We should probably do a beer meet-up sometime this season, shouldn't we? Maybe a weekend day game at Toronado, and we can take over the back room? Or maybe Shotwell's or Rosamunde Mission?

Yeah, y'all are getting Lagunitas. But I think I'll do an Abita/Black Magic Voodoo Lounge post when the Braves come in August.

Sure, you all know about Lagunitas IPA. It's so ubiquitous here in the Bay Area, a lot of people think IPA is Lagunitas. And hey, it's a good one. It's one of my go-tos, along with Racer 5 and 1500. But, as you may also know, they do have a full portfolio of other year-rounds and seasonals that at this point are readily available around the Bay.

But the real fun is going to the brewery itself. The downside is that you do have to drive. The upside of that is that there are cheap hotels within walking distance and handful of good beer joints in Petaluma. (I recommend Taps.) I can say from experience that this is the way to do it. At Lagunitas' Tap Room And Beer Sanctuary, there's a bigass semi-covered patio with tons of picnic tables and dogs wandering all over the place. The food is nothing special but it definitely ain't bad. And they always have at least 20 taps going, with the usual IPA, Censored, Lucky 13, etc… but they'll also have whatever chocolate/barrel aged/raspberry/brett concoction they've been screwing around with lately. No, seriously. There's also a small stage where smaller local bands play, and they're recently constructed a small amphitheater next to the Beer Sanctuary, to lure in bigger bands passing through. The whole place is really just nifty, and the people who work there are all pretty fuckin' cool, if somewhat daffy. Though if you pay attention to their marketing, you probably knew that anyway.

Protip: it's also a really cool place for a private party. Before they built the Beer Sanctuary, they used a small bar overlooking the brewhouse, which is still there. Get a bunch of friends, reserve the place, drink some cool beer in a really cool little bar, and then get the brewery tour by a drunk employee. It's a good time.

Also of note, they actually make a bunch of pretty cool swag. It always bums me out to go to a great brewery and see the same crappy logo polo shirt and cheap conicals. I particularly like the butterfly opener and the fake paper bag.