Planning your visit to Sonoma "County"? This might help.

[PaulMills]

Very nice indeed. I shall use this as a reference for our next trip.

[Alan_Rath]

@Charlie Fu

kinda want to go in and get a few growlers so don’t really need a table. My last appointment is over at 4:30 in calistoga then dinner at adhoc at 5:45. I think it’s cutting it too close. Agree?

It’ll take you almost that long just to get from Calistoga to Ad Hoc Ok, exaggerating a bit, but it could easily be 30-40 minutes with traffic that time of day. You’d be very lucky to drive over the mountain to Santa Rosa, then back to Yountville in close to that time, not counting parking and waiting to buy beer.

When are you doing this? Maybe someone could help you out. If you go to RRV web site, they have a list of retail outlets that carry their beer. Ad Hoc is on that list.

[CFu]

@Alan Rath

@Charlie Fu

kinda want to go in and get a few growlers so don’t really need a table. My last appointment is over at 4:30 in calistoga then dinner at adhoc at 5:45. I think it’s cutting it too close. Agree?

It’ll take you almost that long just to get from Calistoga to Ad Hoc Ok, exaggerating a bit, but it could easily be 30-40 minutes with traffic that time of day. You’d be very lucky to drive over the mountain to Santa Rosa, then back to Yountville in close to that time, not counting parking and waiting to buy beer.

When are you doing this? Maybe someone could help you out. If you go to RRV web site, they have a list of retail outlets that carry their beer. Ad Hoc is on that list.

Be in the Napa Wine Valley on Friday. Wanted to try it fresh from the tap at the brewery, we can get their beers in LA but all bottled and very rarely on tap =(

Wish I had a teleporter. ha

[M_Sai]

Charlie - there are three places in Sonoma who have Pliny on tap, one in Glen Ellen and one in Kenwood last time I counted - there has to be at least one spot in Napa. Also keep in mind, the brewery stopped selling Pliny in growlers a few months back, so you would be out anyway if that is what you are after.

Although, it only took one visit to the brewery to realize that I prefer several of RRBC’s other beers to Pliny… You might consider carving out an afternoon and going for lunch - just make sure you have a DD!

[CFu]

@M. Sai

Charlie - there are three places in Sonoma who have Pliny on tap, one in Glen Ellen and one in Kenwood last time I counted - there has to be at least one spot in Napa. Also keep in mind, the brewery stopped selling Pliny in growlers a few months back, so you would be out anyway if that is what you are after.

Although, it only took one visit to the brewery to realize that I prefer several of RRBC’s other beers to Pliny… You might consider carving out an afternoon and going for lunch - just make sure you have a DD!

Ah didn’t know that about the growlers. Was also hoping to do Blind Pig, which we rarely get in socal… bottle or tap. Unfortunately, no time to detour out there.

My wife is driving for the weekend DD!

[M_Sai]

Hop2It and Row 2, Hill 56 are both better than Blind Pig - they are out of HappyHops which was also better than BP.

Then (like me) you start trying the Belgian inspired beers like Perdition and Damnation and forget about IPAs all together!

[CFu]

@M. Sai

Hop2It and Row 2, Hill 56 are both better than Blind Pig - they are out of HappyHops which was also better than BP.

Then (like me) you start trying the Belgian inspired beers like Perdition and Damnation and forget about IPAs all together!

I tried the Row 2, Hill 56 with BP, Pte and PtY off tap last month, i thought it was the most lacking out of the 4 to me. But I feel like now I’m just clogging up this thread

Yes the damnation is quite tasty!

[John_Willison]

Brian - My wife and I returned Saturday from a week spent in Sonoma (and Marin) and Napa. We had a great week, thanks in part to some suggestions from board members here. I will post notes once I give up on catching up on work.

Some highlights…stayed at Nicks Cove and watched Hog Island oysters across the street pull truckloads of oysters out of the water and then followed them down the street to consume more than our share; got photo bombed by a herd of elk while running on the trails in Point Reyes National Seashore; enjoyed great tastings at Littoria and Copain (and Rivers Marie with Will who was a gracious host in Napa); enjoyed Cowgirl Creamery cheese, Bovine bakery scones, etc.

Detailed notes to follow. Got a renewed appreciation for the amount of driving required.

FWIW…got an email from Kistler announcing the opening of their Trenton Road tasting room as we drove down Trenton Road.

[Alan_Rath]

@Charlie Fu

Was also hoping to do Blind Pig, which we rarely get in socal… bottle or tap.

Good choice. Blind Pig is by far my favorite, over either of the Plinys. The hops are just too strong for my delicate sensibilities in the Pliny

[Paul_Luckin]

Re: RRBC on tap - Cafe Citti in Kenwood had PtY, Blind Pig, and Damnation last time i checked. also, the ravioli in tomato/basil/cream sauce is not to be missed.

[Brian_Tuite]

@John Willison

Brian - My wife and I returned Saturday from a week spent in Sonoma (and Marin) and Napa. We had a great week, thanks in part to some suggestions from board members here. I will post notes once I give up on catching up on work.

Some highlights…stayed at Nicks Cove and watched Hog Island oysters across the street pull truckloads of oysters out of the water and then followed them down the street to consume more than our share; got photo bombed by a herd of elk while running on the trails in Point Reyes National Seashore; enjoyed great tastings at Littoria and Copain (and Rivers Marie with Will who was a gracious host in Napa); enjoyed Cowgirl Creamery cheese, Bovine bakery scones, etc.

Detailed notes to follow. Got a renewed appreciation for the amount of driving required.

FWIW…got an email from Kistler announcing the opening of their Trenton Road tasting room as we drove down Trenton Road.

Great John! I look forward to your recap.

[Eric_Keating]

Here is a link to driving distances between cities on Sonoma and Napa Counties - Explore Sonoma County - Sonoma.com

For driving times, a safe guess would be:
Same County - 1.5 x miles = total driving minutes (e.g. Napa to Calistoga = 27 miles = 40 minutes)
Cross County - 2.0 x miles = total driving minutes (e.g. Santa Rosa to Yountville = 28 miles = 56 minutes)

With few exceptions (like town of Sonoma to town of Napa), most cross-county trips will include some sort of mountain road, so you have to plan for a longer drive.

Only serious traffic would be rush hour between Petaluma and Santa Rosa. Also through downtown St. Helena. What a mess that is.

[Eric_Keating]

Speaking of Trenton Road, boy does that confuse me. I grew up just a few miles from there, and still haven’t figured out why it pops up all over the place and goes in all different directions.

Brian… you live in Forestville, right? Have you figured it out?

[Brian_Tuite]

@Eric Keating

Speaking of Trenton Road, boy does that confuse me. I grew up just a few miles from there, and still haven’t figured out why it pops up all over the place and goes in all different directions.

Brian… you live in Forestville, right? Have you figured it out?

Trenton Rd was the East-West roadway before River Rd was built. In many places Trenton fronts River but, like most old roadways, it wrapped around hills. River Rd was cut right through the hills so now Trenton crosses it a half dozen times.

Try being me giving people directions before google maps. Drive down River Rd 6 miles and turn left on Trenton. No not that one but the one after Wohler Rd. People always got confused and lost.

[Bob_Hunnicutt]

And there’s Trenton-Healdsburg Rd that intersects Eastside Rd at Mark West Springs Rd. Or something like that because I usually get lost around there. lol

[Brian_Tuite]

@Bob Hunnicutt

And there’s Trenton-Healdsburg Rd that intersects Eastside Rd at Mark West Station Rd. Or something like that because I usually get lost around there. lol

FIFY!

[Brian_Tuite]

Added links and info for Alexander Valley, Bennett Valley and Carneros.
Send me your favorite places to:

• Eat
• Sleep
• Be Merry

[Brian_Tuite]

Added links for Sonoma Coast, Petaluma Gap, West Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Valley, Kenwood and Glen Ellen… Sonoma is next
Also added a few Restaurants, Wine/Food Events and some more non-wine related activities.

[Larry_P]

This is a good one: http://www.olivefestival.com/

[Brian_Tuite]

@Larry P

This is a good one: http://www.olivefestival.com/

Thanks Larry!
I also added links for Knights Valley, Moon Mountain, Pine Mountain and Rockpile. Still have to tackle Sonoma Proper.