Toronado was our final stop in San Francisco this afternoon after a morning of sight seeing and touristy activities, including some time at Golden Gate Park, a stop at the Farmers Market and little stops along the way. I was happy to see Dave around, along with Stewart, and had a chance to talk with Big Daddy as we enjoyed some of the great beer he was pouring. Dave was there preparing for Belgian Beer Month, getting the kegs ready, setting prices and getting signs printed out in preparation for April 1st - no fooling. I won't pretend to know all the beers that will flow through the Toronado taps during the month, but I was privileged to sample a straight lambic I was told you can expect to see while it lasts.
If you're visiting the city anytime in the month of April, for business or pleasure, take a cab to the Toronado (Haight & Fillmore) and imbibe in some fantastic Belgian (and Belgian-style) beers.
Beer of the Trip
While at Toronado we were lucky to enjoy one of the last glasses of Saucer Full of Mertin from Firestone Walker. Oh my goodness, this beer was an education in drinkability. While black in color, there was little in the way of roasted quality to the beer, nothing husky either. Instead, this beer had vanilla, cherry, toffee and a body that just perfect. In fact, it was a sad thing to see the sign for the beer being taken down as we were finishing our glass, we certainly had hoped for another. Oh, in case you're interested, the name reflects the beer's blended nature - part Saucer Full of Secrets, part Mertin (milk stout is what I was told by the man at the bar).
One last note while talking about FSW. Have you seen their new labels? They're great, I believe a great improvement over what we've been used to - and those weren't bad either.
