My Bay Space brewery excursions have taken me to taprooms throughout the area, from the Tri-Valley’s Inc 82 and Danville Brewing to Pacifica’s Pedro Level. This month, Silicon Valley beckoned with breweries starting from Floodcraft to Taplands and extra.
Taplands, Santa Clara
Based in by Matt Hartenstein in 2016, this taproom can also be a bottle store and occasional brewery. Hartenstein is a longtime homebrewer and self-avowed “old-time beer nerd” who wished to have a craft beer bar, however didn’t wish to quit his pastime — so he found out a method to do each.
The main target is clearly on the taproom, with a properly curated, rotating lineup of 25 beers plus a cask engine. Hartenstein likes to maintain a various portfolio of types. The concept, he tells me, is to have brews which might be “good for individuals who each know good beer and don’t know what they need.” Schooling is a giant part right here, and the bar’s vibe goals to welcome beer geeks like him in addition to newbies desperate to study. That’s in all probability why in 2020, Taplands was named the most effective beer bar in California by a Brewers Affiliation ballot.
The bar, which affords indoor and out of doors seating and attractive fare corresponding to deviled eggs, panini and charcuterie boards, has develop into a neighborhood vacation spot. Hartenstein reckons 75 to 80 % of his prospects are regulars that he is aware of by title. As for the beer, he chuckles and says his personal beers are solely on “irregularly” and normally promote out quick. It’s onerous to maintain with demand on a 1-bbl nanobrewery setup and run the bar. However folks clamor for his Johnny Mac wRye Purple and Sid’s Serrano Ale, a smoked-pepper pale ale.
Particulars: Taplands opens at 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday and midday Friday-Sunday at 1171 Homestead Highway in Santa Clara; taplands.com.
Floodcraft Brewing, San Jose
Sure, there’s a Floodcraft Taproom on the Santa Clara Entire Meals, however you’ll wish to head for the unique brewery on The Alameda for the actual deal. The brewery is a hidden gem — fairly actually. You’ll discover it upstairs in a constructing adjoining to the market.
The title stems from an incident early within the grocery chain’s historical past, when a historic flood in 1980 leveled a lot of Austin, Texas. With the assistance of locals, the market was rebuilt and reopened in lower than a month, and the Floodcraft title honors that spirit of neighborhood. The upstairs digs embrace a balcony of tables with beautiful views of The Alameda. The brewery is tucked in again, behind a central bar, and the place feels open and ethereal.
Brewmaster Man Cameron spent eight years at Russian River Brewing, earlier than taking the reins at Floodcraft. He brews a pleasant vary of beers, all very nicely made, however I used to be particularly taken together with his Vacation spot Nectaron, a pilsner utilizing a particular New Zealand hop selection that imparts intense tropical flavors. One other lighter standout was Born to Elevate Helles, a candy, easy-drinking lager. However Cameron’s IPA recreation is stable, too, with Riwaka Juice, an imperial hazy IPA with pineapple, grapefruit and different tropical notes, and Textured Shapes, a triple hazy IPA with splendidly advanced aromas and flavors.
Floodcraft retains eight to 10 house-brewed beers on at any given time, together with a dozen visitor beers and ciders. Patrons are welcome to convey any meals up from the market, too.
Particulars: Opens at midday every day subsequent to the Entire Meals at 777 The Alameda in San Jose; www.wholefoodsmarket.com.
Barebottle Brewing, Santa Clara
Based by three homebrewing associates — Lester Koga, Mike Seitz and Benjamin Sterling — in San Francisco in 2016, the trio opened a spacious taproom in Santa Clara in 2020. They don’t brew in Santa Clara, however you'll find almost all their beers right here and luxuriate in them in a taproom that gives loads of beer corridor seating, in addition to comfortable sofas, a pool desk and a financial institution of old-school video video games and pinball machines.
Including to the festive really feel, Tuesday nights convey trivia quizzes, weekends provide beer slushies, and the menu contains all the pieces from empanadas and pretzels to Barebottle wine and low beans.
You’ll discover quite a lot of types among the many 20+ faucets, together with 13 hoppy IPAs. I actually favored Muir Woods, a Hazy IPA with fascinating pine and citrus notes not usually present in hazies. In addition they provide malt-driven beers, sours, lagers and stouts, together with a tasty and sophisticated imperial chocolate truffle stout referred to as Socola.
Particulars: The taproom opens at midday every day at 2520 Augustine Drive in Santa Clara Sq.; barebottle.com/santa-clara-taproom
Know an area brewery or brewpub that’s knocking it out of the park? Drop me a line at BrooksOnBeer@gmail.com and inform me why you're keen on them.