When is the last time you could sip authentic Belgian beer and world class IPAs, eat a juicy cheeseburger or upscale kreplach, and enjoy a museum filled with childhood memories within a few miles? You can do all of this and much more in a day trip to Santa Rosa and its next-door neighbor, Windsor.
Located in Sonoma County of wine region fame, Santa Rosa prides itself as the place where wine country meets beer city during FeBREWary, a celebration of craft beer with 26 participating breweries, taprooms and pubs. We took advantage of the last day of the 9th annual FeBREWary event to enjoy the food, beer, and fun activities that the Santa Rosa area offers. Several of the participating businesses offered special FeBREWary beer and food menus.
Though our first stop was planned for Cuver Belgian Brewers a half mile away in Windsor, we made a quick detour to the Windsor Brewery and Pub location of the world-famous Russian River Brewing Company. The best-known Russian River Brewing beer, Pliny the Elder, made Santa Rosa a craft beer destination. Thousands await the annual release of its even more hop-happy little brother, Pliny the Younger.
The brewery is housed in a large building featuring a self-guided tour to see how the beer is made. A restaurant with a large patio is located by a gift shop selling all the merchandise and beer one could want. Though we did not have time to sample the wide-ranging menu, the onion rings devoured on previous trips are outstanding. There is also a brewpub 20 minutes away in Santa Rosa, but we enjoyed the scene at the spacious Windsor location during our quick visit.
What is most surprising to many first-time visitors is the extensive list of beer and ale offerings with many experimental brews. You soon realize the heart and soul of Russian River Brewery is much more than Pliny. My favorite is the Gaffers Bitter sold only at the brewery.
The nearby Cuver Belgian Brewers and Tasting Café is the place to go for authentic Belgian beers.
Opened in 2021, Cuver is owned by Dr. Jan Verspecht and Don Mills and is a true family affair. Master brewer and manager, Hendrik Cuver (Cushing-Verspecht), is a Belgium-born, fourth generation brewer who, along with his father in-law, Reed Cushing, a co-founder and head brewer, bring their expertise and experience in Belgian brews to California.
Cuver’s flagship beer is the Pepperwood Saison, a well-balanced, aromatic ale that is unique in the craft beer world. The herbaceous notes come from the Meyer lemon and California bay laurel used in the brewing process. Fun fact: The bay laurel tree is also called a pepperwood. The Classic Golden Abbey ale brings you straight to Ghent with the beautiful color and the subtle farmhouse overtones on the palate. For fans of higher ABV brews, the Dark Lioness, a Belgium quadruple comes in at 10.3 ABV, and the Golden Lion, 9.8 ABV.
The seasonal specialty beers such as the Midnight Gardener brewed with rosemary, and the rotating wit biers are enticing, creative, and delicious. If you want to know the story of Walter the Woodpecker, the handle on the draft beer taps, just ask the Cuver staff.
A short drive led us to Santa Rosa and the Fogbelt Brewing Co. Taproom and Brewhouse—a perfect spot for the whole family. With a menu featuring items from smashburgers to healthy salads, chicken wings and more, no one will be disappointed. For an appetizer, we chose pretzel bites with beer cheese, a common taproom offering. This presentation topped others with über-flavorful cheese and pretzels with a crisp, well browned crust and wonderfully chewy interior.
Though a FeBREWary lunch menu looked tempting, I chose the chicken schnitzel sliders with sauerkraut that were a big hit. Fogbelt Taproom’s mindfulness to all elements on the plate is evinced in their excellent, house made sauerkraut and pickles. The juicy and hefty smashburger with cheese was a three-napkin lunch. and we appreciated the fries and onion ring sides.
With 16 beers on tap, a flight was the ultimate choice. Though you can sample dark beers like the Sticky Bun Stout at 9.3% ABV and the Tapestry of Darkness at a whopping 10%, the Super Colossus Double IPA, the Godwood Triple IPA as well as the Stardust, a refreshing Hazy IPA, were among the beers we sampled. Our favorite was The Javelin, a barrel aged tart beer, aged in pinot noir barrels with plums and apricots. Ask about the cellar aged sour beers.
For train buffs and more, the Santa Rosa California Welcome Center is in historic Railroad Square. A former 1900s train depot, the knowledgeable staff can highlight the attractions, museums, trails, dining options, and more. The gift shop features an interactive train display, and Peanuts characters greet visitors.
Across the street, we grabbed a nosh at Grossmans Nosherie and Bar located at Hotel La Rose. Grossmans has elevated classic Jewish Deli food to an art. We shared a plate of kreplach, a ravioli type pasta, with soy butter and scallions with gribenes, fried poultry skin, and the flavors brought back memories of our East Coast childhoods.
You can order a traditional corned beef and pastrami sandwich or potato varaniki, traditional Ukrainian dumplings filled with mashed potatoes and caramelized onions, served with lemon brown butter and smoked trout roe. The sandwiches are large and the chicken soup with matzah balls is enough to feed a family of four. An egg cream soda crowns the true deli experience.
We finished our day with dinner at the Beer Baron in the heart of vibrant Santa Rosa Downtown on Courthouse Square. While “beer” may be in the name, the cocktails are creative and appealing.
One of our party started with Strawberry Fields, a multi-seasonal cocktail made with Strawberry infused Tequila, Agave, Aloe Liqueur and lime with a Tajin crusted rim.
Jesse, the bar manager, explained that the tequila is infused in house with muddled strawberries for over two days, then strained.
The beer list is extensive. I enjoyed a pint of Moonlight Brewing Death and Taxes, a rich, balanced dark lager that paired well with the food. The smoked olive oil guacamole served with chips held an alluring smokiness. Selecting one item from the tempting menu was challenging. One friend landed on the Fried Chicken and Waffles.
The juicy, savory fried chicken was complemented by the subtle sweetness of the waffle with its crispy exterior and fluffy interior; the bacon butter on the side was a satisfying gourmet touch. The Cajun mac and cheese was rich and filling, loaded with andouille sausage and peppers and with the ideal level of heat. Though tempting, we declined the churro waffle for dessert.
In between exploring memorable food and beverages, The Charles M. Schulz Museum offers a perfect respite during the day. Opened in 2002, the museum features much of Schulz’s original artwork and takes the visitor on a journey through the beloved world of Peanuts.
The museum is filled with enlarged comic strips and well-curated displays of drawings, memorabilia, and photos and videos with Schulz.
You will discover the “hidden” adult references behind your favorite childhood characters and cartoons that you missed as a child. In addition to making a cartoon to take home, you can take a photo with the cartoon characters. The only challenge is resisting the urge to buy an adorable stuffed Woodstock on the way out to remember your fine day in Santa Rosa filled with craft beer and delicious food.
*This article was co-authored by Joss Flanzbaum
NB: Photos by Deborah Grossman unless otherwise noted
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