Rock & Roll Happy Hour

Come for the beer, stay for the story.  The McIlhenny family provenance with New Zealand hops if unchallenged and for good reason, the Rye IPAs they've been making in San Diego are legendary.  Muntz is no exception.  Listen to why and how it all happened. 

McIlhenny Brewing makes an IPA for just about every taste or flavor profile.  In a world where the tropical IPAs are king, why not give the people something else to enjoy?!  Wizards Wand IPA while fraught with hoppy goodness almost expresses a beeriness.  Just try it. 

Not a Gangster for life, but a Dankster for life.  A throwback San Diego/West Cost IPA with some super choice PNW IPAs and a much more significant malt profile that isn't very common anymore. 

It's been (almost) three years since McIlhenny opened their doors in Alpine and we're going to celebrate!  Kicking off a week of beers Jamie and Sean have brought a Helles with a twist, some hops from the Pacific Northwest!

It's the staple that made me fall in love with Bivouac Cider, OMG.  While POG has been a Hawaiian influenced treat many have done a take on, Lara from Bivouac likes to do things that no one else has done.  That's why she put together a Orange, Mango and Guava cider that will have you saying OMG after every sip.

Another Cider from the Road Trip Series and inspired by the Oregon Coast, West Coastin' Blueberry Honey Lavender. Featuring fresh blueberries and lavender with honey from a small PNW farm, this cider has a rich complex nature with a subtle hint of honey.

Inspired by Arizona and our own desert, Prickly Perry get its name from the Prickly Pear fruit in this beverage.  A bold flavor and a beautiful color will have you obsessing over this time and time again.

Helping San Diegans slow down and enjoy, Bivouac Cider opened the doors on their Adventure Lodge.  Grab and stay coffee and food accompany all their wonderful ciders like their current "Road Trip" series cider, Locals Only Pear Citrus Cider.  Featuring local Myers Lemons and Tangerines this cider evokes all the feels of San Diego's citrus bloom in the spring.

In their mission to prove that cider is as approachable as beer yet nuanced as wine,  Bivouac Cider kicks off a week of Last Call with their Albright Dry Pear Cider.  It's dry and crushable but also holds on to a very subtle sweetness thanks to Pear that will keep you coming back sip after sip!

Beware the unmarked bottle!  Shaggy had put this bottle on hold for a celebratory toast, but instead brought it to share on a Friday.  A beer he strictly brews for My Yard Live's barrel program, this monster stout spends a good portion of it's life in Bourbon barrels then gets inoculated with different flavor blends, this creation the Hawaiian Baba Yaga will haunt your dreams!

A welcomed Flight of the Concords reference, Flight of the Kiwi's is the New Zealand IPA from My Yard Live.  Featuring all New Zealand hops to drive tropicality of flavor but balanced out enough to make it very satisfying for West Coast IPA fans.  There is also a small secret about this beer that's brewing for the My Yard Live anniversary, listen to find out what.

There is nothing very sexy about a Brown Ale, especially in a hop obsessed town like San Diego.  But the keepers of the Brown Ale flame like Shaggy from My Yard Live have been honing and perfecting their beers for decades (or just over a decade in this case).  Don't fear the dark beer and experience what 14+ years of recipe perfecting can do in My Yard Live's Man Cub American Brown Ale.

Leave it to a brewer to set a "romantic date night" in the brewery to make a beer for their significant other.  But, it seemed to work out for Shaggy from My Yard Live as the creation between him and his wife Basic Batch landed them an award in the World Beer Cup.  Hear about how he'll never, ever live that moment down and what makes this beer so special.

The crew from My Yard Live has a lot of stories to tell and we start our week of beers with one that reflects both family and community, Quatro Amigos Mexican Lager, a beer that started its life as part of the 4DUDESBREW charity arm of the brewery.  Listen to the story and you'll understand why this is such a beloved beer at the brewery.

Rounding out the week with a stein full of Bonzi Beach, the West Coast Double IPA from Pure.  An insane experience in flavor as this 8.5% ABV DIPA hides all the alcohol in the Nelson, Citra and Simcoe hops giving it an unbelievably light body.

Taking advantage of their fresh crop of Citra hops, Pure Project has crafted a banger of an IPA using nothing but fresh Citra Cryo hops.  Citra Spree is it a true experience in the flavor of this beloved hop, get it now!

Never afraid to take on something new and experiment, Pure Project took the burgeoning beer style of Hazy and crafted their own identity with their "Murky" beers.  Proving at the time that Hazy doesn't mean lazy, Murklands was one of those iconic beers that blurred the lines between a West Coast flavor profiles and East Coast haze.

A Blonde Ale truly in it's own category.  One sip of Tropical Mist Citrus Blonde and you'll be transported to Costa Rica, feeling the jungle mist on your face.  Fresh Valencia oranges, California grown wheat and house murky IPA yeast combine to create flavors you'll want to come back to again and again.

A brand new been from Pure Project they just announced last week in collaboration with Patagonia Provisions.  It uses a new grain  called Kernza that not only adds an unforgettable flavor profile but also is a better more sustainable grain for the planet.

Tomme hinted at it earlier in the week that there was a Double IPA in their line up of new Lost Abbey beers...as we wrap up the week, he delivered!

This beer evokes it's name sake, drinking this IPA will bring you into the right side of happiness.  Brewed with a currently experimental hop it blends the line between traditional West Coast IPAs and today's more tropical/hazy IPAs.

Being a fan of San Diego beers, if someone mentions the style Rye IPA there is one beer in specific many people think of, this is not that beer.  In fact, this beer doesn't even resemble that, Unseen Things is it's own unique take on making a Tropical Rye IPA that is a must try beer.

With a new tasting room comes new beers and whole portfolio of different styles.  Bingo Lady is a blonde for the sophisticated and some might even say eternally classy version of a Blonde Ale.

Lots to talk about with Tomme from The Lost Abbey!  He's got a brand new tasting room in Vista along with a lot of new beers they are pumping out of it.  Oddly enough we're starting off the week with not a new beer or hard  seltzer, but hop water called Holy Water.

Rolling into the weekend with a masked double IPA known only as the Foam Ranger!  Find out from Mike how this smooth drinking beer came into the world.

This IPA has nothing to prove because it's already proved it.  The bronze medal winner in the West Coast IPA category in the San Diego Beer News Awards, please welcome to your glass, Incognito IPA.

We called down the thunder! Jacked Up brought a beer true to their name, an 11% IPA monster they call Dragonfruit IPA.

Taking a side road from another Jacked Up Beer, Feel My Rasp offers an amazing pale ale profile with a perfect balance of Raspberry on the backend!

it's been years (like pre-covid) since Jacked Up has dropped by the Alt 94/9 studios.  This week we play catch up and talk about their beers starting with a Cream Ale called, Cream Ale!

Behold the power of the Burning Beard Cool Ship!  Using the power of the wild yeast floating in the East County air Burning Beard is crank out some amazing Lambic and sour ales, Gueuza-a-palooza might be the best one e-v-e-r.

Bring me that West Coast IPA!  Dank and dry, a perfect crusher for East County afternoons.

A Hazy IPA with more San Diego flair, substantial bitterness with enough soft umami mouthfeel to let you know you're drinking a hazy. 

Brewed as a happy accident, Circle of Hops is San Diego style Pale Ale that's hoppy, easy drinking with a low ABV and the mouthfeel of a much bigger beer.  One sip and it's easy to see why this is the number one beer among the Burning Beard Family.

This week we celebrate their upcoming 8th anniversary!  Burning Beard drops by all week for Last Call and what's this?! We're starting the week with a Hard Seltzer!?  Learn how Thin Fizzy came into the world.

A double IPA with some "gusto" inspired by Ween and their show in SD the crew from Homebrew Mart made this beer "rock."

Another Ballast Point beer that got an instant reaction when it came off the market, Pineapple Sculpin is back and it might be the best version of the beer to date!

Inspired by impromptu car bombs with yesterday's beer and the amazing work Ballast Homebrew Mart has been brewing up.  Today Uncle J has provided his Irish Red for us to sample, let's discover "the malt show!"

We the people demanded it's return and Ballast Point finally heard us!  The ever popular little brother (or sister) to Victory at Sea is back and on nitro.  Come and rediscover this Coffee Cream Ale with us.

Don't let the name Zwicklbier scare you, it's just an unfiltered Pilsner!  If you ask Jeff from Ballast Point all the "turbidity" it where the flavor is at...find out for yourself and what San Diego spot in Balboa Park this beer was named after is all about.

We end a fantastic week of celebration with a celebration beer!  Originally created for the 25th Anniversary of O'Brien's we pop the cork on this Lost Abbey monster and toast to 30 years of O'Brien's and their standing as The best beer bar in America. 

Another day, another reason why O'Brien's managed to take the top spot in USA Today's Best Beer Bar in America!  Today we get into the respect and reverence this San Diego institution has had for Belgian Style beers.

Half way thru this week and neither Tyson or Tom from Brien's is slowing down!  We continue the celebration of O'Brien's taking the top spot in USA Today's best beer bar in America with a bold citrus forward Blood Orange IPA from Nickel Beer and a mind blowing plate of Ahi Nachos to go along with it.

Continuing our celebration of O'Brien's taking the #1 spot as Best Beer Bar in the USA we sample a local IPA from storied brewers McIlhenny with their new Parallel Paradise IPA and O'Brien's famous wings with a sauce dedicated to a well loved craft beer ambassador and foodie, Nate Soroko.

Last week O'Brien's Pub got named best bar in the country by USA today and became of that that all week we celebrate this awesome San Diego institution! We kick off a Monday with a beer that has just a proud place in IPA culture as O'Brien's it's self, Russian River Pliny the Elder and an amazing Hummas place from the kitchen.

Another benefit to having their Vista tasting room open is that you can now dip into the archives of past special releases like the big barrel aged monsters that are 4 Seasons beers.  We end this week with the 2021 edition of Coconut Cake Imperial Stout.

Another tasting room only creation!  Playing with beers and blending styles together is truly what makes a happy brewer.  Now that Mother Earth Brewing has their tasting room open you can share in these experimental creations like todays very aggressive West Coast IPA called Hop Syndicate.

The whole premise of the Rock & Roll Happy Hour was to pair amazing craft beers with amazing tunes.  Mother Earth does a similar version of this with their Project X series, except they pair amazing craft beers with amazing artists for the labels.  This Hazy IPA called Urban Solace is their latest edition of the series. 

Originally brewed when the Treefort Music Festival tapped Mother Earth Brewing now available outside the music festival.  Timber Giant is a crushable low ABV Pale Ale with an aggressive dry hop putting it perfectly right between a Pale Ale and IPA that you can easily drink all day.

Mother Earth has re-opened their Vista tasting room!  That means all the creative beers the talented brew team comes up with, you can now enjoy!  As we kick of the week, Andrew from Mother Earth brings one of those beers for us to try their German Lager."

Why ask why? Drink Duck Dry!  Could possibly be one of the lightest beers in San Diego, this is what happens when a metric boat-load of rice in a beer and let the lager yeast do it's work.

Born from the concept of brewing a homage to a Leucadia crossing guard.  The Crossing Wizard was made real thanks to the miracle of science!  Now delivering 500-times the tropicality of hops alone, this beer cast prestidigitation on your tongue and no other IPA will ever measure up again.

Tonight a tribute to a long standing beer style with a nod to Anchor brewing and their beloved steam beer!

Taking another beer out of the "not an IPA" category, Duckfoot Brewing's Aviator Glasses Belgian Blonde.  All the smooth easy drinking flavors of banana, clove and a hint of bubble gum, rounded out by a subtle hop bite.

Duckfoot Brewing makes amazing IPAs but if you swing by their tasting rooms you'll notice they are not just about San Diego's favorite hoppy brew.  You'll find a lot of beer varieties including Belgians.  We kick the week off with a small 4% Belgian Table beer called Friar Duck.

Weekend Vibes just got a big brother.  The newest edition to the Weekend family, Big Weekend Double IPA.  Similar dank, tropical flavors and crushable drinkability but at weekend kickstarting 8.5% ABV.

Two long time San Diego IPA troublemakers join together for a modern nod to the IPA's of old.  Come experience what Coronado Brewing and Pizza Port call El Rollo IPA.

A mid-week change up!  Taking a break from beer, Coronado Brewing has started to dabble in hard cider.  The product is incredibly surprising...find out why!

Huge dank and tropical flavors in this rotating hazy series from Coronado Brewing.  Rocky Point might be a current favorite, but drink it while it's around because the next edition is coming soon.

Getting a light start to the week!  While lots of breweries in town focus on Blonde Ales and Mexican Style Lagers, Coronado brewing takes a small left turn with their Japanese Style Lager called Nado. 

Wrapping up the week with not a beer, but a hard seltzer!  After the initial push back from the "craft crowd" may discovered the amazingness that is the 3 Punk Ales Grape Soda.

Spicy and memorable!  This seasonal Rye IPA is a beer that will have you obsessing about the next time that Kevin from 3 Punk Ales brews it again.

Something very charming about this low ABV oatmeal stout.  It's got all the roasty, dark chocolate flavors and full mouthfeel that you'd expect from a stout but at an easy crushable 4%.

You're never the same once you drink this beer and this beer is never the same when it's made.  Every time the 3 Punk Ales crew brews Kill the Pour they change the hop profile so every batch is a limited edition.

Directly from the mad lab that is Troy from Belching Beaver's pilot tanks!  West Coast Terps picks up where Tropical Terps left off!

Inspired by the bowling greatness that is Bill Murray's Big Ern comb over, this Imperial Hazy IPA is thiccccccccccccccccccc.

Getting all those coffeehouse vibes from a beer and a golden colored beer at that!  The Beaver crew is warping your brain with all those robust stout flavors with out a dark beer.

Any more dankness in this hazy IPA and you might think you've found yourself in your favorite local dispensatory and that's just the way Troy likes it!  Today we get into his favorite brewing project Tropical Terps Hazy IPA.

Dry January is over any just like every year Troy from Belching Beaver has dropped by for a week of beers!  We start things off with a beer they make in collaboration with the Seal Lacrosse team, Salty's Escape Mexican Style Lager.

The theme from Pure Project's 8th Anniversary is National Parks so it only makes sense to give the crown jewel beer the SMORES treatment.  Obsidian Cliffs is a big Barrel Aged 13% ABV Imperial Stout bomb, but surprisingly very crushable!

It's a doubt arch, what does it mean!?  Continuing to head closer to the weekend celebration of Pure Projects 8th Anniversary, today we open up another beer made just for the party, a West Coast Could IPA called Double Arch.

For the love of hoppy beers and Rock'n'Roll a fusion of Fall Brewing and Pure Project is born, Electric Warrior Cold IPA!  What exactly is a Cold IPA? Listen and find out

Murk is back, back again...To wrap up today, Devin has brought what Pure is truly known for Murky beers and this one ties neatly in with the National Parks theme to this weekend's 8th Anniversary Party, Angel's Landing Single Murky Pale Ale.

Pure Project, I choose yoooooooooou!  OK, enough of the Pokémon memes, let's get down to it!  This week Devin from Pure Project drops by to talk about what they have in store for their 8th anniversary this weekend AND some of the beers to go along with it.  Today we kick things off with the staff created, I Choose Yuzu Javanese Style Rice Lager.

In a world of IPAs the XPA is king!  Another beer to celebrate their anniversary tomorrow Burgeon, Seven Wonders is an eXtra Pale Ale that showcases what this brewery can do with their mastery of hops and a very light malt bill.

We knew that we would get to this staple San Diego IPA at some point!  Treevana has become a San Diego IPA that you know even with it was handed to you in a blind taste test.

Flexing on what Burgeon can do when they work with others, Grow House is a fantastic example of how they combined their expertise with hops another with other ideas like hazy IPAs.

The #pushforpales continues with this rotating series from Burgeon!  This latest edition in their Hand Selected rotating series is a crispy hop bomb that demands to be crushed!

Big things happening for Burgeon Beer!  Not only are they kicking off a huge party this weekend but they also have a huge announcement on some earth friendly partnerships they have have forged for 2024!  You'll find how they all tire together for a beer you can experience this weekend called "Nature Calls

A beer that was soo good that the only way Mason Ale Works could make it better was to stick it in a rye bourbon barrel and forget about it for 4 years!  This edition of Barrel Aged Flat Black is so rare that there is only one keg to be found and it'll be at Urge Gastropub's Black Out event at the end of the month.

Breaking from traditional norms of beer, iPop  explores the concept of making a beer inspired by cocktails that doesn't taste like beer...this edition takes its inspiration from a Painkiller.

The hops and crushablity of this double dry hopped hazy IPA called Bangarang may not help you fly but it may make you crow like "the pan."

Bringing all the hops with this hazy IPA from Mason Ale Works, Crowns Hammers & Zombies is crafted to pound your taste buds with lupulin power!

Rekindling a friendship forged in beer and hazy memories, Grant from Mason Ale Works joins Jeremy in studio for the first time since before the Pandemic!  Kicking off a week of beers as the new stewards of the Gulls Blue Line Blonde Ale.

The crowning achievement of a weeks worth of cocktails from Gareth and Layback Vodka!  We send the week out with a truly decadent desert drink riff off a Golden Cadillac.

With the wind and the rain and the cold there is one winter beverage that is guaranteed to fend of sickness and bad vibes. The hot toddy had been a long standing staple in the arsenal of modern medicine since the dawn age of man, Gareth explains how he creates this miracle elixir. 

Gareth from Layback vodka share a "House of debauchery" aka distillery with Henebery so for today's beverage he's brought a bottle of Rye and some homemade egg nog.

Cocktails with Gareth from Layback Vodka, night two...the Spiced Coffee!

Time to kick back and enjoy this last week before Christmas!  No better time to have Gareth from Vista's Layback Vodka join us in studio for some fantastic holiday cocktails.  Night one, the Layback Espresso Martini.

We've spent the whole week talking food and beer, if you think that's gonna change on a Friday...you're wrong!  We close the week out with one of my personal favorite food pairing beers an Amber Ale called Walker Lake.

These Gose Berries taste like Gose Berries!  Norther Pine brewing outlines what makes their Gose style beer truly unique. 

Crafted for one of Northern Pine Brewing's more energetic patrons it a true to form Czech Style Pilsner that will leave you uplifted and for some reason wanting to listen to EDM. 

Roam here a whole summer, if you can.  OK, maybe that's not exactly what John Muir said but if he had a hazy IPA like this maybe he'd wanted to take it with him on all his explorations.

Big things are happening at Northern Pine Brewing!  They've got a new brewer, new beers and a new restaurant! This week we play catch up and talk beer and food, but first we start with the first beer new Head Brewer Danny brought to Northern Pine Brewing.

Happy belated birthday to Fall Brewing as they just celebrated turning 9 with an anniversary Mexican Dark Lager that leave you asking, if their 8th Anniversary lager got them a bronze at GABF, could their 9th take gold?

It's good to have rockstars as friends, Rocket From the Crypt tapped Fall to brew a Collab beer that goes well with hard fist pumping, burning calf jumping San Diego rock & roll...I think they succeeded.  

Originally brewed for Fall's 8th Anniversary last year, it became such a fan favorite that they had to add it to the fulltime lineup. Discover why...

Something crisp and crushable to start the week with Fall Brewing. Brewed in collaboration with Italy's own Alder Beer.  This pilsner boasts notes of lemongrass, yuzu and Orange Blossom.

All week Kerin and Delaney have been teasing this amazing flavor combination, so as the coup de grâce for a Friday we finally get to taste the Espresso Martini!

I was extremally hesitant when it came to the thought of Sweet Vermouth and Peanut Butter Tequila, BUT the combo was actually rather impressive!