In search of some gift ideas for the craft beer enthusiast in your life this Christmas? A twenty two ounce bottle of his or her favorite beer makes a good stocking stuffer. If you’re not sure which beer to buy, let me suggest a gift card to a nearby bottle [...]
The first official Shady Oak Barrel House bottle release will take place today, December 12th. Rincon Valley Taproom and Bottle Shop will welcome Steve Doty, brewer/owner, to pour the first of what should be many releases between 4pm and 8pm. Be one of the first to try Bokonon, a farmhouse [...]
The Brewers Association released the 2014 Year in Review report yesterday and the craft beer numbers are quite impressive. Before I share some of the numbers released, I want to mention that the Brewers Association is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers. The following are [...]
The holiday season is officially underway. Getting together with family and friends is surely the excuse that you’ve been looking for to pop open a special bottle of beer that has been sitting in your cellar. Here are a few things to keep in mind when bringing beer to a [...]
This Thursday, November 20th, Warped Brewing Company will be celebrating their one year anniversary with a chili cookoff and the release of a brand new beer named ‘Clear the Flag’. The fee to taste and vote on the winner of the cookoff will be just $5. Warped Brewing is a [...]
The California Craft Brewers Association will be celebrating their 25th anniversary at next week’s California Craft Brewers Conference. The event will be held at Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel & Spa in Santa Rosa. The last day to register for the event is today. Those of you that are CCBA members, [...]
More than 35 breweries will be pouring at the 28th annual Beer in the Plaza Festival on Saturday, Sept. 6. The festival, sponsored by the Soroptomist International of Healdsburg, will take place in the downtown plaza from 2 p.m.-6 p.m. and feature foods by El Farolito, The Wurst, Café Lucia [...]
Sierra Nevada has been working on a very special project. In mid-July they will release a ‘Beer Camp Across America’ twelve pack collaboration like no other. Sierra Nevada and the head brewers from twelve exceptional breweries across the country came together to each brew one of the beers for the [...]
If you know and love beer, you probably know and love Ratebeer. What you maybe didn't know is that Ratebeer's executive director, Joe Tucker, lives right here in Sonoma County. What started as a part-time labor of love for Tucker in 2000 has morphed into a full-time job and a [...]
The ninth annual American Craft Beer Week will take place between May 12th and May 18th this year. That week is a time for beer lovers across our nation to collectively celebrate the craft beer culture and community. There are well over 2,500 craft breweries operating and many more scheduled [...]
Many of you already know that the four basic ingredients used in the beer making process are water, malt, yeast and of course, hops. Water, by far, is the largest ingredient used. The beer making process would not be possible without yeast so you can’t down play its importance. The [...]
If you were born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s you are considered a part of Generation Y, aka the Millennials. This makes you a part of a very special group. The generations of beer and wine enthusiasts before us seemed content to separate the wine and beer [...]
Lagunitas Brewing Co.'s annual springtime Beer Circus returns again this June.
As the title of this blog suggests, it's hard not to see the North Bay as "Beer Country." From the 20 craft breweries that call Sonoma County their home to the beer festivals and news from the industry, there's a lot hopping (sorry) these days. Well, our venerable beer blogger [...]
A debate is brewing in Sacramento over regulating California beer.
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