Monday 24th of February 2014 05:48:04 PM

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Julian, California sits in the Cuyamaca mountains, about 45 minutes from downtown San Diego.

It is an unequivocal tourist town replete with long, tall cowboys in long, tall dusters and sidearms roaming the streets ready to smile and make nice with the "residents" for a picture or two. On almost any given weekend, if the weather cooperates (and this is Southern California so that means anytime after January!) the place is packed with white legged, sandal wearers looking to buy at least one famous Julian Apple Pie.

So it was that wife Persimmon and I ventured from our beach cottage into the mounts to sample the beers at both Julian breweries.

This was our first stop. The brewery is also associated with and located in the same building as Bailey's BBQ and THAT smell infused everything around, enticing all the tourists to stop what they were doing and come have a bite of pulled pork or chicken.

I did as well. What better way to celebrate sampling new beers?

Well, I can think of a few.

For example, atmosphere. Julian Brewing resembles a bunkhouse, or lumberjack gathering place with long picnic tables, checkered plastic table-cloths and plumbers at the bar with their pants showing more crack than the nearest meth house.

How about a beer garden? Covered porch that sits right next to the expansive Main Street where one can dine watching the endless line of cars searching for a parking place and those aforementioned plaid short walkers trying to avoid the steaming pile of mountains the authentic horse-drawn carriages leave in their wake. Makes for fine dining.

Then of course, there is the attitude. Locals frequent Julian Brewing. I know this for two reasons;
#1 - I worked at a nearby YMCA camp in my younger days and would, at every opportunity, make my way into town (2 miles) just to leaving those screaming campers behind for a blessed hour or two and
#2 - there is the "look" that says to all -- "I will tolerate you for a while because of the money you bring but do not think for one moment I like you here!"

So we stayed just long enough to sample;

The pulled pork was under-cooked...loaded with great globs of fat and, while hoping for good BBQ sauce, I was presented with a half sandwich that consisted of a half loaf of soaked french bread upon which someone spread a thin veneer of red food coloring that was supposed to pass for a spicy sauce.

Well, OK - after all I'm here for the beer, right?

6 brews available - from the expected Coors Light rip-off to a hoppy red ale made with Julian apples and a smokehouse stout.

Would that I could report any stood out but alas, nope. They were all typical without any layers and very little flavor.

So after less than half hour (it would have been shorter but a crowd of non-English speakers insisted that the waittress take 700 pictures of their table, their food, their hands, etc. thereby leaving those of us who wished to pay and get out to wait in a line that snaked out the door and around those previously mentioned horse presents while she tallied up their bill.

In short, when it comes to beer in Julian -- they make great pies! And by the way, you can get them at almost any grocery in San Diego County so no need to climb the hill and visit the actually place.

If you do however, sit down-wind from the plumber. I do believe he will still be glued to that stool.