of some of the beers in the refrigerator before I can buy any more. He's right. There are some that have been languishing in there. Forgotten. Passed over. No longer seen.

But when I took an inventory, I didn't think it looked all that bad.

From this picture, you can see I have a wide range of tastes which is what contributes to my beer problem. I like to try beers from different styles. I'll find something I want to try and then end up with more than I really want to drink. Or, once tried, I'm ready to move on to the next thing leaving behind an inventory of "been there, done that" beers that now I have to get rid of.

I have three of the Warsteiner Oktoberfest. I first tried this at last years Oktoberfest at Big Bear Lake, CA. Later, I saw the beer at Costco and bought a case of 24. I only have three left which means I liked it well enough to drink 21 of them. But it also means they're about a year old. While it'll be Fall soon enough, I've lost interest in finishing the last three.

The one on the left is Passion Pool, a gose style ale from Mikkeller. (The picture at the link shows a different label.) It's fruity and sour, perfectly refreshing on a hot day and would probably be perfect for floating around the pool. I have three of these, having only drunk one. I could try it again, but the bubbles, which were tight and plentiful, gave me gas. I could be wrong here - it could have been something I ate - but I haven't really wanted to give it another try. Besides, I don't have a pool.

I forgot that I had three of the Boatswain Chocolate Stout in the fridge. I really like dark beers so this surprises me. I think it came in a six-pack so I drank half of what I bought. Maybe it just got too hot outside for me to be interested in a dark beer although at 5.4% ABV, it's very drinkable. While it's plenty hot outside this week, this could be a good beer to have around a few weeks from now.

But, a deal is a deal. There are other beers I want to try so I need to make some room. If you're in my neighborhood and you want to try some of these beers, let me know and they're all yours. Or, if you have a similar problem, we can make a trade. 

(I just won't tell Hubby.)

I also have one Brew Dr Superberry Kombucha if anyone's interested. It's non alcoholic and good on it's own but it's also pretty good with a shot of vodka.

National IPA Day

I dreamt of drinking an IPA at Eppig Brewing. Don't know where that came from except today is National IPA Day according to whoever makes up these things. Tomorrow is International Beer Day. 

I guess the only logical thing to do at this point is to head to San Diego, grab a chair in the sun, and have one of these:

Hope to see you there!

How much is a buttload of beer?

According to Geeks Are Sexy, a buttload is an actual unit of volume, usually of wine or beer, equal to half an tun. 

A tun is a large beer or wine cask equal to four hogsheads.

A hogshead is 64 gallons.

Which makes a buttload of beer equal to 128 gallons. 

You might say it was a shit ton.

Coffee Here

There are more coffee joints than breweries in the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs Life has reviewed some of its local purveyors in The Joy of Coffee. 

I was surprised when I read that the beans used at Ernest Coffee were from a roaster in Oregon. Cafe La Jefe's beans come from Colorado.  But most of our local cafes get their beans from local roasters.

I created the following list using the information from the Palm Springs Life article to keep track of where these places are. You know, just in case I'm out and about and a need a coffee. (I have personally sampled the places noted in red.)

Local Coffee Joint	Location	Roaster		Try
Cafe La Jefe	Palm Springs	Sisters Coffee Company	CO	café de olla
Sixth Street Coffee	Coachella	Arcade Coffee Roasters	CA	horchata latte
Bluebird Day	Palm Springs	Joshua Tree Coffee Company	CA	chai affogato, cold brew
Ernest Coffee	Palm Springs	Stumptown	OR	pistachio-rose latte, espresso
Everbloom Coffee	Indio			butterscotch iced latte
Koffi	Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage	house roasted	CA
location TBD	Palm Desert	818 Coffee	CA

There are other notable coffee places about town that were not included in the Palm Springs Life article:

• Cartel Roasting Co has multiple locations in AZ and one in Palm Springs.
• Coachella Valley Coffee in Palm Springs supplies the coffee for PSP Coffee House at the Palm Spring Airport and where I personally get my own supply of coffee. 
• Idyllwild Coffee Roasters is a short drive away in Idyllwild.
• IW Coffee in Indian Wells also brews coffee from Joshua Tree Coffee.

According to the Desert Sun, we will soon have a new coffee roaster (and tap house!) in downtown Coachella at Coachella General. 

Coffee and beer at the same location? We could not be more pleased.

Take note the next time you're vacationing in the desert: There's plenty of local coffee houses to try. And, while the local beers here are very good, there aren't nearly enough breweries. 

Cheers!

Today

 ... is National Beer Day.

The Cullen–Harrison Act, named for its sponsors, Senator Pat Harrison and Representative Thomas H. Cullen, enacted by the United States Congress on March 21, 1933, and signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt the following day, legalized the sale in the United States of beer with an alcohol content of 3.2% (by weight) and wine of similarly low alcohol content, thought to be too low to be intoxicating, effective April 7, 1933. Upon signing the legislation, Roosevelt made his famous remark, "I think this would be a good time for a beer."

          Wikipedia

Too bad it's not Friday. 

Oh, well. Thursday's close enough for me.

Beer Can Appreciation Day

 ... was last week - which was last month - and I saw no love for the beer can. Was no one paying attention?

January 24 was also National Compliment Day and National Peanut Butter Day. So while we're several days late, it's time to compliment the maker of your favorite peanut butter beer on their can.

Great job, Belching Beaver, on making the beer can that contains your Peanut Butter Milk Stout. Without it we'd have - well, quite a mess. And while it's the only peanut butter flavored stout I've ever tried, I have to imagine it's the best.

So, thanks. I appreciate you.