Oskar Blues Old Chub treats me like scottish royalty, minus bagpipes

I'm at the Alibi Room Friday night introducing the original and by far the best Food Truck food, Kogi, to my brother. Having planned to take him here at some point, I also know what beer I'm getting...OLD CHUB

No, that that old chubby guy, this beautiful scotch ale is from Colorado brewery Oskar Blues, makers of my favorite imperial red ale, Gordon's Red Ale. Oskar Blues also holds the distinction of being one of the first craft breweries to embrace the use of aluminum cans to distribute their product but there's a metallic taste to my first sips of the Chub, so I'm doing the American thing and granting it freedom from its aluminum bonds. Plus I'm a certified beer snob now and must have any beer other than Bud Light poured into a glass.  Excuse me, sir, after passing the grey poupon, can you pass me something Belgian?. That's me, a Snobby Chub.

Kogi knocks my socks off

Did somebody order a scotch, style? The hops are minimal and a rich, malty chocolate flavor permeates the profile. It's full bodied and smooth as jazz. Wow, if there was a chorus of Old Chub drinkers with me, we would all raise up and sing it's praises. Chub is by far the best beer out of a can I've ever had, but I'm glad it's in a glass. If you haven't tried beer from Oskar Blues, don't let the metal fool you - they're worth their weight in gold. THE ROCK rating.

Hair of the Dog Ruth trumps Obama's LA road closures

Today in LA was forecast to be the Obamapocalypse. El Presidente's last scheduled trip closed four vital rush hour streets and it took some people 5 hours to return home after work. Los Angeles was one match away from bursting into flames.

Like everyone else, I was all over the interweb trying to get the jump on the Secret Service's plans (bastards are unsurprisingly crafty) on the road closures. His route from Sony Studios to Brentwood crossed every road I could take to get home. At 6:30 my coworker Tiffany and I discovered a wormhole from our workplace to the marina that people were avoiding because it lead right past Sony where Obama was...but for the moment it was open (according to Google maps).

I took off and flew right past barricades and police command centers on Venice, which was wide open, and made it home in phenomenal time. It only took me 9 years but I finally beat LA traffic.

In celebration I joined Tiff and her friends at Alibi Room for some Kogi Short Rib and an appropriately Hair of the Dog (for just missing Obama's road closures).

Hair of the Dog Ruth is named after someone's granny, who was appropriately named. Anyone named Ruth is destined to be a grandmother, a librarian, or a delicious Baby made of chocolate covered peanuts, caramel and nougat (and eaten only on Halloween when you're awkward neighbor runs out of Milky Way).

As a grandmammy, I'd be proud of this beer my son brewed to honor me. Ruth is a Pale Ale with a smooth pilsner malt base and a burst of hops. It's clean and incredibly refreshing. The brew reminds me of Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin, only crisper. Ruth is very tasty, easy drinking and I hope to find these in a six pack somewhere to introduce at a Gentleman's BBQ this summer. THE ROCK rating.

Abita Abbey Ale doesn't ring my bell

I'm arriving home from a dinner at the Alibi Room (the Kogi Food Truck restaurant) where I had dinner with bowling team partner Betsy and then ran into Heather G, who is always a pleasure. The first test of the 10 beers a week rule came tonight, and I passed with flying colors. Thank goodness this was a dinner and not 'drinks,' because 3 glasses of water can only get me so far. HA

For each Abbey Ale bought, 25 cents actually goes to St. Josephs Abbey. Classy move Abita!

Even in the beer, I'm surrounded by church bells ringing

Abita is well known in the south, especially for their Turbo Dog and Purple Haze wheat beer. They have a variety of beers and even make a root beer, but this their only Belgian Style entry. It's a dubbel that clocks in at8% alcohol. It has a fruity smell, caramel body that's lighter than most belgians and is slightly sweet. The light body I feel, lacks a full flavor profile, but its still a decent scrumpet. It's no Belgian Dubbel and won't make you want to ring the abbey bells, but you won't be entirely disappointed. ARMAGEDDON rating.

Port Brewing Wipeout IPA is just as good as the T.V. show Wipeout

Just came from the Alibi Room where coworker Tiff and I dived into Kogi Sliders and the flaming hot Chicken Quesadilla. That stuff is sooo good, I'd place it up there with In-And-Out as essential California food that visitors must try. From Alibi Room to we moved onto The Other Room and we're holed up here with Allison and Sophie and starting to cause a raucous, which is fine by me. Tiffany knew she had to go big or go home so she went big with the Russian River Damnation. I'm going with the SoCal Port Brewing Wipeout IPA, which would've paired well with the spicy kogi we just inhaled.

Port Brewing hails from Saint Diego and the Wipeout is a finely tuned IPA. It is a persuasive ale with biting hops and you won't leave disappointed if you enjoy hopst. I drank two in a row and my palate isn't overwhelmed from the bitterness and I'm still loving the hops. Solid TRANSFORMERS rating bordering on The Rock.