Brewpubs: A Traveler’s Oasis

This post is adapted from a guest post I wrote about Sacramento Brewing for Things You Should Do. Sacramento Brewing, alas, is no more. However, its brewer, Peter Houey, opened his own brewery, Odonata Beer Co.

I have a theory about brewpubs based on a good amount of experience. Whether I’m traveling alone or with others, visiting a brewpub is always one of the highlights of my trip. Why is that, besides the fact that I’m a beer geek?

The first time I visited Sacramento was for a job interview. After an exhausting day, I ended up at Rubicon Brewing in midtown Sacramento. I sat at the bar, had a few great beers and met a bunch of regular customers who were not only interested in hearing about my day and possible move to Sac, but even invited me to a party the next night!

I’m not suggesting that you’ll get party invitations when visiting brewpubs, but that type of welcome is not surprising. Brewpubs are not like regular restaurants or bars. Why?

• Beer people love to share their passion. We’re a friendly bunch, even the shy ones. Sit at the bar and talk to those around you about what they’re drinking. Ask for recommendations.

• You might get a tour of the brewery. Sometimes tours are only offered during the day, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

• Brewpub food is comfort food. You can always count on good burgers, sandwiches and fish and chips, although many brewpubs have more extensive menus.

• Brewpubs are comfortable. They’re made for sitting around, talking and drinking beer. You don’t need to dress up to go there. People don’t go there to be seen. They’re there to enjoy a good brew, conversation and maybe some snacks or dinner to go with it.

• Brewpubs are usually independently owned, not chains. They’re run by local folks using high-quality ingredients to produce an artisanal product, and they’re darn proud of it. Brewing is both art and science.

If you don’t usually frequent brewpubs, you might be confused about what to order given all the choices. Simple solution — ask if they have a sampler. A sampler contains small taster glasses of several styles. Another way to try more than one style is to order half-pints, if they are available.

Sometimes a blackboard will list all the beers on draft. You’ll notice that the beers will often have strange names. Brewers are funny like that. Usually a brewpub will only serve the beers they brew themselves. However, I’ve been to several that also offer guest beers.

ABV means alcohol by volume, pay attention to that especially if you’re driving. For comparison’s sake, a Budweiser has 4.9% ABV.

IBU or International Bitterness Unit is an indicator of how hoppy a beer will be. The hoppier a beer, the more dry or bitter it will be. A Bud has an IBU of 11 and a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has 37.

If you are used to Bud or Coors, or if you have a preference for a certain type of beer, ask your server for  recommendations. If you’re not familiar with the  styles on offer — ask for a description or sample. Beer lovers enjoy answering questions about beer. Ask us!

Find out if there is a brewpub nearby. Support your local brewer!

New England Road Trip

My best friend had plans to attend her freshman daughter’s Parents Weekend at the University of Vermont in Burlington. Her husband wanted to stay home with their high school son so they asked me if I could take time off to go. She planned to stop in Boston to visit her other daughter, a college junior at Boston University, so we could add a trip to my parents in southern Massachusetts too.

Road trip? New England in the fall? Parents? Pretend nieces? I’m in! It’s at times like these that I’m glad I’m a freelancer and can work around my life.

Stop #1: Arlington VA

I packed a chicken parmigiana sandwich and drove to Arlington where I met up with Mary.

Stop #2: Pelham NY (one night)

We left Virginia around 5 p.m. and drove to Pelham NY where we spent the night with our friend Kathy whom we’ve known since college. We unwound with a few glasses of red wine and some delicious homemade chicken and pasta soup.

Stop #3: Burlington VT (two nights)

The rain stayed with us a few hours the next morning but cleared in time for our drive along the west side of Lake George. Mary told me that my birthday buddy, Rachel Ray, grew up in Lake George. It’s a beautiful place and must be buzzing during the summer. We stopped along the way for cider donuts and cookies –  the most delicious maple walnut cookie I’ve ever had.

We took a ferry across Lake Champlain, drove through the pretty town of Vergennes and ended up at Stephanie’s dorm room. Apparently Foursquare isn’t that popular with college students because I became Mayor of her dorm after two check-ins.

That evening we headed downtown to the pedestrian-only section of Church Street. Because of Parents Weekend and Homecoming it was a busy night, and since we hadn’t made dinner reservations we had to find the shortest list. Later I found out that the Farmhouse Tap & Grill with its locally sourced food and beer is THE place to go. While we waited for a table at Scuffer Steak and Ale House we browsed through the Firehouse Center for Visual Arts and a few shops.  At Scuffer I had two good beers by local brewery Switchback and a good sandwich.

The next morning we wandered through a harvest fair on campus, checking out the cows, homemade wool sweaters and winter accessories — winter in Burlington, brrrr — and sampling cheese curds, freshly pressed apple juice and ice cream from Gifford’s.

After an obligatory trip to Walmart to stock up her dorm room, we headed to Magic Hat Brewery. The tour guide was funny in an irreverent way you would expect from Magic Hat but it wasn’t a walk-through of the brewery, we only looked down on parts of it from above. They weren’t brewing or bottling so it was very quiet down there. But there were samples after the tour. I got to try six different brews. Of course they had #9, their signature ale with hints of apricot. I wasn’t in the mood for the Fall 2010 Odd Notion, a Belgian style wit made with green apples, but I loved the Hex (“malty amber ale with hints of toffee and caramel and a slightly smoky finish’), HIPA (big balanced hoppy IPA), and Blind Faith (another great IPA). They also had an odd beet-flavored beer on tap in the brewery – refreshingly red, a good summer beer.

Load that pallet into the car!

We stopped at Lake Champlain Chocolates where it wasn’t a production day either, like the brewery, but we had a few delicious samples and I revived myself with a maple latte. I can’t get enough of maple. Must be my New England roots.

We took a cruise in Lake Champlain on The Spirit of Ethan Allen. We didn’t see Champ (the lake monster) but enjoyed the views of the beautiful Adirondacks of New York and Green Mountains of Vermont while snacking from a picnic basket of cheese, meats, baguette and other nibblies from Vie de France.

Stop #4: Boston MA

On our way out of town we stopped at the Ben & Jerry’s Factory in Waterbury VT. Keeping with the theme, they weren’t in production either. That’s okay, we got free ice cream after the tour.

We made our way southeast through hills filled with autumn colors and lonely farms. By afternoon we arrived on Commonwealth Avenue, aka Boston University, truly an urban campus, so different from UVM. After another obligatory shop-and-stock-the-pantry trip with older daughter and serious Redskins fan Maggie, we returned to her apartment to watch the game. But Mary plugged in a lamp that we now know wasn’t wired properly and blew a fuse sending half the apartment into the dark. No more game. After two hours of brisk walking to closed hardware stores and finally a drive to Home Depot, we got the power back on and headed out to dinner.

I’ve been reading about Sunset Grill and Tap as a craft beer lover’s destination for years and was excited to finally go since it was a short walk from Maggie’s apartment. They have a crazy good draft list (see pic to right), and their bottle list is pages long. I had two drafts, Southern Tier Pumking and Founders Breakfast Stout, along with fish and chips that were accompanied by a really good sundried cranberry and scallion coleslaw.

Stop #5: North Easton MA (two nights)

We didn’t arrive at my parents’ house until 11 p.m., but they were up to greet us, as were their other houseguests — my sister-in-law Monica, her mom, and my niece. Monica had meetings along the east coast so she and her brood were staying in MA for a few days with my parents before heading to DC the next morning. Since Monica lives in California with my brother and her mom lives in Alaska, it was a thrill to see them.

The next day we picked up Maggie at the T station in Quincy and drove down to Plymouth. We bring all our out-of-state visitors to Plymouth to see the Plymouth Rock and Mayflower, although the real reason we go is to have fried clams and lobster rolls on the Town Wharf. I prefer The Lobster Hut because they have Mayflower Brewing beers on tap, but my parents prefer Wood’s Seafood, so that’s where we went.

No trip home is complete without fried clams, lobster, and one more thing – linguica pizza. Our final stop in Massachusetts was the Union Villa in North Easton to bring home some linguica, onion and mushroom pizza. I took the leftovers home to North Carolina.

It's even good cold!

Stop #6: Moorestown NJ

Tuesday we were back on the road south again, with a stop for lunch in Moorestown NJ to visit with Mary’s dad. We timed it right because in just a few days this 91 year old was heading to Russia for a two-week trip to Moscow, St. Petersburg and a Volga River cruise.

Stop #7: Arlington VA

We made it back to my old city, Arlington, VA in time for one of Scott’s famously delicious dinners. When I lived in Arlington, I was a frequent Saturday night diner at Mary and Scott’s house. Scott would spend a few hours in the kitchen, a game on TV, a glass of wine (or Rolling Rock) nearby and an open stained cookbook on the counter. This time he went Italian and made Pork Ragù al Maialino – torn pasta with a braised pork shoulder ragu. When I left for North Carolina the next morning, I was thinking, I wish I had those leftovers! Now that I have the recipe I’ll have to make it myself.

Home. The End.

Hiking into the Grand Canyon

Our trip to the Grand Canyon began 13 months before it started. That’s when my guy spent an hour and 15 minutes speed-dialing to Xanterra, the company that runs all the park’s accommodations on the south rim. We got lucky and he got through before they sold out. He made a reservation for four of us for one night at Phantom Ranch — the park’s only lodging, besides a campground, down in the bottom of the canyon. This was our whole reason for taking a week’s vacation out west. We spent a few nights in Vegas and warmed up by hiking in Death Valley and Red Rock Canyon before heading to the Grand Canyon.

We stayed at the El Tovar on the south rim the night before our hike down into the canyon. After a hearty breakfast at the Bright Angel Lodge we caught the hiker’s shuttle bus to the South Kaibab trailhead.

Views from the South Kaibab trail

It was probably in the 30s when we started our hike but we were so excited that the cold was the last thing on our mind. There was snow in the vegetation all around but the trail was in good shape. The views on the way down were beyond words (and photos) to describe — the most beautiful trail I have ever been on. Unlike the Bright Angel trail that we would climb up out of the canyon the next day, originally a Native American and then a miners trail, the park service blasted the South Kaibab out of the ridge, resulting in incredible vistas for hikers.

Profound hiking thoughts: have my feet always been that big?

It’s 7.1 miles down to Phantom Ranch from the rim. My quads were still a bit tight from our hikes in Death Valley and Red Rock, but I never spent too long dwelling on them. The views were too stunning — canyon after canyon, mesas, buttes, red rock — absolutely stunning.  After a while the Colorado River eked into view, and then got closer and closer. We crossed a suspension bridge to get to the other side. Now the Ranch was only about .7 miles in.

Colorado River at the bottom of the Canyon

We spent some time on a little beach, cooling (more like freezing) our bare feet in the ice-cold Colorado, and then ate lunch at another spot along the river. Soon we arrived at Phantom Ranch – a collection of cabins, bunkhouses, campground and canteen. We had reservations in the bunkhouses — the three of us girls in one and Jim in the other.

The view from the door of our bunkhouse

We dumped our stuff on an empty bunk and headed to the canteen for a celebratory beer. As Jim and Lesley went for a walk along the river, Patty and I went to a ranger’s talk that turned into a question and answer session with a guy who worked for Xanterra since the ranger canceled. He had all kinds of insider stuff and old stories to tell us, and for an hour we were a rapt audience. They work ten days on and four days off but have to travel to and from work within those four days. Traveling to and from means hiking up and down the canyon, just as we did. The rangers do the same except they work eight days and have six off and travel during those six. During the summer he leaves at 2:00 in the morning to avoid the heat. Everything goes into the Ranch either by mule or on someone’s back unless it’s a new AC unit or stove, then they hire a helicopter.

He told us that no one ever dies from falls while hiking, but that two people die a year, on average, from heat complications. Usually these victims are young guys who take on more than they can handle in the heat and don’t have enough water. There are several signs on the trail within the first few miles down from the rim that warn people to return to the rim unless they have enough water, but so many think they’re invincible.

Soon it was time to eat, yay! Our hiker’s stew hit the spot and came with a  really good salad (with broccoli rabe), cornbread and chocolate cake. Everything was served family style at long tables so it was a fun chatting with others. We hit the sack early and exhausted.

Wandering around Phantom Ranch

The next morning we were woken up at 4:30 a.m. – breakfast time. We weren’t going to breakfast since we had ordered a pack lunch for the trail, plus we still had leftover food in our packs from the hike down. We got going around 6:00 and hit the Bright Angel trail by 6:30. We crossed the other suspension bridge over the Colorado and then trudged through sand for a long time along the river’s edge. But eventually the real climb up began. Switchbacks after switchbacks, oy. The trail often had timbers lying across, like stairs, some close together, some with about a yard or more in between. And some were about a foot tall — those were killers, even with poles. I rather just climb a steep trail without those steps but they’re needed to prevent erosion, I guess.

As we were hiking up some switchbacks we heard what sounded like a stampede above us and then Jim’s yell, “mules!” We scurried back to the nearest turn where we could get off the trail. The mules have the right of way so you have to hustle to give it to them, and stepping to the side would have been challenging since there were steep inclines on both sides of the trail. The mule train went by rapidly, led by two riders looking mighty rough and western.

A mule train heading down into the canyon

The Bright Angel Trail is tough, 9.6 miles of climbing up canyons. There’s respite about halfway up at Indian Gardens, an oasis with water supplies. But then the slog begins again. The trail is quite different from the South Kaibab. Instead of grand vistas, the views are more limited, but they are beautiful. Soon the rim came into view and we knew that it was only a matter of a few more miles — up.

Views from (and of) the Bright Angel Trail

We took our time getting up, stopping a lot to eat jerky, trail mix, apples, bagels and other snacks. After about seven hours we reached the rim and the Bright Angel Lodge. Tired and sweaty we headed to the lounge for our well-deserved post-hike beer, in my case a Grand Canyon Brewing pilsner, which just about knocked me out. We spent that night at Kachina lodge — an early night again.

I’ve hiked in a lot of beautiful places both on the east and west coast, in the Sierra Nevada, Shenandoah and many other ranges, and there is no comparison. It was definitely my most memorable hike ever. Beauty that is beyond words and my limited photography skills. If you are at all tempted, get into reasonable shape (I wasn’t in my best shape but I managed), plan ahead so you can get a reservation at Phantom Ranch and go. It’s an experience you will cherish.

Red Rock Canyon

While in Las Vegas, if you take a drive out of the city on Charleston Boulevard, you will run into Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 15 miles from the Strip. A 13-mile scenic drive takes you through this beautiful part of the desert, and true to its name, red rocks make up a great deal of the landscape.

A few weeks ago my boyfriend, his daughter, sister and I were warming up for our hike into the Grand Canyon and spent some time hiking one day in Red Rock. This was my fourth trip to the park and the third trip with my guy. I’m a red rock freak. On our first trip we climbed Turtlehead Peak. As we started and I looked at the summit way in the distance, I remarked how the trail was so well maintained. Wouldn’t you know it, not long after I said that the trail petered out. We picked our way up through desert scrub and boulders for the rest of the hike up to the summit, pretty grueling but fun in a sick way.

From the cold and windy summit of Turtlehead you can see the Vegas strip and hundreds of miles around. The hike down had its challenges as well since it was really gravelly and slippery. As we aimed for the bottom, we often found ourselves instead at the edge of a cliff — grrr, back up the slope to find another way down. As we picked our way down under the setting sun we heard coyotes in the distance. It was a hike I’ll never forget — tough and rewarding — but also the first one my honey and I did together, setting a precedent in many ways.

Turtlehead Peak

Last year we spent some time exploring two canyons in Red Rock — Pine Creek and Fern Canyons on either side of the Mescalito, a huge tower of rock popular with climbers. What should’ve been a five or six mile hike turned into a lot more because of course we had to go off trail and explore. Not my choice, that’s my guy, he likes to push it. Lots of bouldering — which I don’t mind when I’m feeling fresh but when my legs are tired, not so much. Once you get way back into the canyon, the trail ends and scant paths meander off. They’re not as well traveled and it is the desert, so they’re easy to lose. On our way back out of Fern Canyon we lost the trail and found ourselves higher up then we had intended. But it was a good thing. We flushed out four big horn sheep and saw them clatter off down the cliff — a memorable moment.

View of Mescalito from Fern Canyon

This year, after taking a short hike into Lost Creek Canyon — nice waterfall back there — we brought our cohorts to Pine Creek and Fern Canyons . We only got lost once, maybe twice. People leave cairns behind to help others find their way but it’s easy to lose the trail — there really isn’t much of one. The canyons are beautiful places, a mix of terrain — down at the bottom there is the creek bed with oaks, pines and ferns, and as you climb it becomes high desert scrub and a variety of rocks. The rock faces are gorgeous and imposing. You don’t see many hikers back there, off the normal trail, except for climbers.

On the "trail" in Fern Canyon

There’s more to explore in those canyons. The trails are barely there, if at all, but I’ve read that the rewards are stunning — natural bridges and arches, caves, summits. Am I brave and strong enough to go further back (and up) next time?

On your way home from Red Rock, stop at Big Dog’s Brewing on North Rancho. They have excellent beer, particularly their specials, plus now they have a great selection of guest taps too.

Yes, Vegas is a great hiking hub. Besides Red Rock, there are the Spring Mountains — we had a nice hike in the snow there last year — and the Valley of Fire with its petroglyphs. Next time you go to Vegas, bring your hiking boots and get out of the city!

Death Valley

Death Valley is beautiful. Are you thinking, what? Death Valley? Yes, I thought the same thing many years ago when my brother told me it was his favorite place on his cross-country journey. But I found out why when I stayed at Furnace Creek Ranch in the early 2000′s for a few nights and explored the park.

Last winter I returned to Death Valley with my boyfriend Jim and he fell in love with it too. It’s only a few hours drive from Las Vegas — a great hiking hub, yeah, I can hear your laughs now, but it’s true. Think about it — Vegas is surrounded by mountains, that means hiking. A few weeks ago we returned to Death Valley with a larger crew — his daughter Lesley and sister Patty — as part of our Grand Canyon warm up. More on that later.

Why do we like it so much? The landscape is beautiful, austere and sometimes odd. All kinds of rock formations that make you want to learn more about geology.

On the trail from Zabriskie Pt to Golden Canyon

We only did one hike because we had left behind his sister Mary (who doesn’t hike) at Furnace Creek Ranch and didn’t want to abandon her for too long. Patty and I were dropped off at Zabriskie Point to hike to the Golden Canyon trailhead parking lot, while Jim and Lesley started from there and hiked to Zabriskie. We crossed paths along the way. If you hike near Golden Canyon, don’t miss going off the trail to Cathedral Rock. You’ll have to squeeze under and through rocks but it’s worth it — gorgeous, a secret red world.

At the end of our hike we picked up the car at Golden Canyon and drove back to Zabriskie to pick up the other two who ended up there. And then we all went to the saloon at the Furnace Creek Ranch for a post-hike pitcher.

On the trail near Cathedral Rock

Other highlights:

• Artist’s Drive – a scenic drive within the park, absolutely stunning 9-mile one-way twisty road, best accompanied by Robert Plant’s Big Log playing on the CD player. We always bring Plant, Sting, Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler along on our desert trips — they fit the desert well.
• Devil’s Golf Course – salty almost coral-like landscape.
• Badwater — the lowest point in our hemisphere — make sure to walk way out onto what looks like ice, it’s bizarre.
• Zabriskie Point and Dante’s Peak – scenic overlooks.
• NPS Furnace Creek Visitor Center – learn about borax, pupfish and geology!

Devil's Golf Course

With more time you can explore the area around Stovepipe Wells and Scotty’s Castle like I did on my first trip, and find a crater and sand dunes, but one day in the park is enough to get a sense of its beauty, as long as you’re there in the winter, fall or spring. I wouldn’t consider it in the summer.

And if you have the time on the way there or back, stop at the Pahrump Valley Winery in Pahrump, NV. It’s not Sonoma, but it’s a nice break on the drive. Also, keep an eye out for the roadside jerky stands. By the time we drove back, the one we saw was already closed. Love my jerky!

UPDATE:

To please my Death Valley crew who seem to take joy in my distress, I’m adding the photo that Patty took of me while I was in the midst of fruitlessly trying to find the car keys in the right rear wheel well (try saying that a few times). At this point, I must have been wondering, what the hell are we going to do….

Hardy har har, the joke's on me