SF Beer Week

San Francisco Beer Week is quickly approaching and I'll be covering a number of events from the opening gala through to the last day.

For those who may be unfamiliar with Beer Week, it is an annual event sponsored by the San Francisco Brewers Guild to promote and extol craft beer. This year Beer Week runs from from February 8th through February 17th and includes about 425 events spread out across the Bay Area and as far away as Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz.

In previous years I had gone to one or maybe two events but this year I plan to attend quite a few more. Below is a list the events that I'll be trying to make it to and if anyone is interested in joining me, feel free to come along.

Friday, February 8th:  6pm SF Beer Week Opening Celebration 

Saturday, February 9th: 12pm, Mikkeller Yeast Series @ The Press Club;   3pm, It’s Alive!!: Sipping Session with White Labs @ City Beer Store;   6pm, Speakeasy’s Tap Room Grand Opening Party @ Speakeasy Ales & Lagers;   8pm, Wine Barrel-aged Beer Tastival @ Beer Revolution

Sunday, February 10th: 12pm, Beer Judging 101 @ Pyramid Alehouse;   5pm, Sour Sunday Beer Flights @ Rosamunde Sausage Grill.

Monday, February 11th: 4pm, Meet the Brewer of Southern Pacific Brewing @ Zeitgeist

Wednesday, February 13th: 3pm, Evening with Anchor Brewery @ Pi Bar;   6pm, Meet the SF Brewers Guild and try Green Death! @ Speakeasy

Friday, February 15th: 12pm, Speakeasy’s Beer Week Brewery Blowout;   6pm, Serpents & Stouts: Exotic, Dark, & Delicious @ Ale Arsenal.

Saturday, February 16th: 1pm, Blind Beer Tasting @ Pyramid Alehouse;   4pm, Rogue Farms Flights @ Rouge Public House.

Sunday, February 17th: 12pm, Yerba Mate Education @ Cerveceria de MateVeza

What's in a name?

I decided to name my site EZdrinking for a couple of reasons. First, my intent for this project is to focus on spirits, beer, wine, and coffee that are of such quality that they are easy to drink on their own. Second, I hope to promote a temperate approach to alcohol that extols its variety, craft and creativity with out overindulgence. Third, since this a site of my own musings about things I like to drink and my initials are E.Z. the choice was obvious.

The Adventures Begins

 Welcome to the inaugural post of EZdrinking.

Distilled spirits have been a passion of mine for quite a while, and last year I was blessed to get a writing job with the American Distilling Institute (ADI), an education and advocacy organization for craft distillers. I began by helping them put together a book on all the whiskey distilleries in the world, and at present I'm editing a book on how to make rum. Since I started with ADI I have been able to meet quite a few interesting people in and around the world of distilled spirits and I've come across a lot of great stories about booze, past and present. My plan it to post some of these interesting stories and conversations as well as my own tasting notes on drinks that I've tried.

While my primary focus will be on distilled spirits I also plan to write some about beer, wine and coffee. Living in San Francisco, I'm lucky enough to be surrounded by some of the best examples of each drink type right at my doorstep. Wine, craft beer, craft distilling, and third wave coffee all have a significant following of people who, like me, are interested in having a great drinking experience, and want to understand what makes one drink stand out from the rest. As my passions and interests for each of these drinks compels me to taste more and learn more, I hope that my stories can be informative and fun to read.