An 8% Dinosaur Beer, Brunch, and Brewery Hopping

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Prolific Beers, Brunch Decisions, and an 8% Dinosaur That Goes Down Way Too Easy

Some episodes start with a plan. And some feel thrown together... Guess which this is. Haha.

Welcome back to The Adam and Dedra Show, where the beer is cold, the conversations wander, and somehow we always end up talking about tattoos, breakfast cravings, California driving anxiety, or all of the above.

This time, we cracked open Sonorosaurus from Wren House Brewing, a double dry-hopped double IPA coming in at a sneaky little 8%.

And when we say sneaky, we mean dangerous. Not “old malt liquor in a tall can” dangerous. More like, “Wow, this tastes way too smooth for something that could make me text something I shouldn’t” dangerous.

Sonorosaurus: The 8% Dinosaur We Didn’t Know We Needed

We picked up Sonorosaurus during Wren House’s Hazy Fest, and Adam had apparently been staring at it long enough that the beer was starting to feel personally threatened.

This double IPA delivered exactly what we hoped for: big flavor, smooth drinking, and none of that harsh “why does this taste like I made a mistake?” energy you sometimes get from higher-alcohol beers.

Adam compared it to the old-school high-gravity stuff like Steel Reserve or Olde English, which technically may live in the same alcohol neighborhood, but let’s be honest: Sonorosaurus lives in the nice part of town with landscaping and a Costco membership.

This beer reminded us why Wren House gets the love it gets. Dedra admitted she was late to the Wren House bandwagon, but she’s officially onboard now.

Better late than never. Especially when the wagon is full of hazies.

Back to Temecula We Go

This episode took us back to Temecula, California, where we explored more breweries, more food, and more reasons Dedra does not want to drive in California.

For the record, Temecula is not downtown Los Angeles. Adam pointed this out.

Dedra did not care.

California driving is still California driving, which means stress, lanes, people, movement, and a general feeling that everyone is out to get you.

So Adam drove.

As usual.

Prolific Brewing Company: Small Taproom, Big Personality

One of the big stops on this trip was Prolific Brewing Company, a brewery we liked enough to visit again and support with merch.

And if we buy a shirt or hat from a brewery, that means something. We are not just handing out closet space for free especially Dedra.

Prolific has a cool industrial warehouse setup. When you walk in, the taproom is small and intimate, with just a handful of tables, a small bar, and brewing tanks close enough that you feel like you’re getting a behind-the-scenes tour whether you asked for one or not.

There’s also a back area that feels like you maybe should not be walking into it.

You know that feeling?

Like, “Is this part of the brewery, or am I about to get yelled at by someone named Kyle holding a hose?”

But the back area is fair game, with picnic tables and a family-friendly vibe. The trick is to walk through confidently, pretend you belong, and watch out for wet spots so you don’t eat it in front of strangers.

Especially if one of you already has a broken ankle.

The Beers at Prolific

Adam started with De Luz, a West Coast-style double IPA at 8.7%.

That is not a casual beer. That is a beer that says, “You have plans? Cute.”

But it didn’t drink hot or overwhelming. It was smooth enough that Adam could sip it slowly and enjoy the ride, which is important when you’re brewery hopping and trying to remain upright like a responsible adult pretending to be responsible.

Dedra went with Valley Fog, a hazy IPA at 6.5%, because of course she did.

No surprise there.

She loved it, and to be fair, Dedra has been pretty consistent with hazies. There aren’t many she dislikes. In fact, you could probably count them on less than one hand.

Adam also had a smaller pour of Postpile, an American chocolate stout at 5.5%. It was rich, chocolatey, smooth, and a great change of pace after the IPAs... Basically chocolate milk beer, but in the best possible way.

There was also another stout on the menu called Midnight Luau, a cherry chocolate stout that Adam wanted to want. Unfortunately, Adam does not like fruit and chocolate together.

Chocolate-covered strawberries? No.

Chocolate-covered cherries? No.

Raspberry filling in cake? Absolutely not.

But in beer form? Suddenly interesting. But he's sill not going to try it. Haha.

Brewery Merch: The True Love Language

We also grabbed some Prolific merch, including a shirt that Dedra immediately noticed was not the cheap, thin material you sometimes get from brewery shirts.

This was thick. Quality. Durable. The kind of shirt that says, “I will survive many washes along with foreseeable food and beer spills.”

Would it be ideal for Phoenix summer?

Absolutely not.

But for California evenings? Perfect.

And that’s something we love doing when we find a brewery we really enjoy. We support them beyond just buying a beer. We grab shirts, hats, stickers, beer to-go when possible, and follow them online.

Because if a place gives us a great experience, we want to help represent it.

Brunch Before Beer: The Brunch House

Before brewery hopping, we stopped for brunch at The Brunch House.

Technically, it was probably around 11 or 11:30, which is exactly the right time for brunch because breakfast already gave up and lunch hasn’t fully committed yet.

We sat outside on the patio, thankfully in the shade, and the location had a little bit of everything nearby. There was an Irish pub still decorated from St. Patrick’s Day weekend, a tattoo shop, and a nail place.

Naturally, the joke became: brunch, pedicures, tattoos.

Because nothing says “vacation itinerary” like shrimp and grits followed by questionable permanent decisions.

Shrimp and Grits for the Win

Adam ordered shrimp and grits, because if shrimp and grits are on the menu, he has to know what version of the universe he’s dealing with.

This one delivered.

The shrimp were huge and cooked perfectly, which is not always a guarantee. Shrimp can go from tender to rubber band faster than someone can say, “Do you want another mimosa?”

The grits had bell peppers, pearl onions, and plenty of flavor. Adam is not always a bell pepper guy, but this worked. And the pearl onions were a big win because Adam loves onions enough that he was basically hunting for them in the dish.

It was a solid order.

No regrets.

Chicken Fried Steak Confusion

Dedra ordered chicken fried steak, which is one of those dishes that has to hit a very specific craving.

And this one… kind of didn’t.

It wasn’t bad. Adam actually liked it more than Dedra did, especially later when the leftovers came back to the house and mysteriously disappeared while he was “sitting in the corner” eating them.

But it wasn’t the thin, classic, pounded-out version Dedra expected. It was thicker and had a different sauce instead of the usual country gravy style.

Not terrible.

Just not the exact chicken fried steak itch she was trying to scratch.

And when a craving goes unfulfilled, it lingers. It follows you around. It whispers things like, “You still need huevos rancheros.”

Coffee, Chaos, and One Hardworking Server

We kept it pretty simple drink-wise at brunch and ordered coffee instead of mimosas.

Very mature of us. Or at least liver-aware.

The coffee came with a little pastry on the side, which was a nice touch, even if the delivery got a little chaotic.

Our server was carrying what looked like every drink in the restaurant on one tray, fighting with a non-automatic door, and trying not to baptize the patio in coffee.

Some of the coffee may have ended up on the tray. Some may have ended up down the side of the cup.

But honestly, she was working hard and doing a great job. That patio filled up fast, and she was handling it like a champ.

The Brunch Place Debate

Here’s the thing about brunch places: a lot of them start to feel the same.

The same menu energy. The same patio energy. The same group of people ordering mimosas like they’re rehydrating from a marathon they did not run.

That doesn’t mean The Brunch House wasn’t good. It was. The food was good, the patio was pleasant, and the experience was fun.

But we are officially challenging brunch spots everywhere: Give us a reason to remember you. Not too weird. Don’t put glitter in the gravy. But give brunch a personality.

Why We Love Smaller Breweries

One of the things we keep realizing on these trips is that we really enjoy smaller brewery spaces.

There’s something about walking into a more intimate taproom that makes it easier to talk to people, meet locals, ask for food recommendations, and get a better feel for the place.

When we’re out of town, we love being the visitors who ask, “Where do you actually eat around here?”

Not the tourist trap.

Not the place with the giant sign and the $18 appetizer that tastes like sadness.

We want the local favorites. The hole-in-the-wall spots. The places people recommend because they actually go there.

Prolific had that kind of vibe. Small, personal, easy to settle into, and good enough that you might accidentally stay longer than planned.

That’s always the sign of a good brewery.

You walk in thinking, “We’ll just have one.”

Then suddenly you’re buying a shirt, debating another pour, and wondering if tacos are happening in the back.

Final Thoughts: Prolific, Wren House, and a Very Good Day

This was one of those episodes that captured exactly what we love doing.

Good beer. Good food. A little travel. A little chaos. and a lot of laughing at ourselves.

Prolific Brewing Company was absolutely worth the stop, and it’s the kind of place we’d happily visit again. The beers were good, the space was fun, the merch was solid, and the whole experience felt like exactly the kind of brewery adventure we enjoy sharing.

The Brunch House gave us a good start to the day, even if Dedra is still spiritually searching for the chicken fried steak she actually wanted.

And Sonorosaurus from Wren House?

That beer was dangerously smooth, delicious, and another reminder that Wren House knows what they’re doing.

So cheers to Temecula, brunch patios, warehouse breweries, chocolate milk beer, California driving survival, and double IPAs that go down way too easy.

Until next time, wherever there’s beer…

We’re probably going to travel to get there.

Cheers!!!