Lost Abbey‘s very close to me, but I hadn’t been in years. I took my brother when he was in town for a wedding, and we had a few tasters. I was up in Orange County for work all day, and made it back down to San Diego around 4:00 p.m. I had a long day and didn’t feel the need to go back into the office. I picked my brother up and we hit up Lost Abbey. I don’t usually drink on Tuesdays, but apparently everyone else does. At 4:00 p.m. on a Tuesday, the place was bumpin’. Don’t people work? I wondered what I am doing wrong. I need to be drankin’ at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesdays…
The menu was extensive, including their own beers and that of Port Brewing, their sister company.
Carnavale: This is a French country ale, with an ABV of 6.5 percent. It’s fruity, tropical, and very Belgian-trippel-ish.
Devotion: This is a dry-hopped blond ale. It’s 6.5 percent ABV, and does have a “crisp hop finish” as described on the beer menu.
Lost and Found: This was an Abbey-style dubbel. It was a bit tart, fruit, and was not as thick as some dubbels. It had a hint of caramel, and was a malty, roasty beer. A bit red. It has a sweet finish.
Serpent’s Stout: I’ve had this one a few times, and it’s a good stout. It’s a double mash imperial stout, with an ABV of 11 percent. It’s bitter like espresso grounds, and tastes of vanilla, bourbon, and spices. It’s got a bit of heat, but is smooth.
I also had some Wipeout IPA by Port Brewing. That’s a fruity, fresh, hoppy west coast IPA, 7 percent ABV, dry hopped with amarillo and centennial hops. To be honest, this is more my type of beer, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a decent appreciation for Belgian styles.