Flavor on tap

I've written in this space about my serious love of wine, and in fact there were a few years when that's pretty much all I drank, alcohol-wise. Beer was my first love, however, and when we got back together a couple of summers ago, it was a sweet reunion.

I was living in Colorado at the time and I was totally spoiled. There were literally enough breweries there, just in Boulder County, to visit a different one every week for half a year. Back in Chico and the land of Sierra Nevada, I've been pleasantly surprised by the number of craft beers on tap around town and, more impressive, all the festivals dedicated to all things brewed.

A few weeks ago, I went to my first Microbrew Fest, put on by Soroptomist International of Bidwell Rancho. It was the 20th installment of the popular event, and upon first walking in and receiving my complimentary pint glass, I could see why.

Booths filled the main room at the Elks Lodge, with servers offering everything from beer to cider to some delicious-smelling food. Out on the lawn, with live music in one corner, were dozens more beer options from all over the country, and it was difficult to decide where to start.

All in all, there were many fantastic beers on tap that afternoon. I even got a taste of Colorado in Oskar Blues Brewery's Mama's Little Yella Pils. (I was a bit disappointed, however, when I enthusiastically told the woman pouring that I used to live in Longmont, where Oskar Blues is brewed, and she said, “Oh, cool, we're based in Fort Collins.” She must've thought she was pouring New Belgium. Oh well.)

The true highlights of the day were three things I didn't expect to like, and two of them weren't even beers. The first was the blackberry wine from Chico's Honey Run Winery. I know I've tasted some of their wines before but didn't remember any standing out for me back then. Taste buds do change, though, and this time around, it was absolutely delicious, fruity without being overly sweet. The pourer knew her stuff, too, and recommended serving any of their wines over ice cream or even cooking with them (yum!).

The second highlight was a stout. I've never been a fan of super dark beers so I tend to steer clear of stouts. But my boyfriend insisted I try the Campfire Stout from High Water Brewing. I was so glad I did. It tasted like a campfire in my mouth—chocolatey, smokey, creamy. Mmm.

The final surprise was Chico-based Five by Five Bitters (which I plan to expound upon in the coming weeks), which created the most delicious combination of soda water and barrel-aged vanilla bitters. Perfectly refreshing on a long, hot day.