Recipes

Halloween is coming, don your masks and grab your bags and get ready for some old-fashioned trick-or-treating! Did you know the history of Halloween in the United States is also wrapped up in its long tradition of great beer. In 1620 the Pilgrims had been at sea for nearly two months and were off-course by the time they sighted land. While they had set a course for the Virginia colony they ended up in New England, and they had a problem—they were running out of beer. This was no small matter—water aboard ship was likely to become brackish and potentially deadly, while beer remained drinkable. When the first pilgrims settled in the vast sweeps of New England, there were pumpkins everywhere. Green pumpkins, blue pumpkins, yellow and pink, and mottled ones littered the ground along with the traditional orange. Their…

It’s almost holiday season. Well, actually, since holiday season starts right after Halloween these days, we guess it IS holiday season! This the time of year that we tell all of you how thankful we are for all of you.  We couldn’t be in this business without you, our fellow beer, wine,nd food aficionados, and all the good things you bring into our lives. We’re also thankful we live in such an amazing corner of the world, where fine, locally-produced food and drink is available everywhere we turn! Since we know you appreciate good meals and drinks just as much as we do, we thought we’d share some tried-and-true suggestions with you to make your Thanksgiving Day as delightful as it can possibly be. First, to the food.  Do you have too much to drink hanging around the house? Is…

Thanksgiving is either a day of relaxing and epic feasting, or a nightmare of cooking and making hasty last-minute decisions for a group of ravenous friends and family members. It all depends what side of the cutting board you're on. While we can't help you with the cooking, we can suggest a few wines and beers to pair with your meal to make everything go a little easier for you. We consulted with Stephen Ansley, our resident wine specialist, and did some "independent research" during San Diego Beer Week to find the best brews to sip with your deep-fried turducken! The traditional Thanksgiving meal is especially wonderful, because turkey can be paired with just about everything. If you want a pinot noir, try Cycles Gladiator or an Au Bon Climat from Santa Barbara. The tartness of the pinot cuts through…

Halloween is coming, so don your masks and grab your bags and get ready for some old-fashioned trick-or-treating!  If you want a real treat, though, join us on one of our many craft beer or winery events, such as one of our guided walking tours through San Diego. There are many good reasons to learn about craft beer and local wine, not just because San Diego offers such an exciting array of both, but also because the more we learn about beer and wine, the more we appreciate them!   This month is particularly interesting, especially in light of the great pumpkin beer debates, because the history of Halloween in the United States is also wrapped up in its long tradition of pumpkin beer. You see, when the first pilgrims settled in the vast sweeps of what was now called…

This week is San Diego Restaurant Week!  It's a magical time of year when all participating restaurants offer deep discounts on a special (and extremely delicious) price-fixe menu. We at San Diego Beer and Wine Tours absolutely adore San Diego Restaurant Week, because we think that San Diego's food scene is upcoming, underrated, and filled to the brim with deliciousness. We also love Restaurant Week because we think great wine and beer, which San Diego has in abundance, is well and good, but it lacks a dimension if you don't pair it with tasty food. That's why we feature food and wine and food and beer tours, and why we're such happy champions of Restaurant Week. We think that developing your own palate, whether it's for food, wine, or craft beer, is an essential part of a happy life. Eat,…

We've said this before, again and again, but San Diego's best and most underrated season really is autumn. It's when the leaves on the trees change color, the low sun makes the water in the harbor look extra sparkly, and all the harvest activities are happening! One of our absolute favorite autumn events is Oktoberfest. This Bavarian beer festival was first held to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese in 1810, and quickly became a tradition. But you don't have to make a pilgrimage to Bavaria to enjoy Oktoberfest. San Diego, with its glorious craft beer scene, has taken the traditional Oktoberfest and given it a unique regional flair. Best of all, you can find them all over the county, from La Mesa in the east to Encinitas in the northwest, each chock-full of all the best…

We at San Diego Beer and Wine Tours love this time of year. We are a truly international group, so our holiday memories range from bundling up and playing in the snow to shopping for Christmas presents under a relentless drizzle to merely switching from a spring suit to a full wetsuit before going surfing. There's one thing we can all agree on around here, though – it's one of the best times of the year! This year, winter has hit San Diego hard, bringing rains and chilly temperatures. That means we have the perfect excuse to wear our favorite scarves and curl up on the couch with blankets and our favorite novels. If you don't see what all the fuss about winter is about, let us help. We have some truly tasty ideas for warming up from the inside…

It was Thursday November 29, 2012, and Paul Anthony and I were very excited about the evening’s plans. We had signed up for Michael David "Zins of Sin" 6-Course Dinner at Proprietor's Reserve. In fact, we were so looking forward to eating and drinking at one of our favorite San Diego places that we arrived a whole half hour early to the event!  That was a very slow half hour as we waited with anticipatory breath and salivatory glands for an evening we predicted would be full of delightful decadence.  Erin and Michael did not disappoint. Erin impressed our refined palates with dishes she had prepared with perfect precision and a brilliant mind for impeccable wine pairing. We even got to purchase these beautiful wines at a great price. (Being a member of Proprietors Reserve Wine Club has some huge…

We're now less than a week away from one of the most hotly-anticipated events of the beer world.  San Diego Beer Week is a way for San Diegans to celebrate the amazing beer culture surrounding us, and for people all over the world who are visiting spectacular San Diego.  Celebrate BEER WEEK with us at San Diego Beer and Wine Tours with the Ultimate Beer & Food Walking Tour. Beer Week starts November 2nd, and runs through the 11th. Yeah, we know, that's nearly a week and a half, but who's counting?  Its official kickoff event is the San Diego Brewer's Guild Festival on Saturday, November 3rd, when Mayor Jerry Sanders will help tap the first keg.  The rest of the long week is studded with all kinds of beer-related events, pairing classes, brewery showcases, and Q&A with some of the…

One of our favorite days of the year is here – it's National Wine Day in the United States, and we'll definitely be celebrating! How are you going to celebrate? If you need ideas, we've got plenty. You could learn about local wineries on one of our walking tours, you could sit back and enjoy a coastal train tour, or a take a guided tour with us through San Diego's Wine Country.  Don't know your blends from your varietals? If you want to more fully appreciate National Wine Day, why not throw yourself a tasting party? We'll lend our expertise and put together a great dinner to go with your drinks so you can pair like a champion.  Happy Wine Day, with love from everyone at San Diego Beer and Wine Tours! Brooke B., Wine Lover