Single Thread Inn guest room. (Courtesy Single Thread)
Just in time for Valentine’s, luxury travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler (CNT) has lined up the 11 most romantic getaways in the United States – and the newly opened “Single Thread” in Healdsburg made the list.
Single Thread Inn guest room. (Courtesy Single Thread)
The much-hyped Single Thread farm-restaurant-inn joined other luxurious destinations on CNT’s list, including Napa’s Auberge du Soleil and Calistoga Ranch. The inn, which sits above the Single Thread restaurant, has only five rooms — all with Japanese-influenced decor. Chef Kyle Connaughton and farmer Katina Connaughton, the husband and wife team behind Single Thread, drew on their travels around Japan for inspiration. That aesthetic is also evident in sleek design details throughout the restaurant and kitchen. CNT also mentioned that an on-site greenhouse, chicken coops, beehives, and Chardonnay vines “give it all that extra sense of wine country cool.”
Romance at Single Thread comes at a price: $800-900 per night for a guest room, $1000-1,350 for a suite, and $295 per person for dinner (not including wine or non-alcoholic pairings).
See the full CNT list here. What do you think is the most romantic getaway in Sonoma County?
Guest Room at Single Thread (Courtesy Single Thread)
The Single Thread Restaurant. (Courtesy Single Thread)
If you’re reading this, we’re guessing there’s a fair chance you have a book club or two in your past. Excellent things, book clubs. But to be honest, sometimes the best part is the chance to get together with friends and drink great wine.
Why not get straight to the point and start a wine club instead! We’re not talking about a typical wine club, where you sign on with a single winery to receive a couple of bottles every month. Instead, extrapolate from the book club model and plan regular gatherings focusing on a few wines that push the boundaries of your knowledge a little, but more important, create good times. We’ve thrown the first party, to get you started.
Here’s the plan in four easy steps:
PICK A WINE THEME
Is there something about wine you’ve wanted to explore for a while? (Say, What’s the difference between Syrah and Petite Sirah? Or, Do rosés made from different grape varieties really taste different?) The idea is to settle on a theme (as you would a book) that will give you a handle on an interesting pocket of the wine world by the end of the evening.
The theme we chose for our party actually derives from a fun fact: In Burgundy, France, if a wine is white, it’s almost certainly Chardonnay; if it’s red, it’s Pinot Noir (those are the two dominant grapes grown there). An interesting question follows then: Do Chards and Pinots from Burgundy taste very different from West Coast versions? Perfect party theme: an Old World–New World comparison of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir! The handy bonus embedded here is the need for four bottles for the evening—not a bad number for four to six guests.
A knowledgeable wineshop clerk would be an invaluable resource for steering you to good bottles for most themes. For this party, though, we’ve made it even easier through Sunset’s new wine club, Firstleaf. We chose a white and a red Burgundy and a California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the club. Below is the lineup, in the order we set them up for our tasting, from lighter to fuller bodied.
Bottles for our party:
The set of four wines is available from our Firstleaf wine club ($50 with membership or $70 without membership):
Aurélien Verdet 2009 Bourgogne Blanc (Hautes-Côtes de Nuits)
Annabella 2014 Chardonnay (Napa Valley)
Bourchard Père & Fils 2014 Réserve (Bourgogne)
Calstar Cellars 2013 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley)
CREATE A MENU TO MATCH
The idea is to come up with a substantial nibble to pair with each wine—which together add up to dinner. Helpful principles to think about are, first, match the weight of the food and wine (lighter foods with lighter-bodied wines, richer proteins with heavier-bodied wines); second, echo the wine’s flavors in your appetizers (fresh herbs, for instance, or specific spice flavors); finally, find complementary contrasts (acidity in wine cuts through rich foods, while lush fruit can tame heat).
We played with these principles in our Test Kitchen and came up with an appetizer for each wine. Our pairings were measured by the heartiness of the thumbs-up from the staff.
Recipes
Mustard-Tarragon Shrimp Toasts
For the white Burgundy
Sweet, succulent shrimp are a great flavor and texture match with Chardonnay. But the minerality and bracing acidity of the Burgundian Chard make an excellent foil for Dijon mustard and fresh tarragon. Recipe: Mustard-Tarragon Shrimp Toasts
Chilled Corn Soup with Seared Scallops and Crisp Onions
For the Chardonnay
Fresh summer corn is one of slightly buttery Chardonnay’s dear friends. We’ve stacked the deck here with two others—tender scallops and caramelized onions, which echo the sweet toastiness in the wine. Recipe: Chilled Corn Soup with Seared Scallops and Crisp Onions
Moroccan-Spiced Lamb Chops with Charmoula
For the red Burgundy
An earthy Burgundian Pinot Noir is likely to have both warm and savory spices. We paired this one with a sauce that includes cinnamon and smoked paprika, as a bridge to the entire spectrum. Recipe: Moroccan-Spiced Lamb Chops with Charmoula
Asian Duck Wraps with Hoisin Dipping Sauce
For the California Pinot Noir
Duck is always a good starting point with the bright red fruit of Pinot. But with the riper, sweeter-seeming California version, we’ve matched a sweeter sauce and the warm range of spices included in Chinese five spice. Recipe: Asian Duck Wraps with Hoisin Dipping Sauce
Shortcut option: Buy, don’t cook
If time is short, or your interest leans more to wine than cooking, substitute purchased appetizers for one (or all) of the pairings. Look to gourmet markets or creative ethnic restaurants for these picks.
Seafood sausages with a Dijon–crème fraîche dipping sauce for the white Burgundy (just mix a little mustard into crème fraîche).
Chicken empanadas with mango salsa for the California Chardonnay.
Duck-liver pâté or duck carnitas tacos for the red Burgundy.
A mix of charcuterie and sausages or, alternatively, Latin-style pulled, slow-roasted-pork tacos for the California Pinot Noir.
CREATE THE MOOD
One thing a wine party shouldn’t be is formal. Precious linens and china only make guests more intimidated. Exuberant flowers, though, say, Celebrate! Just choose varieties that are fragrance-free, so the wines’ aromas won’t have any competition (such as the dahlias, ranunculus, and scabiosa in our arrangement pictured here).
Arrange all four appetizers on one plate for each guest, in the order you’ll be tasting them. And arrange four wineglasses in the same order at each place setting. Ours are wide-bowled—the shape that’s best for enjoying the aromas and flavors of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. For napkins, go with a multicolored casual fabric that won’t show wine spills. Finally, provide tasting-cards.
START THE CONVERSATION
Start tasting and writing notes on those cards! The most effective process is sip of wine, bite of food, another sip. First try our suggested pairings, then mix and match to see if you agree, or whether you like other combos better.
The talk at our party
By way of a conversation starter, here are some general similarities and contrasts to look for between the Old World and New World wines.
The Chardonnays
No matter where it’s grown, this variety typically carries flavors of apple, pear, and citrus. White Burgundies tend to have an
underlying minerality (limestone, concrete, wet stones); think earth versus fruit. The fruit flavors in California Chards, on the other hand, tend to be riper and seem sweeter (even if the wine is dry). Many versions are more buttery than their French counterparts, and show the effect of oak aging, with butterscotch, toast, vanilla, and spice.
The Pinot Noirs
Markers for this variety are cherry and berry fruit (ranging from dark to bright red, even to cranberry); warm spices (cloves,
coriander, cinnamon, cumin); and often a loamy forest-floor quality (look for mushrooms). The same Old World–New World split is true here: It’s earth versus fruit. In red Burgundies, you can almost taste the dirt. In California—speaking in broad strokes—cherry and red berries tend to tell the story.
Photo by Thomas J. Story; prop styling by Bianca Soleto; food styling by Karen Shinto.
Vineyard Retreat This Sonoma County home capitalizes on its vineyard views. Three levels of windows give every room a gorgeous view—even the master closet.
Coastal Getaway
A huge dining bay gives dinnertime guests an unobstructed view of the Sonoma coast.
Panoramic View
The vineyard views of this Sonoma County home are enhanced by a wall of windows and four sets of French doors. Low-profile storage is provided underneath the windows so to not obstruct the view.
Mountain Views
Gorgeous views of the Santa Ynez Mountains are provided by this glass-walled Montecito home. As wildfires often ravage this part of the Santa Barbara coast, the architects chose fire-resistant materials (steel, concrete) for the construction.
Double Exposure
Each floor of this Santa Monica home offers a great view. Open up the master bedroom’s awning windows or slide open the ground-floor doors for even more exposure.
Modern Duplex
Designed by Richard Neutra, one of America’s foremost modern architects, this duplex in San Francisco glows from its floor-to-ceiling steel-framed windows.
Elegant Warehouse
Although it looks like this house has no walls or windows, it’s due to the garage-like doors of glass and steel that can be rolled up to embrace the outdoors. A band of clerestory windows runs along the northern, neighbor-facing side of the house to provide privacy.
Modern Country Style
Being in the California countryside, this family wanted to make the most of their rural setting. Every room in the house gives a different view of the outdoors. Walls facing the valley are made almost entirely of glass, and from the inside it almost feels like you are sitting by the pool.
Transparent Home
With tall window walls that provide panoramic views, the airy, almost transparent home in Hawaii sits atop a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Indoor-Outdoor Design
Sustainable features, native plants, and plenty of glass walls and panoramic windows up the ante on a seamless integration of indoors and out at this home in California.
Forest Getaway
Seemingly made of just glass and wood, this home melts away into the surrounding trees. Ceiling height and daylight exposure is maximized in the main living spaces with a band of clerestory windows.
Arizona Ranch House
A wall of windows open up this home’s kitchen, dining room, and living room to their pool, keeping with the fun 1960s vibe.
Simplistic Design
This small home embraces the outdoors with eye-popping glass windows and modern, streamlined design.
Shroomaluma burger at Slamburger in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
Maurice Mikel has spent years trying to create the perfect hamburger. Call it something of an obsession for the Jordanian immigrant, who recently opened Petaluma’s Slamburger.
Inside the bright fast-casual spot it’s hard to pick just one of his creations: The menu ranges from ahi tuna with wasabi mayo and tamarind, to a lamb burger with garlic aioli and olive chimichurri, to a straight-up burger with all the fixings, hot dogs, and even a kale salad.
One thing they all have in common, however: Big flavors. Influenced by the aromatic herbs and spices of his homeland and an obsession with juicy American burgers, Mikel is on an epic quest to become Northern California’s ultimate burgermeister.
Lamb Slam burger at Slamburger in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
“Most burger places are just meat, lettuce, tomato and ketchup, but I wanted to add something unique to get people’s attention and curiosity,” he said.
“I love burgers,” said Mikel, whose favorite menu item is the “Cheese Slam” with sharp white cheddar.
“I was so sick of fast food that’s all commodity meat full of hormones. I want to change the habit of fast food meaning junk food,” he said. “I just didn’t want to feed my kid that,” said Mikel, who has a 16-month old son.
Happy customer at Slamburger in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
Add in plenty of kid-friendly options at the Petaluma restaurant, from stripped-down burgers to hot dogs, and shakes; a solid beer and wine menu ; French fries with an egg on top; beer-battered pickles and a very non-carnivorous Kale salad with candied walnuts, clover sprouts and lemon vinaigrette, and it’s not hard to see how Mikel’s Slamburger wouldn’t be ripe for franchising. Which is exactly what Mikel is hoping to do.
“My dream is to make this a Northern-California based chain,” he said.
Slamburger in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PDSlamburger in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
First, however, he’s working to perfect the concept. Just two months after opening, Mikel is already tweaking the seasonings on his Lamb Slam, trying to get customer costs down and constantly assessing what’s working on the menu and what’s not. When we met up with him one morning, he brought a still-warm lamb patty that was light-years better than the one we enjoyed the day before.
“See better, right?” he asked. Right.
Frickles and aioli at Slamburger in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
Sourcing from nearby Mindful Meats, one of the first beef companies to be certified GMO-free and organic.
“More than 70 percent of our food is organic, and all of our food comes from good sources,” said Mikel, who is also making the buns and fries in house.
Using high-end meats and organic ingredients, however, adds to food costs. Some Yelp customers have been vocal about $10 to $15 cost for some of the more elaborate burgers (plain and cheeseburgers are $7 and $7.50), which don’t come with fries included (they’re $2.65 extra, meaning you still could get a Slamburger meal for under $10, which is rare in Sonoma County.)
Ahi tuna burger at Slamburger in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
Mikel takes to the web to answer customer concerns frequently and said he plans to cut prices by at least 20 percent since renegotiating his vendor contracts. Though we thought the prices were well in line with other fast-casual restaurant menus, and our bill was $66 for three premium burgers, two sides, a salad and two soft drinks. Even though we’ve paid far more for less quality; you can’t make everyone happy.
Serving more than 200 people a day in their first 60 days of business, it seems the word is getting out, and Petalumans are trying out the new Theater District burger spot. Mikel still isn’t satisfied, however, as he continues to work on his Slamburger concept. “Happy people are our ambassadors,” he said.
Consider us very happy ambassadors.
Best bets at Petaluma’s Slamburger
Slamburger ($7 ): Nothing but a simple cheese-less burger, which can be swapped out for turkey, chicken or veggie patties. Lettuce wraps and gluten-free buns are also available.
Slam Fries at Slamburger in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
Slam Fries ($5): What, what? A hearty plate of fries smothered with garlic aioli, red onions and a fried egg. The egg yolk could have been a bit runnier for our tastes, but otherwise, delish.
Cajun Brussels Sprouts ($5): Healthy-ish? Who cares.
Kale salad at Slamburger in Petaluma. Heather Irwin/PD
Kale Salad ($7.50): Shaved Parmesan, clover sprouts, candied walnuts, Granny Smith Apple, watermelon radish with lemon vinaigrette. A perfect foil for an order of Beer Battered Frickle Bites ($4).
Slam Dog ($8.50): Bacon wrapped dog with caramelized onion, Slam Sauce, scallion.
Slamburger is at 5 Petaluma Blvd. South, Petaluma, 707-658-1845, theslamburger.com. Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Model homes at the new residential development Sagewood at Ragle Ranch, in Santa Rosa. January 12, 2006. (The Press Democrat/ Christopher Chung) cc0112_HomesSagewood.jpg
Christopher Chung
U.S. News & World Report, best known for its influential Best Colleges and Best Hospital rankings, has analyzed the most populous metro areas in the United States to find the best places to live – and Santa Rosa came in on #52.
Homes at the residential development Sagewood at Ragle Ranch, in Santa Rosa. (Christopher Chung)
The rankings, intended to “help readers make the most informed decision when choosing where to settle down,” are based on evaluations of each metro area using data from trusted sources like the United States Census Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Labor and U.S. News’ own internal resources. To make the top of the list, a place had to offer a good value; be a desirable place to live, have a strong job market and a high quality of life.
Santa Rosa, described in the U.S. News ranking as “the hub of economic activity in northern California’s wine country,” scored high in the “desirability,” “job market,” and “quality of life” categories, while high real estate prices and shortage on affordable housing lowered the “value” score. U.S. News highlighted Santa Rosa’s warm climate, picturesque setting, gourmet restaurants, high-end shops, farm-to-table movement, and beer and wine industries. Santa Rosa’s abundant parks, numerous gyms and bike-friendly rural roads, were also mentioned as local perks. The ranking underlined that Santa Rosa has a lower crime rate, a higher “college readiness” score, and a comparable job market to similarly sized metro areas. Santa Rosa’s overall score was 6.5. The #1 city on the list, Austin, TX, had a 7.8 overall score. Denver, CO, came in on #2; San Jose, CA, on #3. San Francisco made #16.
Read the U.S. News ranking and description of Santa Rosa here.
A selection of Wines at The Panel wine shop in Sonoma.
A selection of Wines at The Panel wine shop in Sonoma.
You know the routine by now: you go to a winery, enjoy the wines, join the wine club, and every few months you get a credit card charge and an invitation to a wine pick up party to mix and mingle with other wine club members.
It’s an investment that requires serious brand dedication. For this reason, wine clubs have become big business for wineries. And for that reason, The Panel is disrupting the concept of the wine club in the way Uber changed the way we get around town.
The Panel has created a new wine club featuring wines selected by industry insiders (Photo: Allyson Wiley)
Based in Sonoma, The Panel is devoted to discovering small production, unique wines, with the help from literally, a panel. Every month, co-owners Windee Smith and Chad Richards select 12 to 15 wines from around the world. That selection is whittled down by a panel of four industry insiders who select three premium wines for wine club members to enjoy.
This month’s panel included Sondra Bernstein (restauranteur, owner of the girl & the fig), Virginie Boone (contributing editor, Wine Enthusiast), Tracy Hall (wine specialist at Selene Winery) and Mia Klein (winemaker).
The Panel tasting room in downtown Sonoma. (Photo: Jason Tinacci)
“Our goal is to place the absolute best wines into our club member’s hands,” shared Windee Smith, who founded William Cross Wine Merchants in San Francisco and operated the Valley Wine Shack in Sonoma for eight years prior to launching The Panel. “We created The Panel process to eliminate the guessing game everyone goes through when searching for new and exciting wines.”
The Panel also wants wine club members to discover their inner wine geek. Each member gets a notebook that includes information on each wine they receive, so they can create a personal encyclopedia of the the wines they enjoy.
Mia Klein, Sondra Bernstein, Virginia Boone and Tracy Hall participate in a blind tasting of wines at the Panel (Photo: Jason Tinacci)
The Panel’s wine club starts at a mere $99 – a great price point for a monthly wine club that features three wines hand selected by some of the most respected people in the wine industry. You don’t have to be a wine club member to enjoy the wines selected by The Panel: they have wine shop in downtown Sonoma which is open to the public.
The Panel is located at 535 W. Napa St., Sonoma. (707) 938-7152. panelwines.com
As we close out 2016, here’s a look back at some of our favorite Sonoma homes from 2016 – all featured in Sonoma Magazine.
A Small Home with Big Style in Sonoma
Josh Heiser and Steve Burns love their country-with-urban-benefits lifestyle. Their property is perfect because it has two buildings: a tiny cottage not far from the sidewalk where they work, and at the far end a building they remodeled into 1,100 square feet of home sweet home. Their work commute involves walking a limestone path past the pool and lovely outside living area to the partners desk in the cottage, which houses their wine marketing and strategic planning firm, O’Donnell Lane. More photos and article here.
Creative Couple Transforms Sebastopol Ranch House Into Joyful Work of Art
Many travelers on Ragle Road in Sebastopol have done double takes as an unremarkable, 1963 California ranch-style house has been slowly transformed into an astonishing piece of living art. Called Chez La Vie, it’s the home of Carole and Don Watanabe, who bought the place in 2011. Carole is an artist who specializes in vivid colors in a variety of media. She paints, cuts tile, sculpts, builds, and more, with great energy. Don, an architect, brings sense and precision to her flair. More photos and article here.
A Treasured Kenwood Chateau
Three-hundred-year-old doors discovered in France welcome guests into Paul and Margie Denning’s home, which could be set in Provence in 1812, or perhaps Tuscany, circa 1771.The European-style chateau in Kenwood is so expertly achieved that only the posh, pristine powder rooms, ne plus ultra appliances and oh-so-chic interior décor whisper 2016 reality. More photos and article here.
Healdsburg Tract Home Transformed with Budget Friendly Updates
The exterior of Ben Dhong’s house doesn’t look much different from the others on his Healdsburg block, where homes are wedged tightly along a ribbon of sidewalk. But inside, this plain 1980s tract home wears an unexpected glamour. Those who walk through the door forget they’re in a subdivision. More photos and article here.
Modern Wine Country Home with a Renaissance Touch
Situated on Westside Road southwest of Healdsburg, the home of Lisa and Trini Amador is a stark contrast to other estates in the Russian River Valley, the ones hidden behind locked gates, vineyard foliage and lush landscaping. With its rough-hewn stucco exterior, three-level “pinwheel” roof and walls of glass, the Amador house is front and center, for all to appreciate. More photos and article here.
Valley Ford Farmhouse Gets a Makeover
Joe and Missy Adiego and their daughters Avery, Hadley, and Leary live a “Little House on the Prairie” existence with all kinds of farm animals. They also make sheep milk, butter and Ice cream. Their remodeled four bedroom, three baths 1,700 square foot house is a virtual palace, sequestered at the end of a long driveway fronted by a blue and red barn. More photos and article here.
Petaluma Heritage Home with a British Twist
That their house is on English Street was perhaps destiny for Caroline Hall and Brad Villegiante, who through hard work and a keen sense of style turned a weathered, weary 1920s Petaluma cottage into an utterly lovable home. Hall’s mother was born in England and Caroline has dual citizenship, identifying strongly with her British heritage. The studio above the garage is a tribute to her roots, with Union Jack pillows, “Keep Calm and Carry On” and other British prints, and a lamp from Anthropologie made of piled teacups. More photos and article here.
Former Stable Gets a Leg Up
Rancho Wikiup, a 100-year-old stable where famous thoroughbreds once pranced, is now home to Carlos and Nancy Guevara, who renovated the property and raised their family there. When their children trotted off, they turned this landmark that housed horse soldiers during World War II into a wedding and event venue extraordinaire. More photos and article here.
Petaluma, the setting for numerous major motion pictures, returns to the big screen this Friday as local film producer Ali Afshar’s latest movie, “Running Wild,” premieres in theaters across the nation.
Andrea Raffin / Shutterstock
Starring Sharon Stone as a billionaire villain, “Running Wild” tells the story of a young widow trying to save her ranch following her husband’s death by working with convicts to rehabilitate a herd of wild horses that have wandered onto her property. The movie, which was shot in Sonoma County and Napa, and includes scenes from The Pullman Kitchen in Santa Rosa, also features “Wilfred” star Dorian Brown Pham as the widow and “Sons of Anarchy’s” Tommy Flanagan as the leader of the convicts. Alex Ranarivelo (“The Dog Lover”) directed the film from a script by Brian Rudick and co-producer Christina Moore; it was financed and produced by Forrest Lucas and Ali Afshar of ESX Entertainment.
Producer Ali Afshar monitors a scene being filmed from the movie “Running Wild” at the The Pullman Kitchen in Santa Rosa. (Beth Schlanker)
Ali Afshar, a Petaluma native and Casa Grande graduate turned award-winning Hollywood producer, actor, writer and director, has previously made five films in his hometown; “Running Wild” is the first to have a nationwide theatrical release (the remaining films’ releases are in the works). On Friday, Afshar will attend the red carpet premiere of “Running Wild” at Boulevard Cinemas in Petaluma. The event will include a meet-and-greet with Afshar and two film screenings, one at 7:00 p.m. and one at 9:10 p.m. Regular admission tickets cost $10.25 and are available in advance at Fandango.com and on Friday at the theater’s box office.
Actress Dorian Brown preps for a scene as boom operator Corryn Deegan checks the sound during filming of the movie “Running Wild” at the The Pullman Kitchen in Santa Rosa. (Beth Schalnker)Sharon Stone at the set of “Running Wild” at the Petaluma Municipal Airport. (Scott Manchester)Sharon Stone in “Running Wild.”
One of the best times to enjoy the Sonoma County beer scene is during SF Beer Week when brews are flowing into the Bay Area from all corners of the world. This year, the ten day epic event happens February 10 – 19. Here are 7 Beer Week happenings you won’t want to miss out on in Sonoma County:
Fraser Ross pours a beer for the Friday crowd at Fogbelt Brewing Company in Santa Rosa. (Conner Jay)
Limited Release Cossack Imperial Stout at Third Street Aleworks, in Santa Rosa:This big 10.2% AVB beer was tapped on Winter Solstice but Third Street Aleworks has held off on releasing the beer bottles until SF Beer Week. The beer has a full mouthfeel dominated by dark chocolate flavors and balanced bittering from Nugget, Northern Brewer, and Centennial hops.
Henhouse Brewing’s Big Chicken Release (Feb 17): This double IPA (DIPA), dry hopped with Citra, Amarillo, and Mosaic hops, is made only once per year. A limited amount of cans will be packaged on this date and sold until they run out.
St. Florian’s Brewery in Windsor is turning four and they’re celebrating it with a birthday beer bash.
Amy Levin pours St. Florian beer at Sonoma County Beerfest. (Alvin Jornada)
On February 11, from 12 – 8 pm, St. Florian’s will be pouring pints to the sweet sound of some soul, funk and blues from the Renovators Band. There will be food trucks and plenty of beer on tap, including the brewery’s Flashover IPA, California Common, 48/96 Sessionable Ale, Brown Ale, Belgian-Style Überschlag™ IPA, Bourbon Barrel Aged Brown Ale, Extreme Conditions DIPA, Bellarosa Engine Stout, and Winey Siren Red Wine Barrel Aged Brown Ale.
Husband and wife owners Aron and Amy Levin stand with the tanks at St. Florian’s Brewery in Windsor. Aron, who also works as a full time firefighter, named the brewery after the patron saint of firefighters. (Conner Jay)
St Florian’s is a labor of love for husband and wife team Amy and Aron Levin. With a constantly busy schedule (Aron is a full time firefighter and Amy takes care of their two little boys), the Levins spend their “free time” brewing beer and running the tap-station in Windsor. They’ve created a nice and family-friendly space at their taproom, just minutes from the Windsor Town Green, with boardgames, foosball, a patio outside and a sandbox for the kids. The Windsor brewery also supports a good cause: 5 percent of all proceeds go to fire related and community based organizations.
St Florian’s Brewery, 704 Bell Rd, Windsor, CA 95492, (707) 838-2739, stfloriansbrewery.com
The patio at St. Florian’s Brewery in Windsor. (Tim Vallery)
