Alpine Beer Company, Alpine

Way back in November, I went to the Alpine Beer Company Pub; last week, I finally returned to Alpine to visit the the original location and brewery, which is just down the street.

The tasting room at the original location (no longer strictly the original tasting room at the original location, or so I gather from signs and the newness of this room) is essentially a square with a nice bar and lots of wood everywhere–as you would expect for a tasting room in the woods. There’s an outdoor area with picnic tables, also nice.

There was a steady, happy crowd on a Friday afternoon. The service was excellent. There are lots of regulars, of course, and a lot of people came in for a pint and a growler fill. A good number of them came in wearing their Alpine gear, a measure of the enthusiasm this place generates. I was impressed with the beards and attention to having “a look” in general among the crowd. Who knew mountain hipsters were more serious than North Park hipsters? I kid, I kid. Everyone we met was very nice.

I made this trip with Rob, aka Instagram’s @sdbeertour, who was attending for a bottle release and to support his friend Fede, aka Instagram’s @hoppybeerhoppylife, who created a new t-shirt for the event.

The beer menu was big: 20 beers available as tasters, half pour, pints or growlers, plus bottles and cans, and on this occasion the special bottle of a collaboration beer with Cellar 3 (a barrel aged sour).  Cellar 3 and Alpine are both owned by Green Flash, so I guess this collaboration was especially easy to arrange!

The beer I sampled was, as you would expect from such a famous place, good. 

Pour Habits (Porter, 5.8% ABV).  A nearly perfect porter. Balanced, flavorful.  4.5/5

Broken Tiles (Pale Ale, 5.6% ABV). Well made and clean, but not a hop I like.  3.25/5

Willy (Pale Wheat Ale, 4.9% ABV). Too much vanilla for me. Kept thinking “candy.”  3/5

There were lots of other beers on the board that I had tried before and which I know are very good, too. This is a fun place, and you’ll enjoy taking the trip out to Alpine.

http://alpinebeerco.com/     2363 Alpine Blvd, Alpine, CA 91901