T.C. Zmak to be featured tonight on KRML Pub Talk! I’m excited to announce that tonight, Sept. 14th, I’ll be a featured guest on KRML Pub Talk! Hosted by renowned beer travelers Merideth Canham-Nelson and Chris Nelson, the live radio program airs Wednesdays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KRML 102.1FM/1410AM, and … Read Entire Post
Exploring Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone I recently spent 2 nights in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone—home to 15+ wineries, a few brewpubs & taprooms, restaurants and more. Located just west of Highway 101, it’s right next to the beach (great for graysuits!) and easily walkable on foot from one end to the other. The … Read Entire Post
Local bookstores provide a huge benefit to the local community. When you buy books in your local bookstore, a large chunk of that money stays in the community. Buying locally means less packing and transportation, and a smaller carbon footprint. It also means more local events, local interest books and local authors. … Read Entire Post
It’s hard to leave the coast but I make the sacrifice every once in a while if I have a good reason. Alpine Beer Company in Alpine, Calif. is a good reason. This tiny brewery is in East County San Diego—a straight shot across Interstate 8 East, just over 30 miles … Read Entire Post
Peter B’s Brewpub, Monterey’s original craft brewery, is a regular stop of mine when I’m in downtown Monterey, Calif. The brewpub offers a wide range of house styles, seasonal styles, barrel-aged beers and cask ales. Like many talented brewmasters, Kevin Clark began his career in beer as a homebrewer. He joined Peter … Read Entire Post
I’m so excited to announce that I’ll be a featured guest on Pub Talk Oct. 1, the day after DARK SURF is released! Hosted by renowned beer travelers Chris Nelson and Merideth Canham-Nelson, the live radio program airs Wednesdays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KRML 102.1FM/1410AM, and streams worldwide … Read Entire Post
Third Street Aleworks in Sonoma County, Calif. gravitates toward Anglo-Celtic style ales and more aggressive West Coast style (yum!) ales. But the Santa Rosa brewery also brews lagers, lager-ale hybrids, and beers that don’t fit into any category. My favorite was the Zero Dark Thirsty Cascadian Dark Ale (6.7% ABV)—the darkest … Read Entire Post
During my Northern California road trip up Highway 101, I decided to trek across the Oregon border and visited the Brookings Harbor location of Wild River Brewing & Pizza Company. The real reason I made the journey was that I was having technical issues with my e-book conversion and needed a … Read Entire Post
Six Rivers Brewery in McKinleyville, Calif. calls itself “The Brew with a View.” It offers binocular-equipped window tables for gazing over the landscape toward the Pacific Ocean. A member of Humboldt Made, Six Rivers Brewery prides itself on utilizing local and organic ingredients whenever possible. My favorite beer was the Paradise Moon … Read Entire Post
It’s no secret that vampires crave tasty red liquids. West Coast style red ales are one of my all-time-favorite beverages. Night dwellers also like all things dark—like dark ales, porters and stouts. So on a recent road trip on Highway 101 from the Monterey Bay to Crescent City and back, I … Read Entire Post
