http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzZVcvusbTg My colleague Kevin McCallum reports today on a new marketing campaign by the city of Santa Rosa to tout itself in major cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle, and Portland in an effort to tell tourists that we're about more than wine. One of the interesting elements is [...]
In another sign of the growing power of the beer (and cider and spirits) scene in Sonoma County, the county Economic Development Board has set Nov. 12 as the date for the first ever conference on the future of the industry. It will run 1-6p.m. at the Hyatt Hotel in [...]
BeverageDaily.com had a report earlier this week that has sent a good-sized ripple around the great Beer Pond. Reporter Ben Boukley reports that Heineken CEO Jean-François Van Boxmeerhas thrown in the towel in the fight against American craft brewers: “Craft beers have been taking the lion’s share of beer market growth [...]
In June we brought you the story of the Economic Development Board's look at the effect of beer, cider, and spirits on Sonoma County's economy (summary: not nearly as much as wine, but not insignificant. $123 million per year). One thing we didn't bring you, in large part because this [...]
A resident of Santa Rosa for most of his life, Peter Lopez Jr., 34, has taken over the duties of beer blogger for the Press Democrat. He has been a part of the beer and wine industry for almost his entire adult life and brings a wealth of knowledge. Currently Peter is a partner at the Healdsburg Emporium where he does the beer and wine purchasing. He is also the wine 
buyer at Fircrest Market in Sebastopol and the administrator of the NorCal Beer Geeks group on Facebook.
Beer is a big business in this part of the world, with some of the best and most sought-after brews made right in our own back yard. But too often that beer culture is hidden behind the iconic wine industry that defines the region. The Beer Country blog will bring you news and notes about our local brew scene, and maybe a little about cider while we’re at it. Have news, ideas, or questions that need answering? Drop a line in the comments section of the blog or email us at info@pressdemocrat.com