The Trappist Bar: Beer Education
I originally came from the chilly Pacific Northwest, land of a thousand micro-brews. Sadly though, for far too much of that time I was too young to partake of the truly awesome beer extravaganza before it became too "mainstream". Despite growing up in such fertile beer country, I didn't really learn to love a cold frosty one until venturing into the magical time machine that is Oakland's Trappist Beer Bar.
Step past the unassuming glass door that shields patrons from the glare of the harsh afternoon sun, and into the past. Dried hops ring the edge of the dark, wood paneled interior, as a forest of hundreds of different types of beer bottles sprout up from the picture ledge, their multitudinous labels proclaim their pedigree as they stand proudly for tradition and libations enjoyed.
Sidle up to the bar and watch the masters at work. This being a proper beer bar, each beer is delivered in the correct water chilled glass designed to enhance the head and aroma of the beer for maximum enjoyment. Many companies have their own glassware, and you soon learn to recognize what the other patrons are enjoying based on the shape alone.
The bartenders are knowledgeable and friendly, and will help find the perfect beer. I often ask for their suggestions and opinions for the first or second glass, and they are usually more than willing to give you a taste to help choose. In this era of pop-tops and can beer, there is nothing like watching the clear jet of water rinsing and cooling each glass in preparation to receive the perfect pull from the tap, finished off to create the right kind of head to properly display the beer's better qualities.
If a seat at the bar cannot be secured, take your liquid heaven and retreat farther down the rabbit hole to the booths and tables in the back. While it is guaranteed to be crowded, I never really feel like I have to shout to be heard my fellow imbibers. Somehow, the crowd actually makes it feel more intimate.
A welcome addition was the opening of a second room with its own taps a few years ago, called the Back Bar. This room has a slightly different feel, though loses none of the charm of the front bar. Where the front room reminds me of a quiet Continental pub, the Back Bar feels more like a swinging speakeasy, with a larger open room and smaller tables that can accommodate many more people. Both sides feature imported beers, local brewers' specialties, and the occasional microbrew, as well as an extensive bottle collection. Small plates of food are also making headway. I particularly love the olives and roasted almonds.
For me, the Trappist is all about atmosphere. This is a place I want to take my dad, who will wax philosophic about the beer of his Austrian youth. I feel like I learned not only about the different kinds of beer, but how to enjoy it in the right context. One of the best days I ever had was spent enthrowned at the end of the Trappist bar, a giant stein of Konig Pilsener slowly disappearing into the golden afternoon as my dear man and his friend discussed all manner of things.
Check out their website at The Trappist for a preview of what's currently on tap, and the exhaustive list of beers previously served.
I raise my glass to you.
Vintage Berkeley Wine Merchants: Where the Wine Lives
Ah Solano Cellars, this is the place that started my mad quest for cheap wine. Hands down one of my favorite places to buy wine, though sadly I don't live as close as I once did, and don't get to visit very often. Thankfully, Vintage Berkeley Wine Merchants, of which Solano Cellars is a part, has more locations that are much closer, and just as awesome.
What originally attracted me to Solano Cellars was a $5 tasting panel they were advertising on a small sandwich board outside the shop on Solano Ave in Albany. A friend and I decided to meet and try out this cheap event, because we both like wine, and we are both strapped for cash. The other reason I was so intrigued is that they were offering a selection of Oregon Pinot Noir, which thrilled my cold dark Northwestern heart.
If I remember correctly, as this was several years ago, $5 got us a seat at their lovely tasting bar, four different wines from two Oregon wineries in and around the Willamette Valley, which until global temperatures rise too much is a great region for red wines, pinot noir and zinfandel in particular. The wines were wonderful, and it was great fun to listen to the actual producers talk about their products. Wandering around the bottle selection after the tasting, I quickly realized that I could actually afford many of the bottles available, as their prices ranged from $8.99 to $50+, though the average seemed to be between $15-$25. I was hooked.
Vintage Berkeley on College Ave is a sister store, but much different in design. Where Solano Cellars is small and wood paneled, Vintage Berkeley on College is wide open, with high ceilings and room to roam around. There is also a third store on Vine St. in Berkeley.
The appeal of all the Vintage Berkeley stores is not only the great prices and selections, but the knowledgeable staff and all the fun events they regularly host. I receive their email newsletter and follow them on Facebook, and almost weekly receive an email about a new type of wine coming in or a new class or event coming up. For example: last year Vintage Berkeley hosted a Wine World Cup in honor of the World Cup Soccer event in South Africa. Candidates from all over were chosen, and "taste-offs" were held at different stores almost every weekend. Each email newsletter included a trivia question worth the price of entry to the tasting events, usually a $20 to $35 value. I happened to get the right answer for the last event, the show down between Germany and Italy! My Partner in Wine and I joined a very tightly packed crowd to sample at least 5 wines from each country. This event had become quite popular, and there was a bit of elbowing required to get a taste, but all of the wines were excellent, and a detailed tasting sheet allowed us to take notes. However, before we could vote, the crowd started to get too thick for our tastes, and we left.
Bottom line, check all three stores out for their great prices and awesome selection. I highly recommend the newsletter, as it will keep you up to date on the fun events and classes offered. This is a quality local company that understands good wine doesn't have to be astronomical or pretentious, but playful and delicious.
Cato's Ale House, a Friendly Neighborhood Bar
What is it about Cato's that inspires such relaxation and happiness? One of the biggest advantages for me of course is proximity, but Cato's has other qualities to offer, namely a decent tap list that rotates frequently to showcase many local breweries, pretty good food, and if you arrive at the right time, plenty of space.
Beer prices range from $3-$6 in my experience (including half-pints), and are usually divided by exclusivity. They also serve wine, though I have only ever had the barley wine that was served on a special occasion. The bartenders are usually pretty friendly, though quite busy. I haven't received many offers for beer tastes, though I also haven't often asked for their recommendations, which I feel goes hand in hand. Many of the beers on tap are from local companies that I recognize, so I usually just order the one that looks the most intriguing and hope for the best. In the end, there is always a Tumner Pils or Downtown Brown to look after me if I didn#39;t like the first thing I got. They also know how to pull a good pint of Guinness, which I respect. The food is pretty standard pub fare, but tasty none the less, and they often have great specials.
If I had to describe the look inside Cato's, I would say dark and woody. In a strange way that's actually rather comforting, because on a hot day you can escape to the cool dimness with a tasty brew in hand. However, the dark wood paneling and dim lighting doesn't make it a great first date spot. That, combined with the crowd of people that crush in at night can make conversation difficult.
Here comes my one big gripe about Cato's: the live music. I am all for people performing and sharing their talents, and Cato's will often have great local artists in. Nevertheless, they don't need microphones! Even over the din of everyone talking, the space is small enough that the music doesn't need to be amplified. I have yelled myself hoarse trying to chat with friends while the music is going on. That said, Cato's is an excellent place to hang out during the afternoon which is usually less crowed and no live music.
Noise aside, this is a great place to hang out and have a cold one. I don't think anyone knows my name there, but it is a great place to go.