Gov. Jerry Brown (the guy with the pen and the Track 7 growler) has signed the new growler bill, sponsored byAssemblymember Wesley Chesbro, D – North Coast (the guy with the big smile - no word on whose beer that is). The bill ends confusion over the rules for filling [...]
As we told you back on the first day of the federal shutdown, the impasse on Capitol Hill has put the kibosh on federal alcohol licensing activities, including permits for new facilities and approval of new labels. That implies all kinds problems for brewers, winemakers, distillers and cideries, from stalling [...]
There are two great-sounding tasting events tomorrow night in the area, so take your pick - or make both if you're very determined. In Santa Rosa, Rincon Valley Wine and Beer will continue its local brewery month series with tastings from Drake's Brewing from 5-8 p.m. NorCal sales rep Doug [...]
Bear Republic says its seasonal Racer X double IPA should be back on the shelves by the middle of the month. They describe the beer as the Big Brother of their flagship Racer 5, though the X is a little darker and more in line with a malt-forward English IPA [...]
Tiled Shed Ciderworks is preparing to debut its twist on the 2012 harvest with Barred Rock, a bourbon barrel-aged cider that they describe as "a plush, savory sipper, with notes of amaretto, vanilla, and toasted marshmallow." The cider will debut at the Slow Food Russian River Local Cider & Cheese [...]
Sebastopol distiller Spirit Works is finally releasing its new sloe gin, which they say is the first traditional sloe gin made in the United States. They tell me that the distributor should be getting the bottles next week, so it should roll out in bars and stores over the next month or [...]
Moonlight Brewing's Brian Hunt (that's him in his hop yard back in 2008) set off a wave of excitement among beer fans earlier this year when he said he would be opening a taproom at his new brewing facility at 3350 Coffey Lane in Santa Rosa. Previously, his beers were [...]
As if there weren't enough fun beer things to do this weekend, what with the Sonoma County Harvest Fair on Saturday and the weekend-long Octubrefest at Carneros Brewing, here's yet another outstanding option: Almanac Beer from San Francisco will be taking over the tasting room at Rincon Valley Wine & [...]
Russian River Brewing sold 95 cases of its "Framboise For A Cure 2013" beer last night at the kickoff its annual October fundraising drive for Sutter Women's Health Care Center of Santa Rosa, Natalie Cilurzo says. That means around $15,000 from the bottles sold on the first night alone. Last [...]
Can't spare the three hours to haul yourself to Chico to experience Sierra Nevada's iconic tap room? California's largest craft brewer is cutting the commute time to less than an hour from Wine Country as it opens the "Torpedo Room," an auxillary tap room in Berkeley, early next month. The [...]
Our new friends down at Carneros Brewing are getting into the Oktoberfest spirit with "Octubrefest," a weekend-long fiesta starting at 5:30 p.m. on Friday with the tapping of a keg of their limited edition "Doble IPA" and continuing on Saturday and Sunday, all with music, games, traditional German food, pumpkin patch [...]
Proving that Wine Country is in fact also Beer Country, the annual Sonoma County Harvest Fair is offering a lineup of local beers this weekend. The tasting pavilion, traditionally the stomping ground for wine, will feature brew pours from Dempsey’s, Fogbelt Brewing, Lagunitas, Bear Republic, 101 North, HenHouse, and [...]
Despite the fact that beer is liquid bread, it is in fact regulated at the federal level not by the Food and Drug Administration but by the Department of the Treasury. The Treasury office known as the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, or the TTB for short, keeps [...]
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