This weekend I took a trip up to the Russian River. For 5 hours I laid back in the sun, floated on the subtle current, and even paddled on occasion- all the while doing good drinking for the river- Enough Tecate and Coors Light to fill a bathtub. As fantastic of an afternoon as it was, the best was yet to come. My friends and I stayed at a hotel in Healdsburg and went for dinner at the Bear Republic Brewery- well worth the journey for anyone who finds him/her-self in Sonoma County and wants a break from the wine sipping.

I’ve had a few of their beers in bottles but never the chance to visit the brewery and enjoy their large draught selection right from the source. 

First stop was the bar to wait for our table. Probably the most well known of the Bear Republic Brewery beers is Racer 5 IPA, a crisp and smoothly bitter ale that you should stop reading now and go get if you haven't had it. I've had a lot of it over the years. So I told the bartender that I love Racer 5 but I wanted to try something new- what would she recommend for someone who liked Racer 5?

Red Rocket Ale, she said- if you like Red ales. Sure. All I can say is it was exceptional, and you should go get one of those as well. They say it started out as a Scottish ale and has taken on a life and flavors of its own- a complex mix of grains in the brewing creates a full-bodied beer that is less bitter but more hearty than the Racer 5, while still satisfying the hop-hungry IPA lover.

Then dinner was ready and it was time for the food. The restaurant is nothing special- pretty standard brewery fare with college kids home for the summer on staff. That part is nothing to write home about. I had the halibut sandwich, a solid "meh," with a basket of garlic parmesean fries, which are definitely worth getting, if you like garlic. There's plenty.

With dinner I had a Grizz, which comes in an extra-special goblet. It is a stretch for people who like their beer bitter, as it is unapologetically sweet, but hearty like a stout. It's a Belgian style strong ale that many people would call a "sipping beer," as it is meant to go down slowly. It was good with the food, but a little too chipper for my tastes in ale.

After dinner it was on to the sampler tray. A cheater’s way to enjoy beer, for sure, as beer can take on different tones and tastes through the course of a pint. But as I said, it was my first time at the Brewery and I wanted to try as many things as I could. Two favorites from the sampler: the El Oso (Spanish for Bear), just because it was tasty. And the Hefeweizen, which I usually don’t like because they are light, but this one had body and a hearty sweetness that made it much more than a fancy pilsner. 

To learn more about the Bear Republic, visit them online: http://www.bearrepublic.com

Then, visit their Brewery in Healdsburg for some Good Drinking.