Inside Sonoma

Often known as “Wine Country,” Sonoma County can also lay claim to “Beer Country.”  As your day of wine tasting ends, your evening of beer tasting should be heating up.  But what about forgoing the familiar swirl and spit mentality and head out on a full weekend of beer sampling?

Head north, my friends, to Ruth McGowan’s Pub in Cloverdale. This rustic brewpub serves up quite a collection of home brews paired nicely with greasy fried food.  I give the taquitos with homemade guacamole a thumbs up at this place.  Make sure to try their flagship beer – Cloverdale Ale.

After a night in Cloverdale, head south to Santa Rosa where Russian River Brewing and Third St. Aleworks compete for microbrewery domination.  Russian River Brewing brews a variety from barrel-aged brews to Belgian-style ales.  They also throw in some limited releases on occasion.  Make sure to try one of their pizzas, which pair perfectly with their beers.  Or order the Pub Grub with a side of ranch dressing. Mmmm ranch dressing …! Russian River (as it is known to locals) also offers lots of free music on the weekends. Make sure to check out their schedule as they offer everything from flamenco to reggae.

Third St. Aleworks offers a more food-friendly atmosphere. They have an extensive menu with everything from Cajun food to Mexican, with some Italian thrown in. If you’re into pool head upstairs, but beware the pool sharks in slinky tanks.  They will take your beer and your money. My favorite beer on tap is the Bodega Head IPA.  Light enough to go with dinner, but complex enough to not taste mass-produced.  During the summer, Third St. has a great patio to sit and enjoy a pitcher or two.

While Gordon Biersch  has locations around the area and doesn’t actually brew any beer here, Hopmonk – owned by Dean Biersch – in Sebastopol is totally worth a visit. They have a huge collection of beers on tap along with having a great music scene.  Nothing pairs better with beer than electric guitar or guys in dreds. They have a huge food menu with everything from a cheese plate to homemade mac n’ cheese.

If you head further west to Guerneville, stop in at Stumptown Brewery. They have three house brews and a collection of other regional beers on tap. I can’t mention my favorite as I love my job and don’t want to lose it, but it begins with Rat.  Stop in and figure out the rest.  They also have great pub food along with a rocking patio overlooking the Russian River during the summer months. As a side note, Stumptown only takes cash so hit the ATM and load your pockets before heading west, young one.

The final stop on the hop-filled beer country weekend is Petaluma. Home to both Dempsey’s and the larger behemoth Lagunitas, Petaluma showcases big and small breweries. Dempsey’s offers a full menu with seasonal fare featuring flavors from Mexico, Spain and Thailand, a patio and varied beer selection. My fave is the Dempsey’s pilsner.

Lagunitas offers a real brewery experience. This local brew house offers tours of their production area and rewards those who expend the effort with samples of their brews. The tour gives an in-depth look into the style of Lagunitas Beer and ensures that you are a fan of this IPA long after you leave Sonoma County.

An honorable mention should be paid to Ace-in-the-Hole Cider Pub. Ace offers a collection of ciders made from locally grown fruit and offers music on their patio during the warm summer afternoons and evenings. They also have a grill going on the patio so you can sip a pear cider and munch on a pulled pork slider. This isn’t a stop on the pub crawl, unless you are into ciders.

Map the entire weekend here and visit the corporate site for contact information on all the places mentioned.
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