Brewpubs – A Traveler’s Oasis

Guest Author: Deirdre Reid

Sacramento Brewing (www.sacbrew.com) is a friendly and comfortable brewpub and restaurant that’s been serving up delicious beer, food and hospitality since 1995. I went to a Tweet the Brewer event organized by the brewer Peter Hoey and beer writer Rick Sellers for local beer lovers who use Twitter. Peter welcomed us as we arrived and then gave us a tour of his brewhouse.

Peter brews many different styles. Some are his standards (amber, IPA, red ale, scotch ale) and some are specials that come and go (lager, Abbey IPA, Imperial Stout and more). Everything I had was delicious. However, what makes Sac Brewing unique among brewpubs is that he also has many guest beers on tap. Usually when you go to a brewpub, the only beers are the ones made in house, but Peter, being a beer geek himself, brings in beers from all over the US and even from Belgium. Often, he’ll have the only kegs in Northern California of some of these guest beers. That’s generous, and very much appreciated by Sacramento’s beer community.

You can sit in the pub at tables or the bar, or in the restaurant, and can order off the complete menu in both. There’s plenty of parking in the lot. And if you need to pick up groceries on the way home, there’s a Trader Joe’s and a Savemart in the same shopping plaza (Town & Country), and a Starbucks, if caffeine is needed.

I have a theory about brewpubs based on a good amount of experience. Whether I’m traveling alone or with others, visiting a brewpub is always one of the highlights of my trip. So why is that, besides the fact that I’m a beer geek?

The first time I visited Sacramento was for a job interview. After an exhausting day, I ended up at Rubicon Brewing in midtown Sacramento. I sat at the bar and had some great beers and also met a bunch of regular customers who were not only interested in hearing about my day and possible move to Sac, but even invited me to a party the next night!

I’m not suggesting that you’ll get party invitations when visiting brewpubs, but that type of welcome is not surprising. Brewpubs are not like regular restaurants or bars. Why?

• Beer people love to share their passion. We’re a friendly bunch, even the shy ones. Sit at the bar and talk to those around you about what they’re drinking. Ask for recommendations. Soon they’ll be like long-lost friends.
• You might get a tour of the brewery. Sometimes tours are only offered during the day on weekends, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
• Brewpub food is comfort food. You can always count on good burgers, sandwiches and fish and chips, although many brewpubs (like Sac Brewing) have more extensive menus.
• Brewpubs are comfortable. They’re made for sitting around, talking and drinking beer. You don’t need to dress up to go there. People don’t go there to “be seen”, they’re there to enjoy a good brew, conversation, and maybe some snacks or dinner to go with it.
• It’s not a chain. These are local folks using high-quality ingredients to produce a well-crafted product, and they’re darn proud of it. Brewing is both art and science. Spend your money there.

What to order? Ask if they have a sampler – small taster glasses of several styles. Another way to try more than one style is to order half-pints if those are available. Often a blackboard will list all the beers on draft, often with funny names, brewers like to do that. ABV means alcohol by volume, pay attention to that especially if you’re driving. For comparison’s sake, a Budweiser has 4.9% ABV. IBU stands for International Bitterness Unit – it measures how hoppy a beer is, hoppiness can translate into dryness or bitterness. A Bud has an IBU of 11 and a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has 37. If you are used to Bud or Coors, or if you have a preference for a certain type of beer, tell the server and ask them for their recommendations. They’ll steer you the right way. If there are styles you’re not familiar with — ask! Beer lovers enjoy answering questions about beer, ask us!

Thank you so much to my twitter pal Deirdre Reid for this primer on brewpubs. You can follower her on twitter @deirdrereid and look for her on her cross country brewpub tour in June.

Sacramento Restaurants

Websites: Sacramento Brewing Company, Rubicon Brewing

Sacramento Brewing Company

2713 El Paseo Ln
Sacramento, CA 95821
(916) 485-4677

Rubicon Brewing

2004 Capitol Ave
Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 448-7032

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