Tasty's Blog

Today is National Red Wine Day! And what a glorious day it is. It’s the day when we take a moment to sit back, take a sip, and really appreciate red wine. What, you say? That’s every day? Well, read on for tips on how to appreciate it more! First of all, wine is history in a glass. No matter what you drink, you’re sipping on the sun, the sky, the soil, the climate, and the temperament of the place your wine was born. It contains the minerals that nurtured it, the light that warmed it, the chill of the starry nights that helped the grapes grow. In short, it embodies the character of a place like nothing else you could eat or drink, and in the most delightful and delicious way possible. And while people have been fermenting beverages…

  You know how we keep saying this is the best time of the year for beer and wine lovers?  We do, because it is!  It's not only a gorgeous time to experience all of southern California's unique and unforgettable beauty without contending with too much crowding and traffic, but it's also harvest time, when the grapes are squeezed and the hops are threshed.   This is also when great events take place for those who love their wine and beer.  One such happening is Oktoberfest, a loosely-knit series of beer festivals.  There's the huge one in Munich, which draws at least 6 million visitors a year (!) and then the various local Oktoberfests that showcase local brews all over the world.  We like those better, because not only do you save yourself hundreds to thousands of dollars in airfare, we…

We know we're called San Diego Beer and Wine Tours, but we don't just deal with beer and wine. In fact, we never have. We understand that beer and wine without wonderful food pairings is like having peanut butter without the jelly, ice cream without the sprinkles, yin without yang – you get the picture. All of our tours, as a matter of fact, include food tastings to go with your beverages – the equivalent of a full meal. We don't just tour the finest wineries and breweries in San Diego. Our tours are filled with the best food this town has to offer, no matter what you're in the mood for! It's a great way to savor the best gourmet, farm-to-table fare while you sip without having to commit to the price of a full meal. Plus, you get to…

The temperature's a-changing and fall's on its way. We have talked at length before about our love for southern California in the autumn, haven't we? Well, we'll talk about it again. It's one of the most beautiful times of year – drought notwithstanding – because while we don't get the spectacular rainbow-hued leaves and chilly weather you might find elsewhere, we have our own unmistakable signs that the seasons are changing. One such sign is the marine layer. It lingers a little longer this time of year, making the mornings just a little cooler and more overcast. When the sun finally peeps through the coastal clouds, it's not so warm. In fact, the conditions are perfect for a day at the beach so that you can watch the rays sparkle on the waves. Further inland, the mountains and foothills are…

It's Labor Day! If we lived anywhere but this absolutely beautiful part of the world, this would be the unofficial end of summer and beginning of fall. But since we're in southern California, the march of the seasons are a good deal more subtle. However, this is a great time to start planning outdoor barbecues and backyard parties with friends, and we're all for that! Labor Day is actually a day to celebrate the rights and achievements of workers, long pressed tightly under the thumb of the manufacturing industry. After the Industrial Revolution, the average American worked more than 80 hours a week, with no days off, simply to put food on the table, and children as young as 5 were already working in the mines. Labor unionized and revolted, organizing strikes and rallies. On September 5th, 1882, thousands of…

International Beer Day is almost here! The worldwide celebration is going on anywhere there's beer, all over the word. We'd be thrilled to not only help you celebrate it, but also perhaps introduce you to some brews you might not have known exist. There's so many wonderful beers in the world to choose from! San Diego Beer and Wine Tours will take you to the best local breweries to celebrate this special day (and all year round!). Think globally, drink locally! International Beer Day is nothing to sneeze at, either. The party, which takes place every first Friday in August, was first celebrated in 2008, and the idea, like all great ideas, quickly spread. Now, International Beer Day is celebrated in at least 50 countries and 207 cities, all over the world! San Diego has one of the best beer…

Happy National Tequila Day! Seeing as how we're so close to the border, we'd love to take a little time to talk about one of Mexico's tastiest exports.  It's what you get when you ferment the sweet sap of the agave or maguey plant, which was sacred to the Aztecs.  Tequila is, truly, the nectar of the gods.  We love tequila around here!  It's way more than just something that's going to make you really drunk, really fast. (Sip, don't guzzle! Trust us!)  Agave, in its unfermented form, has been used as a food for at least 8,000 years.  Its body and sap also have a host of traditional medicinal uses, too, from wound cleanser to colon cleanser.  That doesn't hold true if you're drowning your tequila in a super-sugary margarita, though – try to learn to love it straight,…

It's wedding season!  Actually, we know that you can get married any day of the year, but here in southern California, the summer is the season of love! June through August seem to be the magical months. That's when the skies are bluest and the beaches are the most beautiful — the winning combination for amore. We love weddings! But, marriage isn't all about the wedding: It starts with a proposal. (I’d cut this next line: And while there are very few bad places to ask the person of your dreams to spend your lives together, some are more unusual than others.) Here's our list of romantic places to propose to your soon-to-be life partner: 1.     Balboa Park. Get an eyeful of San Diego's history, culture, and lovely architecture. If you stop in the middle of the bridge,…

The second Sunday in August is a very special day. As of 2010, it’s been “Spirit of `45 Day.” It was passed unanimously by Congress, and the first Spirit of `45 Day fell on August 14th, the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II. Spirit of `45 Day was created first and foremost to commemorate the ordinary people who lived through the Second World War and the mettle shown by surviving members of the Greatest Generation as they rebuilt the United States after the end of the war.  Another, very important reason was to remind the world that the United States is committed to never allowing a world war to happen again.. We, too, would like to honor these ordinary heroes, the men and women of World War II, so in the Spirit of `45, we are offering…

Happy Independence Day! Today's the day the United States formally declared its independence from Great Britain, way back in 1776.  Fourth of July celebrations include displaying the American flag, parades, and fireworks, not to mention the all-important barbecues. All of those are wonderful, but we’d like to suggest a slightly different way of celebrating this great day. If you are thinking, “Hmmm, we bet this involves beer,” you’d be absolutely right.  Here’s our idea for a patriotic afternoon of leisurely local craft beer sippin’: Green Flash Hop Head Red (1 bottle) Avery Brewing Company’s White Rascal (1 bottle) Repeat as necessary.  The red ale and white beer represent, of course, the red and white stripes of our great nation’s flag.  But what about the blue? we can hear you asking now.  That took some special legwork, and you have to go…

Did you know that June is San Diego Craft Beer Month?   Yes, we know it's almost over. We have been out sampling all the delights San Diego's beer scene has to offer! But if you've missed it so far, don't worry.  There's still a solid week of events left, and plenty of beer to go around.  Here's a smattering of them. If you like beer flights – and who doesn't? – stop by Carnita's Snack Shack in North Park. Their tastings are $7 per flight, every night, and always local beers.  And they're all delicious!  Try some of their food, too. Modern Times Brewery is dropping a new beer this week, just ahead of its first anniversary party next month.  What a year it's been for them! If you haven't tried out their beer before, now's the time. No,…

“I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.” –Oberon, A Midsummer Night's Dream   Happy Midsummer! This is the shortest night and the longest day in the northern hemisphere.  While it's not cooling down any time soon, this is the end of the lengthening days, and it is a slow march to winter from here on out. Astronomically speaking, this is the beginning of summer and precursor to the hot Dog Days.   In many European traditions, this is the night to burn bonfires and pluck golden flowers to keep evil spirits from your doorstep for the rest of the year.   It is also traditionally thought to be the night of the year that magic is strongest, so watch out!…