[rustynails]

I think I liked it better when it was called an XPA.

But wasn't that first developed 10 years ago in Cascadia?

More like more than 1000 years ago in Cascadia by the Salish peoples, although the tribe cannot be traced.  It was so ingrained in Salish culture that the original word for it, Huchoosedah, came to refer to cultural knowledge and knowledge of self.  It is where the word "hooch" originally came from.  The Salish believed it was a gift from Essit Sqibik, which we know as the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus.

But you can call it what you like.

Here in my little hamlet at the corner of Columbia and Pacific, it is traditionaly drank with lutefisk just before the wife carry race

[cheba420]

I am heading to San Diego in about a month.  I will have to check both of those beers out...if I can drag myself away from Stone!

Pull away from Stone and go check out Ballast Point! Those guys are doing an amazing job. I'm in Diego about twice a month and I hit up Ballast Point 8 out of 10 trips. They have a great little tasting room that fills up with locals every day towards the end of the work day. Always some interesting people in there and great conversation. Sculpin IPA on Nitro is RIDICULOUS!!!!!

[skyler]

Stone was the biggest letdown of our trip. The only stone beers on tap were arrogant bastard, SSR, levitation, IPA, pale ale, and ruination - all beers I can easily get at my local grocery store. While the food was great, the wait (2 hours) wasn't. Also, the place looks really cool, but feels like a chain restaurant, not a brewpub. Good news, though, if the wait is super-long, Port/Lost Abbey isn't far away and neither is Green Flash.

Ballast Point, Green Flash, and Alpine Brewing Co. were all really awesome, as was a beer bar/pizza place called "Blind Lady" on Adams Ave. Many (most?) breweries are only open Friday and Saturday, so make sure you check before you go. We didn't, and ended up unable to visit Hess and Ale Smith.

[hoser]

Thanks for the tour tips.  I am super excited to go.  I am most excited about Stone because those are my favorite beers and so it will be somewhat of a pilgrimage for me.  Although your review makes me concerned I am do for a letdown? .  I will definitely check out Green Flash, Port/Abbey, Ballast Point, and Alesmith.

[blatz]

Hoser - sounds like you've never had Ballast Point, Green Flash, Pizza Port or Lost Abbey beers.  Do yourself a favor - since you can get Stone at home, don't waste time or your liver tickets on Stone - the aforementioned breweries put Stone TO SHAME.  Don't get me wrong, I like Stone, but if I could get any of those breweries here especially GF IPA, I don't think I'd ever buy Stone again.

[bluesman]

I have to agree Paul...I am not overly impressed with their IPA as well. I like it... but there are many others that I much prefer including Balast Point, Green Flash, Moylan's and Luganitas to name a few. 

[hoser]

I can't get Stone in Nebraska that is why I am excited to go.  Their IPA is not my favorite either, neither is the Lagunitas.  I am a Bastard kind of guy .  Green Flash West Coast IPA is the only other San Diego beer I have had. And it is one of my all-time favorites.  We are kind of an IPA wasteland here in the Cornhusker state.  I just can't wait to taste all of these beers fresh out of the tap!

[hoser]

Skyler,
Would Ballast Point's Calico Amber fall under your classifications of "SD Session Ale?"

http://www.ballastpoint.com/beers-of-ballast-point-amber-ale-calico/

[skyler]

Skyler,
Would Ballast Point's Calico Amber fall under your classifications of "SD Session Ale?"

http://www.ballastpoint.com/beers-of-ballast-point-amber-ale-calico/

Nope. The key point is that an SDSA is generally under 4.5% abv. Calico is just a good amber ale.

[malzig]

Me and my buddy have been making hoppy, low gravity beers like this for the last 5 or 6 years. 
We call them American Bitters.

Levitation was a little funny when it came out, because I started experimenting with these trying to make a less liver-damaging, low gravity "clone" of Arrogant Bastard, and came up with something very close to Levitation.  I continue to make it frequently.  The big difference is that it costs about as much for me to make 5 gallons of my beer as to buy a 6-pack of Levitation (which I do think is a wonderful beer). 

While I make these as more Amber-like beers, my buddy has specialized in making pale and dry 4-4.5% IPAs, which are also delicious.

[Will's Swill]

Off topic, but...

How does the Green Flash IIPA compare with their beers that are lower in alcohol?  I happened across their IIPA last night and grabbed it since there's been so much traffic on Green Flash the last couple of days.  It's the only one of their beers that I've seen locally.  I'd say it was a pretty good IIPA.  That's practically a raging endorsement from me, as I don't tend to care for IIPAs.  Just wondering if its quality is indicative of the rest of their lineup.

[skyler]

Off topic, but...

How does the Green Flash IIPA compare with their beers that are lower in alcohol?  I happened across their IIPA last night and grabbed it since there's been so much traffic on Green Flash the last couple of days.  It's the only one of their beers that I've seen locally.  I'd say it was a pretty good IIPA.  That's practically a raging endorsement from me, as I don't tend to care for IIPAs.  Just wondering if its quality is indicative of the rest of their lineup.

Their pale ale is excellent, and their best beer, IMO, is hop head red, a double red ale.

[blatz]

Their regular IPA is other worldly.  Funny, after the first time I had it I went to their website and discovered the ingredients are all the same as mine, though I add munich and a few other hops, but it was a 'no wonder' moment.  That said, of course they do it better than I do!

[hoser]

Skyler,
So what recipe did you come up with for your SD Session Ale?  Curious to see your interpretation...

[skyler]

Recipe: San Diego Session
Style: 23-Speciality Beer

Recipe Overview
 
Wort Volume Before Boil: 8.50 US gals
Wort Volume After Boil: 6.50 US gals
Volume Transferred: 5.50 US gals
Water Added: 0.00 US gals
Volume At Pitching: 5.50 US gals
Final Batch Volume: 5.20 US gals
Expected Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.034 SG
Expected OG: 1.044 SG
Expected FG: 1.011 SG
Expected ABV: 4.4 %
Expected ABW: 3.4 %
Expected IBU (using Tinseth): 44.9
Expected Color: 11.4 SRM
Apparent Attenuation: 74.9 %
Mash Efficiency: 84.0 %
Boil Duration: 90.0 mins
Fermentation Temperature: 64 degF

Fermentables
US Pale Ale Malt 8lb 8oz (90.5 %) In Mash/Steeped
UK Medium Crystal (120EBC) 8.00 oz (5.3 %) In Mash/Steeped
Belgian Aromatic Malt 4.00 oz (2.7 %) In Mash/Steeped
German Carafa Special II 2.20 oz (1.5 %) In Mash/Steeped

Hops
US Cascade (5.3 % alpha) 75 g Bagged Pellet Hops used 15 Min From End
US Centennial (11.0 % alpha) 60 g Loose Whole Hops used 5 Min From End
US Citra  (14.2 % alpha) 30 g Loose Whole Hops used 5 Min From End
US Centennial (11.0 % alpha) 60 g Loose Whole Hops used At turn off
US Citra  (14.2 % alpha) 30 g Loose Whole Hops used At turn off
US Cascade (5.3 % alpha) 30 g Bagged Pellet Hops used Dry-Hopped
US Centennial (11.0 % alpha) 30 g Bagged Pellet Hops used Dry-Hopped

Other Ingredients

Yeast: White Labs WLP051-California Ale V

Mash Schedule
Mash Type: Full Mash
Schedule Name:Single Step Infusion (67C/152F)
Step: Rest at 152 degF for 60 mins

Recipe Notes
Reverse Osmosis water with 1 tsp of Gypsum and .25 tsp of Chalk added to the mash