The bus should be in Carlsbad around 12:00. I’d say it’ll leave by 12:15 (although I won’t be on it at that point, so that’s up to the driver and/or the dudes on the bus; but I’ll tell the driver to plan on leaving close to 12:15, and having at least 10 minutes of idle time and no more than 15). So that would put the bus back at Lost Abbey by around 12:45, with a good 2 hours and 15 minutes of party time for the folks who are on that track.
Everyone should feel free to call my cell phone (or Christian’s-- alohaC) throughout the weekend to get up-to-the-minute status on where the bus is, whether we’re running behind schedule, or how you can make sure that I/we try some sick-ass beer that you brought.
My number is 951-536-9391.
Christian’s cell phone will be on the flyer I’ve prepared for the weekend. I don’t want to post it online without his permission.
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A few big updates coming up. . .
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fuckin cock tease
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UPDATE!!!
Stone Bistro -
Fortunately/unfortunately (good for perhaps everyone but me), we have not been able to work out a final deal with Stone for the lunch buffet on Sunday. Today, I gave up hope, because it’s just too close to the date, and I wanted to have an opportunity to dispense information so that people are adequately prepared.
WE ARE BACKING OUT OF THE STONE LUNCH (food commitment).
What this means is that I have to give the $20 back to everyone who paid for that lunch so far (don’t worry-- I have a list of all 39 of youze guyz), and also that everyone is now going to be on their own as far as food is concerned, and will have full reign to select anything to their liking on the entire Brunch menu.
I really think this will work out better for everyone (again, except me), as you all might be able to get a meal to your liking for LESS THAN the $20, and you won’t have any sort of limit on dining options. Furthermore, we might actually cumulatively spend more on our overall dining tab than the $780 we would have spent, and we’re not going to crush the kitchen by having them put out food for 39 all at once. I should also point out that, should you choose, you could wait to eat after 2:00 PM, at which point you could order off of the Bistro’s dinner menu and have a wider array of selections from which to choose.
All beer availability will stay the same, which is to say that it is going to be an outstanding line-up for us. And we’re going to be seated in the outdoor bar area on the Bistro patio, with two bartenders there to serve us. We can place food orders there with those bartenders, so this really should work out quite well.
Don’t even get me started on the how’s, why’s, and wherefore’s about this situation and the reason for this change in plans at the eleventh hour. It’s been a long, time-consuming, and frustrating road to get to this point. But I really think it’s going to be better this way for EVERYONE, and Stone is doing a hell of a thing for us this weekend. So please don’t be upset about this-- just try to enjoy yourself and appreciate the beery spectacle that will be on display on Sunday.
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UPDATE!!!
Hamilton’s -
Contrary to popular rumor, there will in all likelihood NOT be a special line-up of 5-6 small-batch beers from Valley Brewing. There have been some unforeseen problems with getting the kegs from Valley and getting them down to Hamilton’s, so it really looks like it’s not going to happen, at this point. Let’s just say that / would be very surprised to find a Valley Brewing beer there for us (and very pleasantly so, I might add). Damn shame.
But Hamilton’s should still have a great line-up of draft beers and bottles available for our consumption. And it’s still the only place that is open until 2 AM in North Park, for all you late-arrivers and hardcore ne’er-do-wells.
On the bright side, Scott Blair, owner of Hamilton’s, has very generously offered to give our group a 25% discount off of our tab, starting at the beginning of the night. That’s right-- 25 PERCENT. Hell of a gesture, that. So the way this would work is that the first group that shows up on Friday night at around 5:30 or 6:00 (which will not include me-- I’ll probably be eating at The Linkery as my first stop on the North Park crawl) will have to make contact with Steve, who is the Manager on Duty that night, and will have to let him know that they are in the RateBeer group. Steve will take care of the group, and will see to it that the 25% discount is applied to all purchases. The one "catch"-- based on how busy it will likely be, they’ve said they might have to limit us to ONE TAB on that 25% discount, so it will be up to those in attendance to work that out however they can, and collect money from one another to make payment on that tab and maximize the discount (and hopefully fun). I’m sorry I can’t step in and help coordinate the exact mechanics of that tab (and payment), but I hope someone will step up and take the lead on it. Should be a great time.
Also, it’s worth saying-- Please do not abuse this privilege. They are perfectly happy with selling us a shitload of beer that night, and making sure we have a hell of a time. But don’t be jerks about it, and please make sure to take care of the guys who will be serving you at Hamilton’s (in tip form).
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UPDATE!!!
Beers on the bus -
Ok, I hope this is a good one. With no cloud, and only silver lining.
Our bus driver on Friday and Sunday (but not Saturday-- different bus service, different driver) has offered to put together some ice and buckets for us so that we can chill some beers on the bus and have some fun while we’re roving from stop to stop, if we please.
There should be somewhere around 22-28 people on board the bus that day, so there’ll be plenty of room to party in comfort (max. capacity is 47). And yes, there’s a turlet.
Finally, as one of the "Added Bonuses" that we’re putting together to help give back value to those of you who have sprung for the whole weekend package, I’ll be bringing a 5-gallon keg of Ballast Point Victory At Sea Coffee Imperial Porter on the bus on Friday. It’s an aged keg that I’ve had in my possession for about 5 months, since the last Woodshop Tasting, when almost nobody drank any (uhh, we had lots of other beers to divert our attention).
Well, I just tried a sample a couple of days ago to see how it’s held up, and I’d say it’s pretty darn tasty. It’s also pretty unlikely that we’ll encounter this beer even at the Ballast Point "VIP Tour" on Friday afternoon.
If there’s any left after our Friday trip, some might make it to Saturday’s Grand Tasting and/or Sunday. But we’re going to do our damnedest to blow through the entire keg this weekend, because I have to return the empty keg to Ballast Point!
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UPDATE!!
Ritual Tavern -
A short one. The cask will be Green Flash West Coast IPA, not Ballast Point Big Eye IPA. Yum.
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Don’t worry about it. I am coming to San Diego for the beer, not the food. Shit happens.
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Any good news other than the bus keg? 
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Yeah, here’s some more good news-- people will stop making snaps like this very soon, since it’ll all be over in just a few days.
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