Karl Strauss and Coronado Brewing Company

A while back I attended a beer event in which Karl Strauss Brewing Company had a few samples of their beer, and after a tasting (if I recall correctly, Red Trolley Ale and Tower 10 IPA) I wasn’t thrilled to search them out again.  Last Friday I found myself in Downtown San Diego with an hour to kill and an empty stomach to fill, so I queried tap hunter for the nearest brewery, and Karl Strauss turned out to be a block away.  I must say I enjoyed the look and feel of the place and their package design and branding is killer.  We were seated immediately and, possibly because I was wearing a Racer 5 t-shirt, the waiter took charge of explaining what was the latest and greatest on tap.  My girlfriend sampled a few as I went straight for the Big Barrel Double IPA brewed with New Zealand Hops (as well as Warrior and Amarillo), which weighed in at 90IBUs and 9% ABV.  There was something woody about this DIPA that I just couldn’t get around, and I’m not sure if it was the NZ hops or some speciality grain, but I just didn’t enjoy the flavor.

I tasted my girlfriend’s Pin Tail Pale Ale, a seasonal brew with Cascade and Amarillo hops, and it had the perfect composition to drink all day on a sunny San Diego day.  Then the waiter came by and gave me a sample of the Conquistador Doppelbock, their On Tap Only release; a German Doppelbock with a delicious malt/caramel balance, and hints of plum.  It was spot on and brilliant and made me change my opinion of the brewery’s beers.  The best part of the Karl Strauss Downtown location though was the knowledgeable staff.  They seamed well trained and were more than willing to go find any answers that they might not know off hand.  It was a refreshing experience.  Oh yeah and the food was good too.

Later that evening, after a cold and windy adventure on the beach, we ended up at the Coronado Brewing Company for dinner.  Their tag line is “Brewing is our middle name,” and it gave me a chuckle as I entered the brick establishment.  There was a 15 minute wait to seat our party of eight, but there was a bar conveniently located next to the door, with large glass windows that peered into the brewery.  I chose a pint of the Mermaids Red Ale, a red ale with a hefty malt bill and not overly bitter.  As far as red ales go, I’d put it on the lower end of the spectrum.  Over the course of the meal I had a Idiot IPA, and a Neptune Nectar.  The Idiot IPA was an 8.5% nicely hopped IPA, which was better than the Red Ale, but still didn’t have that something extra to make a mark on my mental map.  The Neptune Nectar, on the other hand, did just that.  Beer Advocate has it listed as an American Strong Ale, but I think it is more like a Belgian Strong Ale.  Another 8.5% beer with a brushed palate of candy, fruit, bitter, and spice upon a light malt backbone.