Archive: Jan 2017

All Aboard the “Love Train” Looking for a unique way to wow your special someone for Valentines? Hop aboard the Love Train! San Diego Beer, Wine & Spirits Tours invites you and your sweetheart on a romantic Winery Train Tour. Enjoy fine wines, delicious gourmet food and breathtaking coastal scenery on this eco-friendly tour of San Diego’s best urban wineries. By popular demand, for the fifth year in a row, the “Love Train” tour will delight guests with delectable food, tastings at superb local wineries (about 15 tastes!), a wine tasting presentation from your local expert guide, sightseeing and entertaining commentary on San Diego’s rich history. There is also an optional brewery stop on this tour. Make your Valentine’s celebration wonderfully memorable for those you love the most in an environmentally conscious and uniquely San Diegan way. It’s the Smart,…

Wine comes in at the mouth And love comes in at the eye; That’s all we shall know for truth Before we grow old and die. -William Butler Yeats February is such a great month in San Diego.  Not only is it when springtime begins around here, but it’s also the month of love! Valentine’s Day is a tradition that’s been going on for centuries – and probably millennia.  The tradition of Valentine’s Day is murky, but it’s thought to come from a 5th century Roman fertility rite called Lupercalia.  The rites were supposed to honor Faunus, the god of agriculture, and Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome who according to legend were raised by a she-wolf.  The rites consisted of parties and sacrifices, but most importantly, wine. Over time, it became much more about romantic…

In my mid-twenties, I was a regular at a local pub that featured hundreds of beers from different parts of the world – most were in bottles, and many were on tap. The pub had a “members only card” that included each of the beers they offered; and the pub challenged members to drink a beer and tick it off the list. If a member drank 100 different beers, they would be commemorated with a special engraved mug and a plaque on the wall. I don’t know if my plaque still is showcased on the wall of that pub, but I do know that the mug with my name on it still sits in my kitchen cabinet, and is brought out for special occasions. When it comes to types of beer that I tasted, what struck me most were the options…