Brewmeister’s big move

Bus man: Somehow, amidst the explosion of regional breweries, Folsom got passed over—something that will be rectified in early 2018 when Eric Schmid opens Red Bus Brewing Co. As the owner of the homebrewing supply store The Brewmeister (802 Reading Street), Schmid purchased more of his building to make space for his small-scale, seven-barrel brewery.

“I’m not looking to be the next big thing,” he said. “I’m looking to be the Folsom thing.”

A graduate of the American Brewers Guild, Schmid said he plans to sell 85 to 90 percent of his beer in the taproom. He has employed a few brewers who went on to run their own facilities, such as Zack Frasher of the award-winning Moonraker Brewing Co. in Auburn. He named Red Bus after his own refurbished Volkswagen, a machine somewhat similar to his well-traveled brewing system that he’s pretty sure started its journey at the Dixie Brewing Co. in New Orleans.

Saying that owning a brewery had always been in the back of his mind, Schmid decided to go forward with the project to give Folsom residents a local watering hole, as almost all other other Sacramento-area suburbs have at least one place to drink craft beer. According to Schmid, Red Bus will be the first Folsom production brewery since the 1800s.

Although still under construction, the brewery’s licensed space will include The Brewmeister, so homebrewers or those just curious about beer’s raw ingredients will be able to peruse his store while they sip. Schmid said he and co-brewer Nik Stevens both enjoy German beers, but will offer a diverse line-up on tap. He also plans to share his recipes so that homebrewers can give them a shot.

“There won’t be any secrets. It’ll be a complete open book,” said the man who brews on Reading Street.

Butcher’s burrito: V. Miller Meats (4801 Folsom Boulevard) has started offering breakfast burritos ($8) on the weekends from 10 a.m. to “12ish.” Depending on the day, they’ll be stuffed with either chorizo or chili verde as well as eggs, potatoes, cheddar and their “fancy” sauce made with tomatillos and hatch chilis.

To go along with the butcher’s rotating dinner for two ($25) on Thursdays, it debuted Taco Night on November 8, loading up corn tortillas with a beef brisket dressed in mole and topped with pickled onions, micro greens and cotija cheese (four for $10).

Pristine poultry: The Organic Coup labels itself “America’s First USDA Certified Organic Fast Food” and recently opened its first location outside of the Bay Area in Sacramento (440 Howe Avenue). The sourcing-conscious spot centers its menu around buttermilk-soaked, spice-battered fried chicken that goes in everything from sandwiches to wraps to bowls filled with spicy, snappy slaw (all $7.99).