TIED IN FOR DECENT MICROBREW

My pre-game ritual before every San Jose Sharks hockey game I attend (which is about 3-5 per year) is to drive down to San Jose, park on San Pedro at the free garage, and walk across the street to the TIED HOUSE for as many pints of beer as time will allow. Within reason, of course. I’ve never found their beer to be anything out of this world, but it’s always good enough for the occasion. A couple weekends ago I went, and decided to “evaluate it critically”. The lineup of beer seems centered on the non-microbrew drinker, with a pilsner, a light beer, some pale ales – that sort of thing – so of course I went for TIED HOUSE OATMEAL STOUT and IRONWOOD DARK, which is an English-style brown ale. I’ll say this: the oatmeal stout was miles better than I expected. Very malty and creamy, and quaffable in the best sense of the word. I quaffed mine with great relish and enthusiasm. 7.5/10. Nice work! Ironwood Dark wasn’t bad either, and I seem to remember reading that this won some awards somewhere or another. It won my award for “best brown ale of the evening”, but that’s about it – still, it was about on the level of Newcastle, if lighter and a little more bitter. 6.5/10. I could have it again under different circumstances and still feel like I was gettin’ my game face on. This place is about as good as it gets in San Jose, the town where I spent my teenage years, so if you’re ever hanging out there you now know where to go & what to order!