Ralph’s on Lincoln, Across from Bay Cities

Its overwhelming how much beer they have here. I guess its not that surprising considering the overall size of the store. I would hate getting groceries here, its just too big. Helpful hint: the beer is in the front, to the right.

Great for picking up a six pack of something new for yourself, or a 30 pack of Bud to take to a party. They’ve got your Pyramids, your Pete’s Wicked Ales, a couple Redhooks (IPA and ESB), some Widmer, some Gordon Biersch.

Glad to see they’ve got Firestone Double Barrel and Pale Ale. It’s also nice to see beers like Anchor Steam and Shiner Bock hitting the mainstream here in LA.

ALSO, in addition to the cans, they have Modelo in the bottle. I am a huge fan of Negra Modelo, and obviously la Negra es mucha mejor, but still, I don’t know where else you can find Modelo Especial in bottles. (UPDATE: Nevermind, I’m seeing it all over town now)

More interesting 6 packs: Lost Coast’s Downtown Brown and Great White, Deschutes’s Mirror Pond and Black Butte, Oregon Honey, Karl Strauss, Flying Dog’s Old Scratch and Road Dog, Mendocino Red Nectar, North Coast’s Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, Spatin Pils and Oktoberfest, and Warsteiner.

Not a bad place for 12 packs, either. Blue Moon, at least 4 types of Sam Adams; Boston Lager, Light, Black Lager & Winter, plus all the other stuff you’d expect – Newcastle, Guinness, Heineken, Sierra Nevada. They’ve even got a little love for Canadians, with twelvers of Molson and Moosehead (Moosehead? When was the last time I saw this stuff?)

Single Bottles: A little disappointing, but to their credit, they have Franziskaner, Chimay Premiere (red) and Grand Reserve (blue), and Fischer Amber.

While they don’t score huge on obscurity points, they’ve got several beers you’ve probably never heard of, dozens that you’ve probably never tried, and a ton of your favorite go-to beers. Definitely check this place out.

Ralph’s on Lincoln, Across from Bay Cities

Oregon Honey Beer

Oregon Honey BeerIn all honesty, the only reason I picked this beer up off the shelf is because I recognized the label. My special lady got me a collection of assorted beer glasses from World Market last Christmas, and Oregon Honey Beer just happened to be one of them. That’s why the picture looks like it came straight out of their promotional campaign.

True to it’s name, the beer poured into the glass with a golden honey hue. An inch or so of head to begin with, but it didn’t stick around for long. A ton of champagne-like bubbles. Sweet caramelish/honey aroma with a light maltyness. This beer is crisp, with a sour twang to it. Light body, with a good amount of carbonation, Oregon Honey is a bit tingly when it touches your lips.

  • Appearance: 3/3
  • Aroma: 10/12
  • Palate: 3/5
  • Flavor: 16/20
  • Overall: 7/10

Rating: 3.9