Dragoon Brewing Company IPA

Unbeknownst to me, there were a lot of alright IPAs being brewed in Arizona prior to our arrival. SanTan's HopShock and Moon Juice, AZ Wilderness' Refuge, Mother Bunch Brewing's Old Skool and Black Hole's Comet IPA are all solid sippers. Now if you know anything about me, you know I like my beer bitter, with all the IBUs and at least 6% ABV. My math works like this: 70 IBU and 7% ABV is just about perfect, assuming the "brewmaster" has a palate that I'd appreciate. Anything over that 7% ABV mark will have me chewing my face and talking like a pirate.

Considering the fact that I'm rather particular when it comes to my IPAs (I recently poured a few down the drain... I know, FOR SHAME!), I was pleasantly surprised when we wandered into the Dragoon Brewing Company in Tuscon, AZ and they poured me a pint of their IPA. What they consider 'West Coast Style,' the Dragoon iteration of an IPA is "deep gold in color, featuring a dank, herbal, citrusy hop aroma supported by a sparse malt backbone. It is appropriately bitter, with a relatively high alcohol content." So there you go! At 7.3% ABV and 83 IBUs, it's a pretty perfect match with my brilliant Beer Math.

Available in four-packs at Whole Foods (at least in AZ), Dragoon's IPA is a damn fine beer that might be better than most of the IPAs featured in our Brew Reviews. That said, and like a lot of other wonderful beers being brewed by small shops all around America, it's hard to find, easy to drink and will leave you wishing you'd gone for the growler.

The Six-Pack Pizza Mission

I'm not going to get too deep into the details, but lets just say that Kyra and I rolled hard and fast from Redlands to San Clemente in order to pick up a six-pack of Swami's. The mission, part of our forthcoming #Scouts_Honor adventure, was a simple one. We needed to break in our new bikes, as well as our butts. Neither one of us had ridden a foot-forward, V-twin powered cruiser of any kind... So this was sort of test run. Would we like this kind of motorcycle? Would the sound of American Thunder flow through our veins forever after? Or would we regret our idea to ride across the country on a pair of Scouts? Like I said, I won't throw too much information at you - we'll save that for our digital updates on Motorcyclist Magazine - but I can say that the bikes surprised us, the beer was worth it and the long, straight slabs of blacktop that separate Southern California and the desert we've decided to reside in this winter were mind-numbingly boring. Follow the link for a few photos.

Odell Brewing Company's IPA

When I was younger, I'd drink just about anything. Milwaukee's Best? Fuck it. Tall cans of Coors Light? Duh. But as I've aged, a man now three decades deep, I've developed an appreciation for the IPA. To be honest, I'm not sure when or how it happened. I remember my first proper pint, poured at the Paragon on Queen Anne when I turned 21. It was an Amber Ale brewed by Mac & Jack's in Redmond, WA. Something you could only drink on draught, it was a beer that made me feel like an adult. "Here, look at me, man of 21 years, drinking this beer you teenagers can't acquire." And so for the next few years that's what happened. A slow and steady transition from malt liquor to craft beer. And then the IPA.

The first one that really grabbed me by the boo-boo was brewed by the Pelican Brew Pub in Pacific City, OR. I mean, I am sure there were others, but that's the first one I blogged about. Anyhow. Fast forward a few years and I am now an expert in the IPA, or so I tell myself. IBUs and ABVs... Yea, I know what that shit means. Cascade compared to Centennial hops? Yea, I can totally tell the difference (ahem, bullshit!). All of that to say, when I find an IPA that I can't stop swilling - pouring one bottle after another into my face (see: Sculpin) - I feel obligated to write about it... being an expert and all ;) So allow me to introduce my latest face-eating friend, Odell Brewing Co.'s IPA, a "bolder and more flavorful – American Style IPA" that is brewed in Fort Collins, CO. At 7% ABV and 60 IBUs, Odell's offering is nobody's bitch. But she goes down all-too-easy and will leave you looking for a place to purchase another six-pack. Also there is a man riding an elephant on the bottle - which obviously makes the beer better. So if you're an IPA expert like myself, do you really need an excuse to drink something different? I think not. Do yourself a favor and find a few.

Tropic Haze

As far as I'm concerned, wheat beers are only good if they're cold... Like really fucking cold. As soon as the sun hits them, they taste like warm bread paste, so I typically avoid them. Until I landed in the Philippines. Anything, and I mean anything, that is cold and tastes like beer is acceptable - sometimes. And this was one of those times. We'd been out and about all day, fulfilling family obligations, sightseeing, etc. Luckily, one of Kyra's cousins owns a bar, where we ended our evening. When we walked in, a young lady was chatting with her cousin. Turns out shes a rep for Nipa Brew, a Manila based craft beer producer. Small is one way to describe the company, tiny is another. Something like seven people! Anyhow. She had a few bottles of Tropic Haze, "a light and refreshing craft beer with tropical undertones, perfect for those who want to step into the craft beer experience!" Or so it's described on their Facebook page.

The reality is that Tropic Haze is similar to a lot of the wheat beers we have at home - Hoegaarden, New Belgium's 'Snapshot,' or the ever popular Blue Moon. But it's better. With an underlying citrus flavor, not to be confused with added fruit, or a lime wedge (who the fuck do you think I am?), Tropic Haze is mildly effervescent and goes down easy, too easy. As you can see, it's golden in color with a light mist I associate with all wheat beers, and even some IPA's (Fort George's Vortex in particular). I could go on about the nuances of the beer, the flavor, how it landed on my palate, or the after-taste. But that's more than you bargained for, isn't it? What you want to know is whether it's good, and how you can get some. Well, I'm sorry to say that you can't - get any that is. And yes, it is good, otherwise I wouldn't be writing about it. As of right now (July of 2015), Tropic Haze is only available in the Philippines, and mostly just Manila. But hopefully, that's about to change... Stay tuned!

The Tale of Ten Thousand Tacos

You fuel the machine. Add the appropriate ingredients. A Breakfast burrito. An Iced Americano. Maybe a Morning Glory muffin, or some kind of soup or salad. But sometimes the machine requires things it ought not to. Rye whiskey. Pizza with jalapeño peppers. Ice cream in the afternoon. Overindulgence. You get the idea. You do it too. So stop looking at me like that! Yes, this is my second slice. Go fuck yourself! All of those inappropriate ingredients, however, have an ill effect on how well the machine works. How well the machine surfs. Etc. Living on beer and pizza for a few weeks will leave you feeling like fuck. Your heart heavy, stomach stretched. Dehydrated and discombobulated. A different type of tired. You'll sleep later than you should. You'll skip the sunrise session. You'll search for excuses. Because living on the road isn't for everyone. It requires a rather unhealthy amount of alcohol and ice cream sandwiches... No, that's not true. That's just what happens when two dudes decide to spend six weeks driving up and down the California coast searching for surf. Two dudes who have a similarly small amount of self control. Who say 'yes' when they should really say 'no.' But what fun comes from avoiding everything that seems inappropriate? What experiences are you obviating when you go to bed before midnight, when you eat just two tacos instead of eight, when you turn the music down and order plain pizza?! Live a little. Just don't die. Yet.

Click here to see all of our #peelgrimage posts.

The Lake Crescent Lodge

The Lake Crescent Lodge was built in 1916, and serves as a base camp for anyone looking to explore the Olympic National Park. Sitting among the giant fir and hemlock trees that line the lake, this turn-of-the-century resort has a variety of rooms and cabins you can rent, including the Roosevelt Fireplace Cabins, named after President Franklin Roosevelt who established the Olympic National Park in June of 1938. The lodge itself is not nearly as big as I had imagined. An enclosed deck with floor to ceiling windows looks out onto the lake, while the interior of the lodge is, as our friend Jasmine described it, "lodgey." A huge stone fireplace sits in the center, surrounded by couches and chairs. A bar in the back corner sits across from a wide staircase that leads to the upper level, where the historic lodge rooms are located. The back half of the building is occupied by the restaurant; the Bison Meatloaf wasn't bad.

Normally closed this time of year, the brass at the lodge decided to stay open through the holiday season for the first time since who knows when. Taking advantage of this fact, our friends Derek and Laura reserved a Roosevelt Fireplace Cabin for the weekend and invited us join them fireside on Friday night. Sitting just a few feet from the edge of the lake, cabin #37 is a wide, wood cabin with two queen sized beds, a stone fireplace, comfy chairs and big white framed windows that look out onto the lake. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Roosevelt Fireplace Cabins really are incredible. After an early dinner in the lodge, we spent the evening in front of the fireplace, drinking beer and telling lies. The next morning Karissa cooked breakfast on the bench out back, while we drank coffee and watched the dogs chase ducks into the lake. A wonderful way to spend a Saturday.

The Surf Café Cookbook

The Surf Café Cookbook was developed by Jane and Myles Lamberth, proprietors of Shells Café, which is located in Strandhill on the west coast of Ireland. It was the internet that introduced me to both their cafe and cookbook. Or perhaps I saw it on another surf blog? Or as a related item on Amazon? However I came across it, I'm sure glad I did. Because the book "focuses on locally-produced food that’s unpretentious and tasty. It’s food for sharing with friends and family, around the kitchen table or on a beach blanket thrown on the sand." It features interesting how-to information, a brief history of the Irish surf culture, essential items for anyone eating and drinking along the west coast of their country, as well as an assortment of recipes that are easy to make and damn delicious. And while I'm not much of a cook (I can heat a mean can of beans!), I figure the wife would like what's inside. Click here to learn more about the book.

Cider Press Shenanigans

Cider is something I'm rather fond of. Hard as opposed to soft. But I'll drink both, because you can always add a bit of bourbon. So when Angel invited us to an annual cider press party last Sunday, we showed up in skirts. It was early afternoon when we pulled off the highway and down the first driveway. Having surfed for something like five hours earlier that morning, we were exhausted, to say the least. I really had no idea what to expect. Four or five friends and some kind of apple squishing apparatus? But as we rounded the corner of a rather long gravel driveway, there sat a beautiful little house surrounded by a trees turning all your favorite colors of fall. To its right was some kind of shed, under which sat two cider presses, hundreds of pounds of apples and two dozen people. There was also a pond, in which floated a small white rowboat, and a trail that took you to the backside of the property where fresh vegetables grew from the ground and rabbits awaiting their end. We participated in the apple squishing, ate smoked suckling pig and sipped on fresh cider spike with a bit of Basil Hayden's. It was an excellent evening. One that caused Karissa to throw a proper fit when the time came to leave.

Pig Pork Bacon Butt

My family hails from Hawaii. Portuguese people transported to the land of Aloha long before I was born. So as you might imagine, I ate a lot of poi, SPAM sushi, kalua pork, rice and macaroni salad when I was a kid. Pig roasts were saved for special occasions, though. Wedding anniversaries, big birthdays, etc. So when our friend Dino suggested we roast some swine this summer, we jumped at the opportunity to eat.

The first weekend in August is always interesting. Summer surfers, car campers and kids are everywhere. The weather, however, is almost always excellent - a fantastic mix of summer sun and that early fall fog. We arrived late Friday night after eating dinner with Karissa's mother and youngest sister, Courtney. I woke up early the next morning and found myself sitting on a surfboard with nothing but coffee and a brown banana in my belly. Surfed for six hours, stopping only to eat some dried mango slices covered in dark chocolate (yea, you read that right). And while I was waiting for waves, Dino was busy putting the pig in his La Caja China roasting box - what is essentially a wood crate lined in aluminum.

Fast forward a few hours and everyone was up to their elbows in pig parts. A potluck style setting meant mashed sweet potatoes, macaroni salad, coconut cake and freshly caught lingcod fought for space on our plates and in our bellies. Pig was the priority, though, and most people piled it high. Everything from skin to shoulder. It was incredible, as was everything that accompanied it. Dino even talked us into eating a bit of the brain! But after two plates of pork and one mean Mai Tai, I had met my match. For whatever reason, though, a few of us decided to surf post pig - watching the sun set as our stomachs stretched. Not my finest moment. It was a wonderful weekend, however, filled with friends and family and lots of food.

Cuppow!

Some things go real good together. Think chips and salsa, crackers and hummus or milk and cookies. But when you're living outta your van, car camping or hiking to somewhere secret, two containers are required. And that's a lot of extra equipment. So when I discovered Cuppow's BNTO Canning Jar Adapters, I was all sorts of stoked. Just one jar! Made from BPA/BPS-free rigid plastic, these BNTO (ben-toh) adapters are dishwasher safe and can hold six ounces of sauce or snacks. So if you have a cupboard full of old canning containers, pick up a couple of these adapters ($7.99) and save yourself some space.

Marinating at Ma Kai

What started as an excuse to ride our newly acquired cruisers along Alki, has turned into a full blown Taco Tuesday tradition - and yet, no one actually eats tacos! It goes a little something like this... Our friend Steve, once an assistant principal and now a fun-employed author awaiting his Peace Corps assignment, wanders over to our apartment sometime around seven. He skates, we pedal. It's two miles to the taco shop, what is the brick and mortar iteration of an extraordinarily popular food truck named Marination Mobile. And when I say taco shop, what I really mean is some sort of Hawaiian-Korean-Mexican fusion food.

Tacos come in four flavors: Miso Ginger Chicken, Kalbi Beef, Spicy Pork or Tofu, each topped with a handful of coleslaw, jalapenos and some kind of secret sauce. Kimchi friend rice, Hawaiian sweet bread sliders, taco salad, quesadillas and SPAM Musubi area also on the menu.

As an accomplished asshole, I usually order an overly complicated creation which includes extra meat, jalapenos and sauce on the side. As well as a simple salad, which is dressed with a sweet vinaigrette and topped with crushed macadamia nuts. There's ample seating inside, as well as a full blown bar (their sangria goes well with everything). There's also an outdoor patio. Located within walking distance of the Water Taxi, Marination Ma Kai is an excellent option for anyone interested in escaping the dark and grey of downtown.

Oven Spoonful

There are plenty of places to eat in Port Angeles... plenty of shitty places. There are, however, a few good finds. I mean, it's a small town, so it's to be expected. But when Bricky and Andy suggested we have biscuits and gravy for breakfast, little did I know that those three little things would change my life. It was winter. We'd grown accustom to grabbing a cup of coffee, eating some cereal and hitting the road as soon as possible - not taking the time to eat a big breakfast or even sit down for a second. So when the boys suggested this biscuits and gravy business, something I wasn't too fond of in the first place, I agreed to go only because we were friends.

Oven Spoonful sits on the south side of East First St. It's small and unassuming. Narrow as you enter, with a long pastry case and an espresso machine at the end. Almost everything is made from scratch. Scones and cookies and quiche and cupcakes. The coffee comes from Cafe Vita and the sausage found in their five dollar biscuit-and-gravy breakfast comes from Sunny Farms in Sequim. Everything is excellent. And our friend Angel is responsible for a lot of it. Which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy... and full. They're open seven days a week, from 7am till 7pm. And along with all their eats, they also sell beer and wine. So if you're in the area and want something better for breakfast, stop by Oven Spoonful, I'll be damned if you're disappointed.

Whole Larder Love

My friend Rohan wrote a book. A cook book. A grow it, gather it, kill it and then cook it kinda book. You see, Rohan lives in Australia, a place seemingly unaffected by the Nancy Drewness that has overcome a great deal of this country. So he grows his own goods, fishes for his own fish, shoots stuff with his shotgun and then cooks it all at home for his family to feast on. It's simple, really. But I suppose that's the idea behind the book. Simple recipes, seasonal stuff, locally sourced.

Rohan also runs a blog, from which his cookbook takes its title. On it, Rohan documents his cooking, hunting, fishing and harvesting, as well as his life on a small spot of land in the southeastern part of AUS. I bought his book for my wife, who, although unable to both kill and cook much of what we eat, seemed to appreciate the simple culinary style that Rohan writes about in his book and on his blog.

Click here to learn more about the book.

The Quinoa Coast?

I picked the name of this project while eating a piece of peanut butter toast. All that energy was inspiring. Some monounsaturated fat and non-fiction first thing in the morning. Anyhow, I thought I'd let you know what I'm currently consuming around seven a.m., cause this blog could've been called 'The Quinoa Coast' had I started eating these seeds a little sooner!

Camp + Cook

First weekend free from friends. Not that we don't appreciate the camaraderie, but it was nice to take some time to ourselves. Surfed, cooked, camped. Can't complain. Follow the link for a few more photos.

Fort George Brewery

Located near the mouth of the Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon was once the lumber capital of the coast. Famous for its role in The Goonies, a film that came out the same year I did, Astoria has since fallen victim to misbehaving meth heads and an almost absent economy. But with the help of good beer and big burgers, that's bound to change.

We'd driven past the Fort George Brewery countless times on our way into Oregon. Saw their sign on the side of the road. Mentioned it to one another. Never stopped. Then Todd took a tall can out of his truck. It was Fort George's 1811 Lager, a bold beer "concocted from two row malted barley and cracked maize." And it was delicious. So on Sunday, with wind from the west, we decided to stop in Astoria for some lunch and a lager.

The Bushwhacker

Our friend Erik, barkeeper at the infamous Zig Zag Café, once 'checked-in' at The Bushwhacker. We'd driven by it a dozen times, even cracked a couple of jokes about the name of this seemingly shady establishment. But we never considered stopping. Even if Erik ate there. Then, sometime this past winter, following a few hours in freezing cold water, Mark and Derek suggested we stop there for dinner. "You mean that place in Port Angeles, the one that looks like an Elks Lodge?" Yes indeed. And to our surprise, it didn't suck. An 'award winning' salad bar, ten-plus beers on tap (of which most are sourced locally), Whacker Bugers and a not-so-friendly waiter dude. What more could one ask for?!

Probiotic Bread Man

You've probably driven past his pickup. A big cream colored dually with an eight foot tall trailer attached. His name is Ken, but Karissa and I refer to him, affectionately, as 'The Probiotic Bread Man.' He lives near Joyce, just off of Highway 112 with his wife and two sons. Every Saturday he parks his big Chevy just outside of Port Angeles, sets up his trailer and sells probiotic bread and other baked goods.

He uses palm shortening in place of butter, organic evaporated cane juice in place of refined white sugar, he ferments his own grain and sources all of his ingredients locally. Each week he and his wife bake a wide variety of enzyme rich bread, brownies, cookies, pies and something they call a 'stoagie.' He can be hard to find, but when you see his Chevy, or his stand at the Famers Market, be sure to stock up!

Take Home Fish Co.

The Take Home Fish Co. is locate on Woodland Ave in Neah Bay, Washington, a quiet coastal town at the end of Highway 112. It's been there for years. A small, unassuming shop built with scrap lumber on the foundation of an old home. The gentleman that runs the joint, Kimm Brown, is one of the nicest people I know. Kimm spent 30 years as a fisherman, but gave it up to stay at home with his daughter.

According to an article on OregonLive, Kimm buys 30,000 pounds of fish each year, and uses fresh alder found nearby to fuel his smoker. Oh, and Kimm won't cook frozen fish. He once told the Peninsula Daily News that "It's really sad that anyone would have to. It tastes horrible." From humble beginnings, Kimm has built a business known for fresh, locally sourced seafood. It's one of our favorite places, run by one of our favorite people. So the next time you're in Neah Bay, don't just drive by.

The Joyce General Store

Joyce, Washington is a small town 16 miles west of Port Angeles and 33 miles east of Clallam Bay. Located on Highway 112 near the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Joyce is one of those places you just drive through, noticing nothing. "Enjoy Joyce at 40 mph" reads a sign on the east end of town. A friendly reminder that there is in fact something there - a small town, founded in 1913 by Joseph M. Joyce. There's a laundromat, museum, self-storage units and a general store.

In business since 1911, the Joyce General Store has, as you might expect, a little bit of everything - gas, groceries, automotive parts, cast iron cookware, candy, cola, Coors Light, you name it. It's also a U.S. Post Office. So the next time you're driving through, stop by and make friendly with ladies selling baked goods out front or listen to the owner play his geetar while he takes your money. It's sort of surreal.