Bike Dog comes to Land Bark—er, Park

Beer hounds: Two months ago, Bike Dog Brewing Co.’s co-owner Sage Smith quit his day job as a graphic designer to oversee the homestretch of construction on his brewery’s second taproom (915 Broadway). At the soft-opening on September 17, locals packed the minimalist addition to the edge of the grid.

“We see ourselves on the outskirts of truly happening places,” Smith said. “We want more of a chill vibe. We’re in our late 30s, early 40s. We close at 11 on Saturdays. We’re not looking to stay up till 2.”

The co-owners decided to expand the 3-year-old business beyond its original West Sacramento location when their friend Josh Nelson of Selland’s Market-Cafe invited them to be neighbors in their renovated building. This mutually beneficial arrangement allows the taproom to offer a simple menu of the cafeteria-style restaurant’s crowd-pleasers—like grilled cheese sandwiches ($6.50), vegan, roasted beet salads ($5.25) and pizzas topped with prosciutto, fontina and caramelized onions ($17).

In the buildup to the grand opening party on October 13, Smith hopes to add another bar to create distinct regions within the space: a patio for dog owners, a communal area for minglers and booth seating for those seeking a bit of privacy. Design-wise, the taproom earns novelty points for forgoing the industrial chic look for quirky awnings that line the interior’s sides.

“We wanted to do something different,” he said. “We know some people are going to be like, ’What the hell are those things?’ It’s not going to be everybody’s favorite, but I’d rather have them have a reaction to it than be like, ’Meh, it’s there.’”

The taproom swivels around a rainbow of 18 bike-handle topped taps that pour fresh beer as well as kombucha and nitrogen-bubbled cold brew coffee. On September 20, it introduced the Eukuanot Touch This, a “hazy hibiscus IPA” that’s a solid addition to the diverse array of hoppy ales that comprise most of the draft list, along with the crisp Bici Perro Mexican lager and a coffee-infused, English-style pale ale, the Statewide ESB.

And while the beer’s ready, Smith still has a finishing touch: tapping into his artsy side to adorn the bare white walls with graphics. The design is TBA.

“I’ve been hitting my head just because I’ve been doing construction for the last three months, which has made it hard to be creative,” he said. “But it’s a nice little relief to be open.”