A new favorite

I love finding new must haves for my pantry and this one comes from Trader Joes.




A great bargain @ $7.99.
Equal to or better than the Green Eyed Mermaid version and a fraction of the cost. Dress it up however you like. Totally worth it.

Unfortunately, word is out so they are out of stock frequently. Just keep looking. Supply will catch up with demand and it will be worth it.

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Prosciutto pizza and Amber ale

Yum. Salty prosciutto topped with several cheeses and a little arugula for character. Yummy. Crust was thin, crispy but chewy where it should be. Nice balanced Amber Ale was good offset to the saltiness.
Love the atmosphere here. On UCI campus. Very collegiate with dark wood and lots of tables in a large space. Would be great place for late night gathering or mid day study sessions involving beer - which always were my favorite.
Eclectic crowd. College kids, pseudo intellectuals and art house movie enthusiasts all in the same place. And a few of us people watchers just here to eat good food and take in the show.
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Location:Steelhead Brewing

Tustin Brewing

4:00 on an off-season Sunday and the bar is full of locals. Good sign. Brew kettle and tanks are in full view and the atmosphere is relaxed and inviting.

The brew 6 standards and 2 rotations. They also "host" guest beers on tap.

I opened with the Hef which turned out to be a light beer. 5% ABV and only 18 IBU's it was high on drink ability but much lighter in flavor than I expected. From the look of the menu, they brew on the lighter side of both alcohol content and bitterness. Not a problem but good to know. The Hef was very refreshing and would be excellent introductory beer for a novice or even better served on hot summer afternoon when you want to relax but don't want the heaviness of regular beer.

The spare rib tacos were overpowered by the srachia sauce. All heat, no flavor. The kimchi type garnish was both ugly and inedible.

Seems like it could be a fun place but the experience was unremarkable. Wouldn't rule it out but wouldn't seek it out either.

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Location:Newport Ave,Tustin,United States

Newport Beach Brewing Company

Oh so good!! Food, location, service and the beer. Had the Blonde and it was yummy. Clean and refreshing. Not heavy at all but still good ABV of 4%. Had the Garlic Pepperoni pizza with it... more yum. I'll definitely be back and be sure to bring my friends.

Steelhead Brewing

I spend a couple of hours this afternoon on the patio at Steelhead Brewing in Irvine. It's right across the street from the UCI campus, in the University Shopping Center. Sunday at 3 and the place was dead. The center was hopping but the brewery was quiet. Nice inside. Collegiate decor with a big chalkboard listing all the brews available. I had the Hairy Weasel Hefeweizen. Not as fruity as others but good flavor. Good for a warm day and light food. 

Map for Steelhead Brewery

The Great Beer Hunt

Part of my new adventure has to be the discovery of local brewpubs. It's just how I roll. (LOL.)

To keep myself organized and allow everyone to follow along, here is a link to an online map of the local microbreweries. All the markers start out grey, meaning they are untried/unrated. As I visit each location, I'll change the marker color to red, green or yellow as a rating and add comments in the description section.

Have locations of your own? Let me know and we can add them to the map... for all to enjoy.

Great Brewpub Tour (Map)

Cafe Rio

Think Chipotle Grill done better. Imagine this... start with giant handmade homemade tortillas fresh off the grill.  Then fill with lime-infused rice, fireroasted chicken and black beans. Top with fresh made salsa. Delicious. They are staffed heavily in the kitchen to keep up with the line. This is quick, fresh, yummy and cheap. Just the way a local lunch joint should be.

http://www.caferio.com/locations/costa-mesa-california

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Amazing "Mix" Nachos

Some of the best nachos I've ever had. Fried flour tortillas. 4 kinds of mexican style cheeses and carne asada. Yummy!!

At "Mix" in the lobby of the Hilton Anaheim Convention Center.