Visiting SF from Norway - looking for pliny, heady topper++

[dst]

I'm heading over to the bay area for around 10 days at the end of march - start of april. I found the Hop Grenade on my last visit a year ago and with some tips from one of the bartenders there I managed to score a bottle of Pliny to bring back home.

I'd really like to be able to find a few fresh Pliny bottles on this trip as well. And I would also love to get my hands on Heady topper and 120 min IPA to bring back home but that doesn't seem as easy.

I'll bring over some of the great Norwegian craft beers, or can try to get some specific nordic / european if someone has any requests for a trade?
I see this subforum isn't overflowing with activity but it's worth a shot!

Cheers!

[Charlie]

That's great! Hope you enjoy your visit. The Pliny ought to be easy to source, but you'll need local info for that. I would find a homebrew club in that area and ask on their forum. I'm sure there are liquor stores in that area that specialize in craft brew, and the club can give you their location. The 120 minute IPA will surely be there as well; we get that one in Northwest Louisiana, so it must be everywhere!

Heady Topper is going to be a problem. The brewery is in Waterbury, Vermont way over on the other side of the country, and it doesn't get out of that area much. I have been lucky to posess two cans of Heady Topper, total, both sourced out of that area by my employer. (Ain't it wonderful when The Beer Fairy pays you a visit.

Charlie

[brewinhard]

My buddy lives in Santa Cruz and has gotten lucky getting random bottles of Pliney at 7/11. Seriously....

[dst]

Thanks for the info!

I found Pliny on tap a couple places last time. But bottles was amazingly hard to find, I went in to every bottle shop I could find but no one had it in stock. Eventually I got it at one place that had a bottle left for private use back in storage
60 and 90 minute ipa was easy enough to find but the 120 was a bust.

I had my suspicion about heady topper being hard to find but it was worth a shot. Here in Norway all beer over 4.7% ABV can only be sold through the state owned liquor store. So we're pretty much at the mercy of what they decide to get through their supplier. They are getting a lot better, but still some niche beers are just not available.

A previous co-worker now lives in the bay area, so if someone knows of online shops that sells these that would work in a pinch as well.

I'm up for trading some other fun beers (the rare barrel sour beers? I'm up for suggestions). Send me a pm or reply here if interested.

Cheers!

[theforgetfulme]

If you're in The Bay Area for 10 days, for pliney, just go to Russian river. It's about an hour out of San Fransisco and it's a great spot. I wouldn't try and find it in a bottle shop, most shops sell out pretty quick around here. And I've never seen it at a 7/11.

[dst]

Is it allowed to bring beer to the hop grenade and drink them there for a "corking fee"? I can bring some Norwegian beers over if some homebrewer(s) want to join up for a couple of pints?