Story by Tina Caputo, with John Beck, Sarah Doyle, Jennifer Graue, and Heather Irwin

It’s early spring in Sonoma County, and for beer lovers that can only mean one thing: It’s Pliny the Younger season. Between March 20 and April 2, Russian River Brewing Company expects to see 26,000 beer fanatics from around the world lining up outside its Santa Rosa and Windsor pubs for a 10-ounce pour of its world-famous triple IPA.

The brew’s annual release has become so significant to the region that the Sonoma County Economic Development Board creates a yearly estimate of the event’s economic impact. In 2024, Pliny tourists spent more than $5 million within the county.

However, despite the continued success of Pliny the Younger, the once-booming craft beer industry has faced major challenges in recent years — starting with the pandemic.  

During Covid lockdowns, packaged beer sales in retail stores across the country initially surged as people found themselves stuck at home with little to do. According to Chicago-based analyst NIQ, off-premise dollar sales were essentially flat for craft beer in 2019. Then, in 2020, sales spiked 14%.  

“For a while, people were drinking a lot, and they were using beer aisles like video stores,” says Sayre Piotrkowski, the executive director of the Bay Area Brewers Guild and a former brand manager at HenHouse Brewing Company in Santa Rosa. “[They thought,] ‘This, at least, is some form of entertainment. It’s something I can do.'”

But, he says, as the pandemic dragged on, people fell out of the habit of socializing and meeting up at breweries.   

Natalie Cilurzo, co-owner and president at Russian River Brewing Co., says navigating the pandemic was the easy part — if you could manage the restrictions and get some government funding. Getting back to business as usual in the aftermath was another story.

“It was never going to be what it was before Covid,” she says. “And then the money [for brewery financing] dried up and we saw costs skyrocketing — the cost of people, cost of insurance, the cost of ingredients.”

Piotrkowski points to additional headwinds, such as recent tariffs on imported brewing equipment and supplies, pressures on immigrant labor, a lack of disposable income among younger consumers, and market uncertainties.  

“Business needs predictability,” he says, “especially a small business with narrow margins. That kind of volatility, the smaller you are, it affects you more.”

Some local brewers have called it quits in the last few years, including Seismic Brewing and Woodfour Brewing in Sebastopol. Others, such as Bear Republic in Rohnert Park and Third Street AleWorks in Santa Rosa, are still brewing, but they’ve shuttered their taprooms.  

Despite the tough times, Cilurzo says she is optimistic. She views the difficulties of the last five years as right-sizing, and as a natural maturation of the sector.  

“It happens in every industry and it’s OK,” she says. “You have to have some hard times in order to make your business and yourselves stronger. Now you’ve got to figure out a new way to move forward. I think it’s a really important time, and I think it’s really positive.”

Adam Bosch, co-founder of Parliament Brewing, agrees. He opened the Rohnert Park brewery with his father and brother in 2019, just before the pandemic hit.

“Everything in life is cyclical,” he says. “Look for the people that are making good beer, look for the people that are growing, look for the people that are giving good hospitality. Those people are going to be here in the long run.”

As of early 2026, there are 20 beer producers operating in the region, down from 22 at the height of craft beer’s heyday in 2015. This doesn’t include beer bars or outposts for out-of-county producers such as Berkeley’s Fieldwork Brewing Co., which opened a taproom in downtown Santa Rosa in November 2025.  

Meanwhile, established breweries are growing and evolving.  

In the summer of 2024, Old Caz Beer opened a new, much-larger taproom at SOMO Village in Rohnert Park. In contrast to the original warehouse location, hidden behind some auto shops, the SOMO spot was built for visitor friendliness. Along with a large front patio, the modern taproom features rotating food trucks and an in-house food menu.  

Cooperage Brewing Company also added a second location, in downtown Santa Rosa, in late 2024. The new, larger taproom — decked out in vibrant murals and equipped with pinball machines and pool tables — also hosts a variety of food trucks.   

Parliament is now in the midst of a major construction project designed to add more cold storage, a larger cellar area, and expanded tank space. Eventually, the brewery plans to include more indoor and outdoor seating, additional bathrooms, and space for activities like cornhole.  

“We’d really like to make it a social hub for Sonoma County,” Bosch says. “People don’t just buy your beer. It’s the culture, the service, the ambiance, the atmosphere.”

In this new era of Sonoma County craft brewing, Piotrkowski says producers are taking a more intentional approach to hospitality, rather than treating their taprooms as an afterthought.  

“You’ve seen even more emphasis on making sure the tasting room experience is sound and responding to the demands of the people who come in,” he says. That includes welcoming both kids and dogs. “Everybody’s pivoting to catering to families.”

Increasingly, Sonoma County brewers are leaning into the role of community gathering place.

Sonoma Springs Brewing Co. in Sonoma organizes regular bingo nights to raise money for local nonprofits, while Old Possum Brewing Co. in Santa Rosa offers weekend pop-ups featuring birria and menudo. Cooperage hosts beer and yoga sessions, and annual events like the CoopMania Taco Festival and Lucha Libre wrestling.  

“They’re doing things that bring people together,” says Herlinda Heras, co-host of the “Brew Ha Ha” podcast on Wine Country Radio and an international beer judge. That includes everything from hosting team trivia nights to throwing beer release parties and live music events.  

Brewers also foster community by stepping up in times of crisis, she adds, whether people are impacted by wildfires, floods, or injustice. “They’re the first ones to do a fundraiser,” says Heras, “or to do a special beer for it or a collaboration. Beer people show up.”

Creating a “we’re-all-in-this-together” vibe can also be as simple as cultivating a friendly atmosphere for all comers.  

“If you go to Russian River Brewing any day of the week or the year, you’ll see some regulars sitting at the bar or at a table,” she says. “Those regulars are absolutely happy to talk to somebody who’s visiting, whether they’re here for business or beer.”

Cilurzo credits the brewery’s laser focus on customer service with attracting and retaining those regulars. Though wholesale distribution accounts for the majority of sales, she says, the retail side of the business is the top priority.

“I firmly believe that our attention to detail and our hypervigilance on hospitality is what keeps people coming back,” she says. “Because it could be a one-time deal. Like, ‘OK, I stood in line for six hours in the rain, I had my three beers, I bought my three bottles, I had some good food, check that off the list.’ We don’t want that.”

For Old Caz, maintaining a welcoming space means taking time to get to know each customer and making sure the brewery feels like a place of belonging.  

“Everybody who walks in here, I know all these people on a first-name basis,” says general manager Rob Saccuzzo. “I know whose kid is graduating this year from Rancho Cotate High School down the street, I know who just started a new job. These are relationships that not just I, but my whole bartending staff, have cultivated.”

And when you make people feel at home, he adds, they want to come in and celebrate the best points in their lives, as well as commiserating about their low points. “I think that our biggest success has been the way we’ve been accepted by the community.”  

Sonoma County brewers also keep people coming back with rotating lineups of top-notch beer.  

Russian River Brewing is dedicated to the core beer lineup that put them on the map, Cilurzo says, but they also like to keep things interesting. Each of the brewery’s locations offers around 22 beers on draft, including limited releases. Earlier this year, Russian River introduced Russian River 100, its first hoppy West Coast Pilsner.  

At Parliament, the Bosch family takes a “something for everyone” approach, maintaining a diverse lineup of brews from IPAs to fruit-infused sours. For those who aren’t beer fans or want gluten-free options, the brewery also makes hard seltzers.  

“You have to always keep innovating, and you always have to listen to your clientele as well as the changes in the market,” says Bosch. “There were a lot of people that didn’t want to make hazy IPAs out here on the West Coast, but I can tell you our number one selling beer is Kaleidoscope and it’s a hazy IPA.”

Piotrkowski says the ever-increasing quality of Sonoma County craft beer is fueled by community support. Old Caz made perfectly good brews when the producer first started out, he says, but now it’s winning national and international awards.  

“Because their community supported them, they got better funded so they could buy better ingredients and they could refine their processes,” Piotrkowski says. “So now this thing you supported because it was your friends and your community is offering you some of the best West Coast IPA in the world and award-winning Mexican lager.”

“Because Sonoma County beer lovers have been savvy enough to support local,” he says, “they’ve got a really healthy, really high-quality set of local breweries delivering for them.”

Sonoma County’s Breweries

Barrel Brothers Brewing 9238 Old Redwood Hwy., Suite 128, Windsor. barrelbrothersbrewing.com

Cooperage Brewing Co. 981 Airway Court, Suite G, Santa Rosa. 575 Ross St., Santa Rosa. cooperagebrewing.com

Crooked Goat 110 Howard St., Petaluma. crookedgoatbrewing.com

Cuver Belgian Brewers 7704 Bell Road, Windsor. cuverbrewing.com

Fogbelt 1305 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa. Fogbelt Station 410 Hudson St., Healdsburg. fogbeltbrewing.com 

HenHouse Brewing Company 322 Bellevue Ave., Santa Rosa. HenHouse Palace of Barrels 1333 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma. henhousebrewing.com

Iron Ox 3334 Industrial Drive, Santa Rosa. ironoxbeer.com

Lagunitas Brewing Co. 1280 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma. lagunitas.com

Moonlight Brewing Co. 3350 Coffey Lane, Suites A & D, Santa Rosa. moonlightbrewing.com

Old Caz Beer Somo Village, 1500 Valley House Drive, Suite 110, Rohnert Park. oldcaz.com

Old Possum 357 Sutton Place, Santa Rosa. oldpossumbrewing.com

Parliament Brewing Company 5865 Labath Ave., Unit 9, Rohnert Park. parliamentbrewing.com

Russian River Brewing Co. 725 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 700 Mitchell Lane, Windsor. russianriverbrewing.com

Shady Oak 420 First St., Santa Rosa. shadyoakbrewing.com

Sonoma Springs Brewing Co. 19449 Riverside Drive, Suite 101, Sonoma. sonomaspringsbrewing.com

Stumptown 15045 River Road, Guerneville. stumptown.com

Wolf House Brewing 131 E. First St., Cloverdale. wolfhousebrewing.com

Taprooms with out-of-county brewing facilities

Adobe Creek 140 Second St., Suite 112, Petaluma. adobecreekbrewing.com

Fieldwork Brewing Co. 2400 Midway Drive, Santa Rosa. fieldworkbrewing.com

Still brewing but no taproom

Third Street Aleworks drink03st.com

Bear Republic bearrepublic.com

Great food with your brew

In 2020, brothers Omar and Ivan Galvan took a gamble on a red taco truck. Five years later, they were running three trucks — and in early 2026 opened their first brick-and-mortar taproom and beer garden in Cotati.

They’re hardly alone. Food trucks and pop-ups that built loyal followings at brewery patios — fueled by Instagram and repeat customers — are increasingly using that momentum to make the leap. The pandemic accelerated the trend: Sonoma County rules required breweries to serve sit-down meals to pour beer, and without kitchens, many turned to trucks. Almost overnight, tasting rooms became casual, family-friendly gathering spots with tacos, picnic tables, kids, and dogs.

For fledgling food businesses, that built-in audience has become a workaround to the soaring cost of opening a restaurant, which can easily top $1 million in Sonoma County.

The Shokakko food truck made such a splash at early pop-ups at OP Comics & Games, breweries had to get in on the action. In late 2025, it landed a tiny Santa Rosa catering site serving its towering fried chicken sandwiches and pork katsu fries for pickup or patio hangs. Wooden Petal Pretzels followed a similar brewery-to-brick path, as did Austin’s BBQ (now A&M BBQ), which started in the kitchen of Old Possum Brewing.

Now, attention is turning to the next wave. Fans are watching — and hoping — that pizza phenoms Gabacool Provisions, Mamadios, with its authentic Philly cheesesteaks, and Bayou on the Bay will make the jump from the brewery circuit into permanent digs.

For breweries with in-house kitchens, these are our picks for dishes that are even better when washed down with a cold one.

Barrel Brothers Kitchen: A mind-blowing 39 taps let you mix and match brews with your food mood, like Dad Pants Pilsner with your double-patty smashburger or Hazy with your tater tot nachos.

Russian River Brewing Co.: If you can push through the Pliny devotees and score a seat, order like a regular: pepperoni and cheese New Yorker pizza, Pliny pizza bites with white cheddar and jalapeno, and garlic bread — because carbs. In Windsor, there’s more room to hang and eat pulled pork sliders, fish tacos, or an ice cream sundae with porter-infused dark chocolate sauce.

Wolf House Brewing: The Cloverdale Twinkie dares you to eat it. This bacon-wrapped, beer-battered, and deep-fried jalapeno stuffed with cream cheese and avocado is Wolf House’s signature app. The rest of the menu is equally audacious, with gut-busting burgers and the mouth-sizzling FaceMelter fried chicken sandwich.

Lagunitas Brewing Company Taproom: Lagunitas’ back-patio Beer Sanctuary flies just under the radar, drawing mostly locals sipping new releases with dogs and kids in tow. Go for brewhouse nachos with IPA beer cheese, smoked wings, or the messy-delicious burger that holds its own against their hoppy West Coast IPAs.

Stumptown Brewery: A lazy afternoon of burgers, cheese fries, and barbecue along the Russian River is about as good as summer in Sonoma County gets.

Fogbelt Brewery and Fogbelt Station: Don’t overthink it, you’re here for elote nachos, quesabirria tacos, smothered cheese fries, and pork belly bao sliders. And the beer. In Healdsburg, swap the tacos for a slice of deep-dish Detroit-style pizza. And don’t miss the monthly food and beer pairing at the Santa Rosa location featuring four beer tasters with a selection of bites. Recent pairings included lasagna, bacon, and an international array of sliders.

The best beer alternatives for dry spells

Nonalcoholic beer has come a long way since Prohibition, when breweries like Anheuser-Busch, Miller, and Pabst were forced to produce “near beer,” an insipid malt beverage with most of its alcohol removed.

In contrast, many modern nonalcoholic beers are clean and crisp, with a kaleidoscope of hop aromas and flavors that work hard to convince your senses you’re drinking the real thing.

Brewers do this a number of ways, using vacuum distillation, reverse osmosis, or a spinning cone to remove alcohol, while boosting mouthfeel (which typically comes from alcohol) with additives like protein and dextrin, and reintroducing aroma through cold dry-hopping.

While this may sound complicated, many nonalcoholic beers are simply
crushable.

Hop water, a sparkling, zero-calorie beverage that capitalizes on hops’ bright citrus notes, is another NA alternative.

Here are some of our favorites:

Fieldwork Brewing: The Berkeley-based brewery opened its first Sonoma County location last year in Santa Rosa’s Montgomery Village. CEO Barry Braden’s mantra is to “offer something for everyone,” including NA beers, which have been flying off the shelves. Choose from Encore NA Hazy IPA, Headliner NA West Coast IPA, Day Money NA Grapefruit Blonde, and Light NA American Pils.

Barrel Brothers Brewing Co.: This Windsor brewery compares its NA Dad Pants Pilsner to “a trusty pair of go-to trousers.”

HenHouse Brewing/Fort Point Beer Company: Fort Point Beer Company recently introduced two NA beers, produced and poured at its sister brand, HenHouse Brewing. Citrusy and floral, NA Villager is a San Francisco-style IPA, while the NA KSA Kölsch is light and complex with a bright, flavorful finish.

Lagunitas: The IPNA is a nonalcoholic version of this Petaluma brewery’s popular IPA, with slightly herbal, bright citrus notes and less than 0.5% alcohol by volume.

Cooperage Brewing Co.: Terpé hop water is a highly carbonated, nonalcoholic tonic infused with hop oils. Says Cooperage’s owner, Tyler Smith: “It’s crisp, refreshing, and instantly invites another sip.”

Old Caz Beer: Creek Water is a nonalcoholic sparkler with bright citrus notes from hop extract. Not into hops? Try Old Caz’s ultra-smooth nitro cold brew coffee with notes of hazelnut and vanilla.

Russian River Brewing Co.: The simply named Hop Water is ultra-light and refreshing. “A lot of hop waters have sweetener, which I don’t like,” says Natalie Cilurzo, co-owner of Russian River Brewing Co. “Ours is just water and hops.”

Brewers freshen up with hard seltzers

We get it: Not everyone loves beer. But that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the fun at local breweries. Alongside their traditional offerings, many Sonoma County brewers craft their own hard seltzers.

While sales of mass-produced brands have been declining for the last few years, artisan seltzers haven’t lost their sparkle.

Justin Bosch, head brewer at Parliament Brewing in Rohnert Park, says he started making them two years ago in response to customer demand. At first, he wasn’t quite sure what he was doing.

“The challenge was to learn and master an entire new beverage from scratch,” he says. “We did a lot of trials, and, as always with a completely new thing, we dumped a lot.”

To create the seltzers, Bosch starts with a neutral alcohol base, which is filtered and carbonated. Then, he adds natural flavors like Cara Cara orange and cantaloupe.

Although seltzer isn’t his drink of choice, Bosch says he enjoys making them. “It’s a fun change-up from the process of creating beer, and it keeps us sharp.”

Like Parliament, Old Caz Beer added a lineup of seltzers as a way to welcome people who don’t drink beer.

“Our slogan is ‘Everyone’s Invited,’” says general manager Rob Saccuzzo. “It’s just about reinforcing the fact that we care about what people want.”

Their top-selling seltzer is the bright red Surly Temple.

“We like to give people options,” Saccuzzo says, “and have fun doing it.”

Three to Try

Parliament Brewing

Cara Cara Passionfruit / 4.6% ABV

Parliament likes its seltzers on the dry and crisp side, and this one delivers. Its subtle flavors of real orange and passionfruit might just win over die-hard beer fans to the seltzer camp.

Crooked Goat Brewing

Office Party Cranberry Pomegranate / 5% Abv

Fresh and fruity with a touch of tartness, this one is tasty-but-sneaky. Packing lots of pomegranate and cranberry flavor, the seltzer’s alcohol profile is so under-the-radar you might mistake this for an NA version.

Old Caz Beer

Cosmo Imperial Hard Seltzer / 8% ABV

The brewery unapologetically crafts its seltzers on the sweeter side—and with beer-like alcohol levels. The Cosmo gets its name from the famous cocktail, and its pink color and orange flavor fit the profile.

Upcoming events brewing in the beer scene

Breweries are pros at crafting signature events that are always worth pulling up for.

Pliny the Younger Release

Russian River Brewing Co. — March 20-April 2

The pavement party (aka standing in line!) is part of the experience and a Sonoma County rite of passage.

3rd Annual Cheesesteak Day

Parliament Brewing Co. — March 21, noon to 8 p.m.

Anyone who has ever asked where to find an authentic Philly cheesesteak in Sonoma County should be here, otherwise they’re not even trying.

CoopMania

Cooperage Brewing Co. (Airway location) — May 2, noon to 10 p.m.

A daylong taco fest with a side of Lucha Libre wrestling is the best way to get the Cinco de Mayo party started.

Live at Lagunitas

Lagunitas Petaluma Taproom — Summer

The Lagunitas lawn is the place to be for this concert series that brings in big names, like indie pop band Japanese Breakfast that played a free show to a capacity crowd last year.

Clash of the Cuisines

Old Caz — June 20

Last year’s inaugural event was a blowout, pitting top food vendors in a culinary competition with a catch: Make whatever you want, as long as it’s never been on your menu before. The crowd, quite literally, ate it up.

Stumptown Beer Revival BBQ Cook-Off

Stumptown Brewery — August

Arguably the longest-running brewery event in the county brings together more than two dozen breweries and a barbecue competition. What could be better?

The locals making a splash in the beer scene

A beer-can artist taps visual flair

Walking past the beer aisle in the grocery store is tough for Nicky London.

“I always twist the cans so the labels show,” he says. “I do it for all the brands that I’ve worked with.”

One of the most sought-after beer-can artists in Sonoma County, London says he’s simply solving a problem for breweries in a crowded market by helping them stand out.

As art director and head of design at Cooperage, he’s created more than 100 labels for the Santa Rosa brewery. He also plies his trade as a freelance artist, painting cans for Fogbelt, Moonlight, and Marin County-based Pond Farm breweries.

In an age of eye-popping wraparound labels hyping a constant rotation of varieties, London taps into his own unique visual flair — sometimes trippy and cartoonish, other times macabre with dark, painterly brush strokes — often playing with pop cultural references.

For a “Clear and Loathing” beer, a play on a Hunter S. Thompson classic, he hid Easter eggs like flying stingrays and a creepy hitchhiker deep in the label.

Having worked in both the restaurant and wine industries, he loves the communal vibe of the beer business. “If you’re not buying my beer on the shelf and you’re buying somebody else’s, it’s still a win for beer. I don’t take those types of things personally. I’m like, hell yeah, people are still out there looking for fun stuff — and that gives you the drive to create the next fun thing.”

Favorite Beers:

• Cooperage Brewing’s Crispy Crusher American pale ale
• Moonlight brewing’s Death & Taxes black lager

Sonoma County’s classic comebacks

Fogbelt Brewing co-owner Paul Hawley remembers Red Tail Ale fondly. “That was the beer my dad used to drink, so that was the beer I’d grab from the fridge at home,” he says. The amber ale and flagship beer for Mendocino Brewing Company, which opened California’s first brewpub in 1983, developed a cult-like following.

The pub closed in 2018, but when a new owner bought the former Ukiah facility, he inherited its recipes and approached Fogbelt about a Red Tail revival. Hawley’s team consulted original brewers, then tweaked the recipe, adding a dry hop “to pop up the aromatics” before launching in March 2025.

It’s the latest blast from the past in local beer comebacks. In 2024, childhood buddies resurrected three Third Street Aleworks beers after the Santa Rosa brewpub shut down the previous year. Before that, Rich Norgrove of Bear Republic joined the Grace family, once synonymous with Sonoma County beer, to brew a limited release Grace Bros. Bavarian Lager. Russian River Brewing has long paid tribute to Grace Bros. with its Happy Hops IPA and Velvet Glow lager.

In an industry obsessed with the next new thing, it’s nice to look back, Hawley says. “People seem to be going back to stuff they know and like, rather than demanding something new all the time.”

Red Tail’s reception has been enthusiastic — Fogbelt is doubling production this year to 600 barrels. “Every week we get calls and emails from people grateful that it’s back,” says Hawley. As for his dad, who frequented the old Hopland brewpub and once trained red-tailed hawks, “He’s excited to have it in his fridge again.”

Favorite beers:

• Fogbelt’s Godwood Triple IPA
• Moonlight’s Reality Czech Pilsner

The brewer banking on Belgians

Born in Belgium and raised in the United States, brewer Hendrik Cuver has something to prove at Cuver Brewing in Windsor. “It’s really a cultural passion project,” he says. “We wanted to show people what beer would taste like if you had a Belgian beer in Belgium.”

It’s a bold move in a market over-saturated with hazies and other hop-driven IPAs. But people are taking notice. “I’ve had a lot of people tell us, ‘You’re the brewers’ favorite brewery.’ Since our Belgians are kind of unique, they like to come here,” Cuver says.

The name “Cuver” is an amalgam of his family’s last name, Verspecht, and his wife Amber’s maiden name, Cushing. “Put them together and it just happens to be a French verb that means ‘to ferment,'” he says.

His father, Jan Verspecht, is the owner, while his father-in-law, Reed Cushing, is the other brewer. Amber does the marketing.

A fourth-generation brewer, Cuver took up homebrewing at the age of 15. That’s when he began experimenting with adding Meyer lemon peel and California bay laurel leaves to the brew — what eventually became his signature Pepperwood saison ale, the brewery’s best seller.

Five years into the business, the ultimate compliment is when vacationing Belgians drop by for a beer. “When they tell me that it tastes like home, then I’m happy — that’s all I’m trying to do.”

Favorite beers:

• By Her BootStraps White IPA, a Cuver collaboration with the Pink Boots Society (March 2026 release)
• Old Caz Beer’s Bukovany Pivo Czech pilsner

A Sonoma County cicerone

While most are familiar with the term sommelier, an expert in wine, fewer are aware of the beer world equivalent — the cicerone. “Cicerone is Italian for guide,” explains Sebastopol resident Allo Gilinsky, one of a number of Sonoma County cicerones.

Gilinsky’s passion for a well-pulled pint began with beer drinking and bar hopping in college, then blossomed while tasting his way through flights at Lagunitas and working as a tour guide at Russian River Brewing Company’s Windsor facility during its early days. While working on the East Coast, he pursued a cicerone certification, a self-directed course of study that culminates with a written test and a tasting exam that requires aspiring cicerones to identify things like beer styles and off flavors. “Most of your certified cicerone studies are tasting bad beer,” says Gilinsky.

While many who complete the certification are brewers and taproom managers, the program is open to anyone who wants to wear their beer geek status as a badge of honor. “You become part of a community of people who are passionate about beer and beer education. It’s a ‘welcome to the club’ type of moment,” he says.

Since returning to Sonoma County from Boston last year, Gilinsky has focused on building his business, Craft Beer Concierge, providing beer education for beer lovers and businesses alike.

“I like to make beer approachable and intriguing to people. It brings people together over a beverage.”

Top 5 picks from a local beer expert

Wee Nibble Saison, Moonlight Brewing: “This one really scratches the itch for any lover of Belgian yeast and saisons. Pairs beautifully with food and sunshine.

Happy Hops, Russian River Brewing: “This hoppy offering doesn’t get quite the love it should. A beer that expertly bridges the palate for fans of both classic bitter and newer tropical IPAs, it’s got a boatload of hops in it and remains well balanced.”

Dark Sarcasm, Barrel Brothers Brewing: “For a robust beer, it doesn’t get much better for me than this porter that hits all the right notes of coffee and chocolate flavor. A great beer to drink, and an even better beer to cook with.”

Wok This Way, Cooperage Brewing: “A light yet flavorful lager that’s made with jasmine rice. One you want on their patio on a hot day and should not be missed.”

Dobbel, Cuver Brewing: “A beer that’s so true to style, I could cry. Belgian Dubbels are complex, warming, and meant to be drunk over conversation, and Cuver’s really hits the mark.”

The brewpubs hopping with fun and games

Welcome to the always hopping modern brewpub, where sometimes the beer itself is an afterthought. One night it’s cornhole, the next night trivia, or a concert, or maybe a trip back in time through a pinball arcade.

“Breweries are there for people to have beer, but they’re also there for people to spend time with each other and inspire conversation and make jokes and stuff,” says Trey Hart, a recent “Jeopardy” champion who hosts Redwood Empire Food Bank’s popular Tap Out Hunger trivia night fundraisers at breweries from Parliament to HenHouse. (Check out refb.org for their upcoming lineup of Tap Out Hunger brewery trivia nights).

Just to give you an idea of what’s out there, here’s a less-than-exhaustive list of daily entertainment from the local brewery scene:

Monday

Cooperage Brewing Co. (downtown): Trivia from 7-9 p.m.

Tuesday

Iron Ox Brewing hosts surprisingly competitive cornhole tournaments at 6:30 p.m.

Cooperage Brewing (Airway) Trivia night from 6-8 p.m.

Old Caz Trivia Gauntlet 6 p.m.

Fogbelt Brewing (Santa Rosa) Trivia with comedian Cody Smit, 7-9 p.m.

Wednesday

Sonoma Springs Brewing Company often hosts bingo nights on Wednesdays and Thursdays, benefiting local organizations. $10 for a set of cards.

Moonlight Brewing Trivia 6-8 p.m.

Crooked Goat Brewing Trivia 6:30-8 p.m.

Parliament Brewing Trivia 6 p.m. Also look for monthly themed-trivia nights, typically the third Tuesday at 6 p.m. Recent themes have included Disney, Harry Potter, and “The Office.”

Thursday

Shady Oak Brewing Trivia 7 p.m., plus they always have pinball and old-school video arcade games.

Lagunitas Taproom and Brewery Music Bingo from 5:30-7 p.m. (also hosts trivia on Wednesdays, 5:30-7 p.m.).

Fogbelt Station Trivia 6-8 p.m.

Saturday

Iron Ox Brewing Comedy night from 8-10 p.m. the last Saturday of the month.

Sunday

Cooperage Brewing (Airway location): End the week with the most unusual brew combo of them all: Beer and Yoga with Alicia Franci Uresti at 10:30 a.m. Here’s the pitch: “Start your day with a rejuvenating hatha-style slow-flow session followed by a refreshing pint of beer with fellow yogis.” What could possibly go wrong?

The post The Ultimate Guide to Sonoma County’s Beer Scene appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Pliny the Younger, Russian River Brewing Company’s super-hoppy triple India pale ale, will be released Friday, March 20. It will be available until April 2 and is expected to bring thousands of self-proclaimed beer geeks to Russian River Brewing Company’s Santa Rosa and Windsor brewpubs.

This year marks the 22nd anniversary of the Pliny release, which select local bars and restaurants had on tap in February.

To get you primed for Pliny time, we’ve answered some of the most common questions about the coveted brew. Click through the above gallery for photos from previous Pliny releases, plus some quick facts.

What’s the big deal?

Russian River brewmaster Vinnie Cilurzo first brewed “Younger” in 2005. At the time, it was the only beer of its kind: the first triple IPA. It is only available for a limited time at the brewery’s Santa Rosa and Windsor brewpubs. Until 2022, it was released in February. Since then, it has been released in March. (Since 2022, it has also been released to a selection of bars and restaurants before its official in-person release.) At the brewpubs, Pliny is only available on draft and is served in 10-ounce glasses. Patrons can also buy and take home bottles of the coveted beer — three bottles per guest are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, only available at the brewpubs.

OK, when can I get my hands on some Pliny?

Russian River Brewing Co.’s brewpubs in Santa Rosa and Windsor will be pouring Pliny from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, March 20 through April 2. The beer will be available each day until the brewpub runs out of that day’s allocation. Pliny pilgrims can expect long waits to get into the brewpubs; lines start to form around 5 a.m. Once inside, guests are allotted two and a half hours at the pub, three “Youngers” (10-ounce pours) and three bottles of Pliny to take home.

If Pliny is so popular, why not just make more of it? 

According to Russian River Brewing, Pliny the Younger is a very time consuming and expensive beer to brew. It requires an exceptionally large amount of raw materials — malt and hops in particular — and takes up significant tank space at the brewery. In other words, it’s just not worth the money and effort to make more Pliny — especially when the limited supply seems to be working out just fine.

Is there any way to skip the line?

In 2018, for the first time in Younger history, a lucky few got to cut the line. Following the wildfires in October 2017, Russian River Brewing launched Sonoma Pride, which raised funds for fire relief efforts in part through $25 donations for a chance to win Pliny line-cutting privileges. Since then, however, there are no cuts allowed. For the best shot at a short wait, the time to come is midweek during the evening (Windsor is your best bet). But, believe it or not, a lot of people actually want to experience the line — come rain or shine — because “that’s where the event is.” But standing in lines has rules…

How do I master the line (and not get kicked out)? 

No matter how pumped you are about Pliny, waiting in line for hours can be boring, and bored people do silly things. Therefore, there are rules: no smoking, no drinking, no bottle sharing (in line or inside the brewpub), no camping in front of businesses (leave your pop-up tents and easy-ups at home) and come with your entire party — don’t cut in front of people who have been waiting for hours because “your friends saved your spot;” that’s not cool.

What happens once I get inside? 

Russian River Brewing Company keeps track of allotted time and pours with a four-tabbed wristband — not, disappointingly, with chalk marks like meter maids. Tabs are removed as Youngers are poured; the fourth tap is for purchasing Pliny bottles. Draft pours are not transferable, but bottle allocations can be transferred to other people in your party. Inside, Plinys can be paired with pub fare. Naturally, “Pliny” bites are the most popular pick, but “Drew” bites are also worth a try. The Windsor brewpub has more food options.

What does Pliny taste like? 

Pliny the Younger is a rendition of other Russian River Brewing Company favorite Pliny the Elder, except with more hops, malt and higher alcohol (the beer finishes around 10.25% AVB). The hops used in the recipe include Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic, Nectaron, Simcoe, Warrior and Tangier. According to those in the know (and Russian River Brewing Company’s website), it is loaded with hop flavors and is surprisingly smooth and dry for the amount of alcohol and malt.

Who is this Pliny character anyway? And how do I pronounce Pliny? 

Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, a.k.a Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer, author and magistrate of ancient Rome. Pliny’s uncle, Pliny the Elder (also a Russian River beer), helped raise and educate him, and later adopted him. Pliny Jr. and Pliny Sr. witnessed the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, which took Pliny the Elder’s life. While most people pronounce the popular beer “ply-knee,” the “correct” Latin pronunciation is actually “plih-nee” – rhyming with “mini.”

What’s the Windsor brewery like? 

The Windsor brewpub can accommodate up to 200 Pliny enthusiasts (the Santa Rosa pub’s capacity is 135). The food menu offers more options than the Santa Rosa location, including burgers, double-fried Kennebec fries, fish and chips, salmon, schnitzel and salads. If you need some fresh air, you can step out on a year-round patio and 1-acre pet-friendly beer garden. In addition to Pliny the Younger, visitors can sample other popular Russian River Brewing beers.

I’m from out of town; where is a good place to stay? And how do I get around after I’ve had my share of Plinys? 

Russian River Brewing Company has partnered with a number of local hotels that are offering “Special Younger Rates” during the two-week release: Art House Hotel, Courtyard Marriott, Hotel E, Hampton Inn & Suites, Vintners Resort and The Astro Motel in Santa Rosa, Hampton Inn and Suites in Windsor and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Rohnert Park.

Want to explore Sonoma County post Pliny? Uber and Lyft are available in Santa Rosa and Windsor. The SMART train is another good option.

What if I am pining for Pliny, but am not willing to wait in line for hours? 

No worries. Pliny the Younger’s close relation, Pliny the Elder, is available year-round — bottled or on tap. You can also check out local restaurants and bars that may have some Younger left on tap.

Where to get Pliny the Younger

Russian River Brewing Co. Santa Rosa: 725 Fourth St.; 707-545-2337. Windsor: 700 Mitchell Lane; 707-545-2337.

Hours: Both brewpubs will be open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. from March 20 through April 2. Pliny will be available each day until the brewpub runs out of that day’s allocation. Customers can expect long wait times, with lines starting to form around 5 a.m. or earlier.

Information: russianriverbrewing.com/pliny-the-younger-release

Sarah Doyle, Sofia Englund, Maci Martell, Jess Poshepny-Vallery and Christi Warren contributed to this article. 

The post Pliny the Younger Is Making Sonoma County Famous Worldwide. How Well Do You Know It? appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Despite its name, Oktoberfest officially begins in September. The German beer festival and funfair, founded in Munich in the early 1800s, begins Sept. 20 and runs through the first Sunday in October.

Munich’s official Oktoberfest goes all out with two weeks of parades, concerts, church services and, of course, plenty of food and drink. But cities all over the world — from Qingdao, China to Blumenau, Brazil — join in on the annual folk festival fun with celebrations of their own come fall. And Sonoma County would be remiss if it turned down a chance to party, Wine Country-style.

Whether you’re a German transplant, beer bro or simply a fan of good food and camaraderie, these local spots have you covered for an awesome Oktoberfest. Próst!

Where to party

Lagunitas Brewing Company

The nationally renowned Lagunitas Brewing will hold its second annual Oktoberfest celebration from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sept. 20-21, at the Petaluma taproom. The brewery will be serving its Lagufest Lager, released at last year’s celebration, in addition to Bavarian bites such as bratwurst, schnitzel, and mashed potatoes and gravy. There will also be live polka, Zydeco music, and yodeling and stein-holding contests (with prizes). Entry is free and all ages are welcome. Oktoberfest attire is encouraged. Reserve a spot on OpenTable. 1280 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 707-284-1020, lagunitas.com/taproom/petaluma

HenHouse Brewing Co.

HenHouse will hold an Oktoberfest release party all day Sept. 20 at its Palace of Barrels taproom in Petaluma. The Bavarian-style celebration will feature the release of the brewery’s Wedding Of The Century festbier, made from German malt and Hersbrucker hops. In addition to pours of the new lager, there will be custom HenHouse steins available for purchase. Sonoma County pop-up Dirty Dawgz will be on-site serving brats and pretzels. 1333 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 707-978-4577, henhousebrewing.com

Sebtown Strutters Oktoberfest Celebration

Sebtown Strutters, a Sebastopol jazz and Dixieland band, will celebrate Oktoberfest with a spirited performance at the Sebastopol Community Market. The free celebration will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m., Sept. 21, on the market’s outdoor Mel Minton Memorial Stage. 6762 Sebastopol Ave., 707-407-4020, cmnaturalfoods.com

Wisconsin Picnic

The Wisconsin Picnic of Sonoma County, a Bay Area tradition since 1939, will start at 12:30 p.m., Sept. 27, at Galvin Park in Santa Rosa. While the annual event focuses on America’s Dairyland, the festivities have all the hallmarks of Oktoberfest food and revelry. The family-friendly picnic will include live polka music, a cash-only raffle, an ice cream and spirit contest, and a potluck featuring brats, cheese, beer and more. Guests are welcome to bring their favorite Wisconsin dishes and recipes to share, and should bring their own tableware and cooler. Galvin Community Park, 3330 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, instagram.com/wipicnicsoco

Crooked Goat Brewing

Crooked Goat’s Sebastopol taproom will host an Oktoberfest celebration starting at 3 p.m., Sept. 27. The event will include fall beer releases, live music from Alpen Band from 4-7 p.m., food from The Wurst caterers from 3-9 p.m. and limited edition glasses for sale. 120 Morris St., Sebastopol, 707-827-3893, crookedgoatbrewing.com

Hermann Son’s Lodge

Petaluma’s Hermann Son’s Lodge No. 26 will host an Oktoberfest celebration starting at noon on Oct. 11. The event will include a traditional Parade of Flags; dancing and music by local, polka-focused Steve Balich Band; and a performance by Bavarian folk dance group Nature Friends Schuhplattler. There will be food and drinks available for purchase (cash only). Admission is $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Call 707-666-7989 for more event info and tickets. 860 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-762-9963

Where to eat

Tisza Bistro

With their lacquered mahogany crust scored to reveal an ivory interior, the pretzels at Healdsburg’s Tisza Bistro put the ballpark variety to shame. And these aren’t typical Bavarian pretzels, either. In a nod to his ancestors, Tisza’s owner and chef, Krisztian Karkus, makes them in the Swabian style, thick around the edge with a thinner dough in the center twist, meaning you get the best of both worlds — soft and crunchy — in each pretzel.

The pretzels are served with Tisza’s housemade weisswurst, on the Oktoberfest platter for two, or on their own with a side of whipped butter and mustard, a condiment Karkus calls an American affectation that he provides because customers demand it. His preference is for butter only. “A pretzel with butter and a hefeweizen — it’s one of the simple joys of life.”

The Oktoberfest platter also includes classic veal schnitzel, bratwurst, duck leg, potato dumpling, red and white cabbage, spaetzle with mushroom sauce and cucumber salad. The full menu features plenty of other German dishes as well, including four kinds of schnitzels, Bavarian-style bratwurst and warm apple strudel. 165 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-291-5193, tiszabistro.com

Sarah’s Kitchen at Highland Dell

For authentic German cuisine right on the Russian River, venture to Sarah’s Kitchen tucked inside Monte Rio’s Highland Dell Lodge. The menu includes bratwurst served with stoneground mustard; jaeger schnitzel (breaded and pan-fried pork tenderloin with a creamy mushroom sauce); traditional German spaetzle (soft egg noodles); potato pancakes (add apple sauce or sour cream for $1); sauerkraut braised with bacon and onion; and red cabbage braised with onion and apple in cranberry juice. There are some other Eastern European dishes on the menu as well, like Vienna-style schnitzel and Hungarian-style goulash (a beef stew with onion and bell pepper). The lodge’s Riverview Bar has some German beers on its menu alongside a list of local wines. 21050 River Blvd., Monte Rio, 707-865-2300, highlanddell.com

Road Trip

After eating around the globe and operating German restaurant Brot for a handful of years, chef/owner Crista Luedtke knows a thing or two about Bavarian eats. Her Guerneville restaurant Road Trip pays homage to global cuisine, with a few German-inspired dishes on the menu. Enjoy hot pretzels served with mustard and whipped butter, and a summer spaetzle made of buckwheat and mixed with squash, blistered cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and herb pesto sauce. A variety of local brews are available on tap, alongside a Belgian wheat beer. 16218 Main St., Guerneville, 707-604-6102, eatatroadtrip.com

Stockhome

While this Petaluma restaurant specializes in Swedish and Middle Eastern cuisine, a few of its dishes are popular in Germany. Find grilled bratwurst with mustard and grilled onion on a brioche bun; Wiener schnitzel (breaded pork loin) served with dill-seasoned marble potatoes, peas and gravy; and frankfurters served with crispy onion, house mustard, ketchup, lettuce, tomato and a side of mashed potatoes. 220 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-981-8511, stockhomerestaurant.com

Brewsters Beer Garden

Celebrate Oktoberfest in Brewsters’ lively beer garden among friends and family. Select a local brew from the draft list to accompany their salted pretzel, served with beer cheese and housemade Carolina barbecue mustard. 229 Water St., Petaluma, 707-981-8330, brewstersbeergarden.com

The Bejkr

Award-winning baker Mike Zakowski churns out perfectly golden, wood-fired pretzels, available at the Sonoma Valley Certified Farmers Market. 707-938-7607, thebejkr.co

Wooden Petal

This Santa Rosa pretzel shop has a dazzling selection of award-winning twists. The pretzels are available in boxes of three, eight or 15 and include such flavors as salt, herb, cheese, jalapeno and cinnamon. House dips include queso, cheese and onion, spicy sweet mustard and sweet cream cheese icing. Also find breakfast-stuffed pretzels and pretzel bun sandwiches. 4984 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-695-1880, woodenpetal.com

Steinhouse

In addition to Belgian chocolates and other European confections, Steinhouse has a collection of unique beer steins for sale — so you can toast in traditional Deutschland fashion. You can also find jars of artisan mustard to complement those Bejkr pretzels. 631 Fourth St., Suite 18, Santa Rosa, 707-852-4083, steinhousechocolates.com

Belly Left Coast Kitchen & Taproom

The downtown Santa Rosa restaurant and watering hole has Bavarian salted pretzels on its menu, served with hot honey mustard. Pair with one of the dozens of local beers on tap. 523 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-526-5787, bellyleftcoastkitchenandtaproom.com

Fogbelt Brewing Company

To accompany its selection of draft beers on tap, Fogbelt has pretzel bites on the menu at its Santa Rosa taproom. The pretzels are tossed in olive oil, sprinkled with parsley and sea salt, and served warm with a choice of beer cheese or beer mustard. 1305 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707978-3400, fogbeltbrewing.com

Wolf House Brewing Company

The Cloverdale brewery has pretzels with beer cheese — made with its Therapy Session IPA — on its pub menu. Also find Journeyman Meat Co. brats and Angus beef burgers. 131 E. First St., Cloverdale, 844-942-2337, wolfhousebrewing.com

For more places to wet your whistle with local beers to celebrate Oktoberfest, check out some of our favorite Sonoma County breweries.

The post Where to Celebrate Oktoberfest in Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Summer is for beer gardens. Fortunately, Sonoma County has them in abundance, with the Wine Country bonus of excellent beer and top-notch food. Here are some favorites if you’re craving an afternoon of brews with your crew.

Twin Oaks Roadhouse

In continuous operation since 1926, this ramshackle-looking roadhouse and watering hole is one of Sonoma County’s best-kept secrets. Owned by HopMonk Tavern, well-known for its beer gardens in Sebastopol, Sonoma, and Novato, Twin Oaks has kept its historic charm while offering stellar fried chicken sandwiches and live entertainment for those who appreciate its charms. (The property is currently listed for sale.) 5745 Old Redwood Highway, Penngrove. 707-795-5118, hopmonk.com/twin-oaks

Lagunitas Taproom

Sink into the trippy scene that is Lagunitas, through and through. The tap room and “beer sanctuary” is a casual spot hidden in the shadows of the brewery complex. There’s great pub grub, a swag-filled gift shop, a small music venue, and the hoppy IPAs that have made them famous. 1280 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma. 707-284-1020, lagunitas.com

Brewsters Beer Garden

The most beer-garden-y beer garden in Sonoma County. Big enough for an Oktoberfest crowd with loads of picnic tables, live music, plenty of beer (and cocktails), with kids and dogs welcome. Plus, solid eats. 229 Water St., Petaluma. 707-981-8330, brewstersbeergarden.com

Old Caz

Most breweries are bare-bones places with a funky college-dorm aesthetic and sticky tables — and we like it that way! But Old Caz has upped its game with a swanky new spot with high ceilings, matching chairs, hand-built tables, and usable bathrooms. Wow! The lunchtime bar menu and top-notch food trucks are the cherry on top. Don’t worry, the butt-kicking IPAs keep it real. 1500 Valley House Drive, Suite 110, Rohnert Park. 707-665-6668, oldcaz.com

Russian River Brewing

If there’s a heaven for beer drinkers, it’s at the 85,000-square-foot Russian River brewery in Windsor. Book a guided tour and tasting, then head to the outdoor beer garden where you can choose from roughly 20 signature brews on tap and a full pub menu. The dog- and kid-friendly patio is a great spot to hang out and dream of next year’s release of Pliny the Younger. 700 Mitchell Lane, Windsor. 707-545-2337, russianriverbrewing.com

The Block

Hidden behind an auto parts store in an industrial part of Petaluma, The Block is a tiny-but-mighty beer garden with nearly 30 taps and a full cocktail menu. Tacos Don Pepe and Jackie Boy’s Barbecue are on a rotating lineup with Fire Slice pizza served six days a week. 20 Grey St., Petaluma. 707-775-6003, theblockpetaluma.com

Tisza Bistro

Though it’s just a handful of stout wooden tables and bistro seats beneath draping twinkle lights and Weihenstephan pennants (Germany’s oldest brewery), Munich is in the air at chef Krisztian Karkus’ German and Central European eatery. Grab a Bavarian pretzel, currywurst, or a Weiner schnitzel sandwich and choose from five German beers on tap, plus cans of Stiegl Radler (grapefruit juice and lager) and malty Korbinian. Prost! 165 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-291-5193, tiszabistro.com

The post The Best Beer Gardens in Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

When you live in Sonoma County, you’re never lonely for out-of-town visitors. Family, friends, college roommates, even casual acquaintances are all eager to catch up with you and take in all that the region offers.

Now through New Year’s is high season for house guests, with the number of invading out-of-towners larger than the kids’ gift lists. For local hosts, it can be a challenge deciding where to take restless visitors, especially those on a budget. Farm-to-table restaurants and taquerias are a given. Winery tasting rooms? Natch.

Go any direction in Sonoma County, and you will wind up somewhere intriguing. You’re never far from good food, natural beauty and wine tasting. But with so many choices, we’ve creamed off a few foolproof excursions that will fill up a day and make your guests’ stay in Sonoma County more memorable.

Click through the gallery for a four-day itinerary that includes some not-so-obvious explorations of Sonoma County, guaranteed to please your guests as much as you.

Meg McConahey contributed to this article. 

Day 1: Into the Armstrong Woods and to the coast

Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve in Guerneville is a great place to introduce visitors to the natural superlatives of Sonoma County. Magnificent, 1,200-year-old Sequoia sempervirens, commonly known as coastal redwoods, tower in a way that makes humans feel very small and very serene. Redwoods are among the natural wonders of the world and among the planet’s oldest living organisms. And they’re an easy drive from anywhere in the county.

The Armstrong reserve features a 1½-mile, ADA-accessible trail, making this an easy outdoors experience for everyone in your group. Arrive early and with jackets to combat the marine chill. At 7:45 a.m., you’ll find an empty parking lot and the quiet woods, sans Segways and smartphone selfie-taking hordes. By contrast, visitors to Marin’s Muir Woods have to make a reservation.

After an hour among the gentle giants, depart as the parking lot begins to fill. Those arriving have had their breakfast, so now it’s time for yours. Coffee Bazaar in Guerneville provides house-roasted coffee and pastries. Or drive a little farther west, along the Russian River, to Duncans Mills’ Gold Coast Coffee and Bakery.

Founded in 1877, Duncans Mills is a quaint station on the way to the coast from the river towns, with a charming general store and a depot museum next to where the Northwestern Pacific Railroad once ran. If you still have Christmas shopping to do, then Duncans Mills is a good place to browse. Don’t miss Jim Raidl’s Jim and Willies, a real curiosity shop of quirky antiques and curios with a friendly proprietor.

On the road again, continue west. For some sea air and wide-open ocean views to amaze visitors from land-locked places, stop at the Vista Trail in Jenner at the mouth of the Russian River. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot some harbor seals.

After watching waves crash in the fresh sea air, you’ll be ready for the drive south on Highway 1 to Bodega Bay. This is the classic Sonoma Coast scene of crashing waves, and trails along the bluff are accessible to most people. Check out the whimsical wind spinners at Candy & Kites, the colorful array of saltwater taffy at Patrick’s and the Japanese prints at Ren Brown Collection Fine Art Gallery.

Start heading inland for a hit of Alfred Hitchcock in the tiny town of Bodega. Snap a “The Birds” selfie outside the old Potter School, immortalized in the scene where schoolchildren run screaming and flailing from their classroom. It’s a private residence, so stay on the road. Then swing by the nearby Saint Teresa of Avila Church, also featured in the film.

You’ll be hungry by now. For lunch, consider the Estero Cafe in Valley Ford just a few minutes’ drive away. The restaurant pays homage to local farmers with its hand-lettered chalkboard menus and homestyle food. Its inventive brunches, sandwiches and salads make it one of the county’s top foodie destinations.

Day 2: Healdsburg for the holidays

Start your day by taking in one of the most spectacular gems of Sonoma County — Lake Sonoma. Then head to Healdsburg (a 10-minute drive) for a leisurely breakfast at Costeaux French Bakery.

Costeaux French Bakery is a frequent winner in baking competitions, and its fresh breads are served in Sonoma restaurants. But not many people know that Costeaux serves great breakfasts and lunches.

After breakfast, let the bookworms and audiophiles in the group browse the fiction, vinyl and CD selection at Levin & Company. Take the stairs to the mezzanine for its collection of local art, jewelry and crafts. Next, visit the antique markets — like Shoffeitt’s Off the Square and Antique Harvest — all within easy walking distance of the plaza.

No Healdsburg visit is complete without a winery stop, or two. Lambert Bridge boasts a tasting room with a large fireplace, making it a cozy place for sipping wines in colder months. The Healdsburg Bubble Bar, nestled in a quaint 1906 Queen Anne Victorian near the plaza, offers a wide assortment of sparkling wines.

As the sun goes down, head to Barndiva for a craft cocktail and dinner, and watch the outdoor lights twinkle over the quirky art on the patio. Don’t miss the eclectic collection of British Cigarette Cards at the Gallery Bar.

Day 3: In search of lost time, and more wine, in Sonoma Valley

Winter is a good time to check out the new museum exhibit in Jack London State Historic Park. Even if it’s too cold or wet to hike, you can take cover in the House of Happy Walls museum dedicated to the great writer and his wife, Charmian.

Right outside the park gate, Benziger Family Winery offers vineyard tram tours that will get you out of the tasting room and among the vines, which have their own sculpted beauty in winter.

Make it an outdoorsy day at Sonoma Botanical Garden, one of Sonoma County’s secret spots. Few travel writers have discovered it, meaning you may have this 20-acre garden of rare Asian plants all to yourself. Easy paths wind past ponds and through dense plantings of trees and shrubs with something of interest in every season. There is a nice gift shop for garden lovers as well as golf cart tours by arrangement for those with mobility problems.

In the town of Sonoma, the walkable square offers places to sip, shop and dine. For celebratory sparkles during the holidays, there’s SIGH Champagne bar. No reservations needed, and they always offer three flights of French, Californian and other tantalizing sparklers. If you have teetotalers or beer drinkers in your party, this is a great tasting room option. They also offer draft beer, regular wine and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as snack-sized bites, both savory and sweet.

Sonoma Plaza offers holiday cheer and attractions for history buffs, from the Sonoma Mission to the barracks and Toscano Hotel, all within two blocks. There’s a big parking lot behind the barracks on First Street East.

When you’re ready for a bite to eat, consider Tasca Tasca (TT Tapas). Tasca stands for tavern or pub in Portugal. Chef Manuel Azevedo offers updated Portuguese tapas with a fresh Sonoma spin. They’re also open late. Or head down Broadway to HopMonk Tavern for bar bites and beer, washed down with live music on the weekends.

Day 4: Petaluma, Sebastopol and a farm-to-table finale in Forestville

The age of Petaluma, settled in the 1850s, might not impress visitors from Europe, but the downtown’s quaint storefronts, heritage homes and retro memorabilia will make even your English uncle or Swedish aunt melt. But first, start with breakfast at Della Fattoria, one of the country’s finest bread bakers, famous for its Meyer lemon rosemary boule. Try the breakfast toast with ricotta cheese, banana slices, toasted pecans and honey.

Downtown, check out the vintage guitars and mandolins at Tall Toad Music and the 1,800 varieties of heirloom seeds at The Seed Bank, owned by Baker Creek, one of the country’s leading purveyors of heirloom seed.

For the afternoon, get behind the wheel and drive the 17 miles to Sebastopol’s The Barlow. Designed to look like old farm industrial buildings — without the dirt and rust — this marketplace is good for browsing. Watch local makers in action at restaurants, wineries, breweries and cideries, and art, jewelry, glass, crafts, design and clothing studios.

If you want to arrange for a farm-to-table grand finale, you could make reservations at Farmhouse Inn’s upscale but surprisingly low-key Michelin-starred restaurant in Forestville. For a more affordable but still delicious option, Farmhouse Inn’s casual eatery Farmstand serves woodfired dishes and pizza.

The post Holiday Guests Coming? Here Are 4 Perfect Sonoma County Day Trips appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

The post Chef Dustin Valette’s New Healdsburg Restaurant Coming Into View appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

A bundled up Bernie Sanders has turned into a meme following the U.S. senator’s appearance at Wednesday’s presidential inauguration. Huddled in a chair and dressed in a thick gray coat from Vermont-based brand Burton and homemade patterned mittens, Sanders looked comfortably snug in the D.C. cold — and the internet loved the look. (The Burton jacket is now sold out – but the company posted on Twitter how to “steal the look”)

“I was just sitting there, trying to keep warm, trying to pay attention to what was going on,” explained the Vermont senator when asked about his reaction to the meme on Late Night.

The much-meme’d mittens, given to Sanders by Jen Ellis, a second-grade teacher in Vermont, have an interesting story. Ellis made the mittens from an old wool sweater and sent them to Sanders after he lost the bid for the Democratic nomination in 2016. She told The Washington Post that she felt honored the senator wore them at the inauguration. “There were people at the inauguration wearing clothing from world-famous designers. Then there was Bernie, wearing my mittens,” she said.

Sonoma County businesses are now joining in on the fun by photoshopping the practically-dressed Sanders into all kinds of scenes and posting these on social media. Click through the above gallery for a few favorites.

If you’d like to make your own version of the Bernie meme, this website edits the senator into any address. You can now also order a sweatshirt with the meme from Sanders’ website. 100% of the proceeds will go toward Meals on Wheels Vermont.

The post Bernie Sanders Meme Pops Up All Over Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

The post Weekend Getaway: 12 Things to Do in Healdsburg appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Carey Sweet contributed to this article. 

The post Weekend Getaway: 12 Things to Do in Petaluma appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Summer is kicking into gear in Sonoma County. Time to sip on a cold one on a shaded patio or at a lively bar – we’ve lined up a few favorite beer venues for summer fun. Added bonus: we asked each spot for a summer brew recommendation. Click through the above gallery for details.

The post Russian River and More: Best Sonoma Breweries and Bars for a Sudsy Summer appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.