Tag: Beer

Dear, Where’s the Best Beer?

On this St. Patty’s day, it seems a logical time to roll out a few choices when you really, really want to get your beer on.  While none of these places are your traditional choices for a pint of Guinness and corned beef and cabbage, they’re rather perfect choices for brewed goodness the other 364 days a year.

Manderes– From the Gulf of Mexico to the Sprout of Brussels, Manderes has scoured the Earth for the best beers on the planet.  With the motto of “no crap on tap,” the small, two-year-old beer bar and restaurant in Folsom has excelled at marrying unique brews and delicious food. And with twenty beers on tap and almost 100 in the bottle, there’s something for just about every taste. Hungry? Try the short ribs, shellacked with a generous Russian imperial stout glaze, and pair it with a pint of Bear Republic’s Hop Rod Rye.

Burgers and Brew– The menu might be a bit limited, and the tap might not be all that impressive, but the arm-long list of beers in the bottle (mostly Belgian) is enough to keep the ardent hop-head coming back regularly. Don’t stray too far from the titular menu items of beer and burger however, or you’re likely to be disappointed.

The Shack– With an impressively eclectic tap that ranges from PBR to Belgian ales, and a bottle list that spans the globe featuring some of the best beers anywhere, The Shack has positioned itself as an incredible hangout for the brew connoisseur.  The new menu features bistro favorites like moules fritte and game hen for criminally low prices. It’s a win-win situation. Continue reading “Dear, Where’s the Best Beer?”

Sac Brew Oasis Closes

Sadly, Sacramento Brewing Company closed its second location, The Oasis. This is the second brewpub we have lost in the past year, so let’s hope this trend stops. Thankfully, their super-awesome beers (and better-than-average brewpub cuisine) are both still available at the original Sac Brew location at Fulton and Marconi in the Country Club Town and Country Shopping Center. When I last visited them two weeks ago, they had 15 homemade beers on tap that ranged the gambit, from a pilsner to a bourbon barrel aged wheat wine.

Support your local brewery! You never know when you are going to lose it!

Board in Sacto?

The Game Guy isn’t just some modern, fly-by-night nerd who focuses only on video games and fancy gaming systems.  No sir: The Game Guy has classic nerd running through his body that been transfused by years of comic books, TSR role play gaming, and Magic: The Gathering.  Despite the satisfaction video games can bring when that competitive itch comes up, there’s something sophisticated and classy about gathering friends together around a board or card game with some brews for a night of gaming.

It dawned me after a hard-fought night of Risk with friends, that Sacramento really needs a game-friendly pub where booths can be occupied by pints and players, without the need to fight against the tools trolling to get a piece at the bar- a place where I could gather at a metaphorical hearth and smoke my metaphorical pipe with other friends (who may or may not be metaphorical).

So I ask you, dear Raggers, do you know of any game-friendly environments at the established drinkeries in our town? I don’t mean the team trivia nights, but the kind where a guy and his five friends can show up with a copy of Zombies! in tow, pint-up, and get their nerd on?

Auburn Restaurant Roundup: Beer, Burgers, and Bit of Fine Dining

Being the childhood home of Runnergirl as well as an historical and interesting place, Auburn has long held a special place in my heart.  However, it’s really only in the last few years that I’ve taken the time to really investigate the good vittles up there.  Sure there’s gold in them thar hills, but there’s also some pretty damn good sustenance to be had for the intelligent traveler.  Here’s a trio of options ranging from snowbum casual to trustfund-bum elegant. 

Ikeda’s– The iconic fruit stand cum pie stand cum burger stand is still standing strong.  This is great grub whether you’re on your way up the hill or down it.  Great burgers, great sandwiches, great pies, great fruit, even great salsas.  Don’t believe me?  Try the apple salsa.  Sure it’s more sacrilegious than insisting that God be your co-pilot (rather than letting him drive of course–what, you think you’re a better driver than God?) but the chopped apple, jalapeno, and onion mixture is fantastic, especially with homemade flour tortilla chips (by homemade I mean you have to make them, they’re not sold at Ikeda’s).  Continue reading “Auburn Restaurant Roundup: Beer, Burgers, and Bit of Fine Dining”

KVIE’s “On Tap” quenches

Gary Gelfand from "On Tap" on KVIE's "ViewFinder"
Gary is on point this time.

During the holiday break I had the opportunity to catch the latest installment of “ViewFinder” on KVIE. This series is always on the money, but Episode 8 welcomed me with a cold pint of refreshing goodness…beer! And what a treat it was.

Hosted by Gary Gelfand, (I know, right, “The Sports Show” notwithstanding) this episode “chronicles the rich history and science behind brewing and takes a look at how the recent craft-brewing revolution was born right here in our backyard.” Mixed in with a little Sacramento history and “did you know” tidbits and I was hooked! I especially enjoyed the reference to the now-defunct Buffalo Brewing Co.

The episode airs again on Sunday at 6pm. You can view the full episode here as well. Please to check it out. You won’t be sorry.

Two Great Birthdays!

This weekend, the two cornerstone businesses of Midtown will be having birthday parties.

Happy 35th to the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op and Happy 21st to Rubicon Brewing Company!

(I’ll give you time to do a little happy dance of celebration…. do do dooooo)

The Co-op Celebration is from 10-7 on Saturday and includes a street fair filled with local farmers, cooking demonstrations, music, education and a lot of great food at the Harvest Tasting Fair. Mind X and Jon Merriman will perform. Since Co-op means it is “cooperatively owned” by its patrons, they will have a membership drive with prizes through November. Join the Co-op!

Rubicon Brewing Company will wrap up their Hoptober celebrations on October 31 and November 1st by offering 21 of the hoppiest IPAs they could find in California (and one that snuck in across the border from Nevada). Pacific Brew News has the taplist here.

Oktoberfest at SacBrew

This Saturday, Sacramento Brewing Company will host Oktoberfest with eight house-made German beers, oompa bands and authentic German food under a big tent at Fulton and Marconi. If you enjoy any of the above items, you would be a fool not to attend. Festivities begin at Noon and last into the evening. Prost!

This also seems like a good opportunity to point out to readers who have not visited in the past year or two that SacBrew has both a new owner and a new Brewmaster. It is still the same old place, but the quality of both food and beer has improved, especially the beer, which is now jaw-droppingly awesome. I recommend a visit.

National Awards for Elk Grove Brewing, and Bon Voyage

The 27th Annual Great American Beer Festival was held this weekend in Denver with several area breweries competing. Congratulations to Elk Grove Brewing Company for bringing home two medals. Head Brewer Bill Wood added to his extensive trophy case with the Bronze Medal for the Bad Dog Brown Ale (category: American-Style Brown Ale) and the Silver Medal for the Bock Lager (category: Bock). The Bock Lager also won the Gold Medal at the 2008 World Beer Cup this year, naming it this year’s best Traditional German-Style Bock in the world. Great job, Bill!

…And now the bad news. Elk Grove Brewing Company became another victim of bad economic times and closed its doors this week. Bill will be going from Old Town Elk Grove to Old Town Auburn, where he will be brewing up at Auburn Alehouse. I’d like to offer my condolences to owner Chris Correa, his family and the rest of the staff. It has been 13 great years of buckets of garlic fries and beer battered fried dill pickles. The Sacramento brew community will miss you.

AVOID Elk Grove

With the Fair underway, the Sacramento Bee reminds us that there will be a sobriety checkpoint in Elk Grove tonight. Wait, the Fair is in Sacramento, right? Where lots of folks will be drinking? Ok, cool, Elk Grove it is.

The enforcement is part of the statewide “Avoid” campaign funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Interesting slogan. At any rate, if you follow the link on the Bee story (oh, wait, it’s broken, posted on the 13th, too) you will learn more about the program.

The overall goal of the awareness campaign is to let drivers know about the countywide increased enforcement periods and warn drivers that the only way to “AVOID” the county’s law enforcement officers is to drive sober.

Ah, there it is. I get it now. A press release reminds us that party hosts and families must limit drinks to their guests, and to not serve more than one or two over several hours. Stickie, can you hear me?

Be safe out there.