Meeting friends for a beer is a time honored tradition. The beverage isn't really important, it's the company and the conversation that count. However, if all you're talking about is how lousy the beer - or wine - is, it sort of defeats the purpose of the get-together.
There was no such discourse at Lucky Devils in Hollywood. The beverages spoke for themselves. A great beer list, a wine list in which brevity left little choice and some tasty snacks combined for a nice little Saturday soiree.
After the usual Hollywood Boulevard hassles - two-dollar an hour parking at the meter, men looking semi-dangerous doing some sidewalk preaching about something or other, LAPD staring intently into the place for an undisclosed reason - we managed to settle into our kitchen-style chairs and let the festivities begin.
Even though it was intended to be a beer gathering, one of the few wines offered caught my eye because it was from the Sonoma County town of Geyserville, a place I visited a while back. I was impressed with the wines I found there, so I chose a red table wine from Mercury Geyserville called The Jug. It was an easy-going $7.50 by the glass, but a bit pricey at $19.50 in the 500ml jug. It appears to be a Bordeaux-style blend from Alexander Valley vineyards.
The Jug is very dark in the glass, inky in fact. A fruity nose also displays an earthy darkness and some spice. It really tastes great, with cassis and black cherry flavors accented by spice and smoke. The finish is a little weak with a sour cherry aftertaste.
Others in the group opted for brewski. The Hornin' Nettie Madge Black IPA from Anderson Valley Brewing Company is stout-dark with a licorice nose and a tan head that hangs around a while. The taste reminds me of dates and almonds. The Craftsman IPA is a more standard-issue India Pale Ale, with characteristics much like Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale. A golden color and lots of hops will make plenty of summer afternoons more tolerable.
There was no such discourse at Lucky Devils in Hollywood. The beverages spoke for themselves. A great beer list, a wine list in which brevity left little choice and some tasty snacks combined for a nice little Saturday soiree.
After the usual Hollywood Boulevard hassles - two-dollar an hour parking at the meter, men looking semi-dangerous doing some sidewalk preaching about something or other, LAPD staring intently into the place for an undisclosed reason - we managed to settle into our kitchen-style chairs and let the festivities begin.
Even though it was intended to be a beer gathering, one of the few wines offered caught my eye because it was from the Sonoma County town of Geyserville, a place I visited a while back. I was impressed with the wines I found there, so I chose a red table wine from Mercury Geyserville called The Jug. It was an easy-going $7.50 by the glass, but a bit pricey at $19.50 in the 500ml jug. It appears to be a Bordeaux-style blend from Alexander Valley vineyards.
The Jug is very dark in the glass, inky in fact. A fruity nose also displays an earthy darkness and some spice. It really tastes great, with cassis and black cherry flavors accented by spice and smoke. The finish is a little weak with a sour cherry aftertaste.
Others in the group opted for brewski. The Hornin' Nettie Madge Black IPA from Anderson Valley Brewing Company is stout-dark with a licorice nose and a tan head that hangs around a while. The taste reminds me of dates and almonds. The Craftsman IPA is a more standard-issue India Pale Ale, with characteristics much like Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale. A golden color and lots of hops will make plenty of summer afternoons more tolerable.
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