Category Archives: Beer
Santa Cruz weekend highlights including Church Street Fair

Food from G’s Tacos, one of the vendors at Church Street Fair this weekend. Photo credit: G’s Tacos Facebook page
The summertime bounty of events in Santa Cruz continues; here are a few highlights for the weekend of Aug. 5-6, 2017, including refreshment options at the annual Church Street Fair.
Saturday & Sunday, Aug. 5-6: Church Street Fair
The Church Street Fair is part of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, which lasts until Aug. 12. As usual, there will be music, dance, art, food, and wine. Participating breweries and wineries include Corralitos Brewing (noon-3:30 p.m. Saturday), New Bohemia Brewing Co. (4-7 p.m. Saturday), Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing (noon-3:30 p.m. Sunday), Uncommon Brewers (4-7 p.m. Saturday), Storrs Winery, Odonata Wines, Soquel Vineyards, Rexford Winery, Alfaro Family Vineyards & Winery and Birichino Wines. Vinocruz—which is opening in Soquel soon—will be pouring the wine both days. Falafel of Santa Cruz, the chefs from Prophet Elias Orthodox Church who put on the annual Greek festivals, food truck G’s Tacos, and Efi’s Dutch-Indo will sell food on both fair days. Food truck Ate3One will participate on Sunday.
Event organizers promise that “non-stop performances from global traditions will keep your spirits high as you select from a variety of local food purveyors, vintners and brewers, and explore the work of dozens of regional artists and craftspeople” (see site for entire performance schedule, which includes Flor de Cana and Broken English Saturday & Watsonville Taiko Sunday).
Location: Church Street between Chestnut & Cedar
Other highlights:
- La Sofrita Puerto Rican will be at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing 7-10 p.m. Friday
- Efi’s Dutch-Indo will be at POPUP 5:30 p.m. to sellout Friday
- Friday night, lots of food and drinks will be at various galleries, shops and museums (including a fun-sounding balloon-centered exhibit at MAH) for First Friday Santa Cruz.
- My Mom’s Mole will be at Corralitos Brewing Co. Saturday afternoon & evening, and also the first Saturday of September & October. Service is 3 p.m. ‘til 8 p.m. unless they sell out earlier. And yes, I know this isn’t in Santa Cruz, but I wanted to mention anyways, especially since it’s the first of a series of three!
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San Jose’s Whole Foods Market hosts brewery re-opening Friday

A brewery/taproom at Whole Foods in San Jose is the site of a party June 2
Floodcraft Brewing Company is the new name for the brewery and taproom located inside Whole Foods Market on The Alameda in San Jose. To celebrate the re-naming, it’s having events all weekend long with special activities at the store beginning Friday, June 2.
Friday’s event is 6-8 p.m. The party is free and open to the public; you must be at least 21 years old.
If you RSVP ahead of time at Eventbrite, you receive a free Floodcraft beer koozie. For more information, call (408) 207-1126.
The party will include:
- A breaking bread ceremony (actually, a pretzel — as the organizers point out, it’s a craft beer event after all!)
- The first tapping of Floodcraft kegs
- The opportunity to meet head brewmaster Guy Cameron
- Floodcraft’s 19 rotating taps of craft beer – including 4 to 6 exclusive in-house beers, plus wines and cider on draft
- A food popup
Details
Whole Foods Market is at 777 The Alameda, San Jose.
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Lots of popups this weekend in Santa Cruz & Scotts Valley

Mole nachos from My Mom’s Mole.
Photo credit: My Mom’s Mole Facebook page
There are many pop-up dining opportunities this weekend, May 26-27, 2017, in the Santa Cruz area–here are details for a few including two at local breweries.
Friday night: My Mom’s Mole at POPUP
My Mom’s Mole is hosting dinner at POPUP from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday (or earlier if the food sells out). There will be mole nachos (chicken and veggie options) made with My Mom’s Mole homemade tortilla chips plus their signature cactus and kale salad.
POPUP, 1108 Pacific Ave. (next to Assembly), Santa Cruz
Friday night: La Sofrita at Steel Bonnet Brewing Co.
La Sofrita is doing dinner at Steel Bonnet Brewing Co. from 4-9 p.m. Friday. Dishes available will include empanadas; Puerto Rican achiote rice and pink beans, stewed with ham and sweet potatoes; mango-cucumber salad; and yuca fries served with garlic-mojo dipping sauce. Buck N The Odds will play live music.
Steel Bonnet Brewing Co., 20 Victor Square, Scotts Valley
Saturday night: Homeless Garden Project at POPUP
Homeless Garden Project is holding its first “farm to table pop-up” at Assembly’s POPUP, from 5:30-9 p.m. Saturday. Angie Smith is preparing the food. Menu selections will be beet sliders with pickled radishes and creamy green goddess dressing; Southern style barbecue chicken sliders; grilled potato salad with arugula and lemon mustard vinaigrette; summer chopped salad; and strawberries, angel food cake waffles and honeyed whipped cream.
POPUP, 1108 Pacific Ave. (next to Assembly), Santa Cruz
Saturday night: Hanloh at East Cliff Brewing Co.
Hanloh Thai Food will be at East Cliff Brewing Co. from 5-9 p.m. Saturday. Their menu will include vegan and gluten-free options. There will be live music by Take One from 7-9 p.m.
East Cliff Brewing Co., 21517 East Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz
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New Leaf’s May offerings include classes celebrating gluten-free month

Celebrate gluten-free month by making veggie quiche at a GF cooking class.
Photo credit: New Leaf
New Leaf Community Markets has several events this month, including ones to celebrate May being “gluten-free awareness month” and free movie showings. Here are some highlights; these are all at the Westside Santa Cruz location at 1101 Fair Ave. (831-426-1306).
Preregistration is required at newleaf.com/events.
Classes
Friday, May 19
Gluten-free beer & cheese pairing
Attendees will learn about, and taste, several beer and cheese pairings with Groundbreaker Brewery and Snowdonia Cheese Co. Oregon-based Groundbreaker is a dedicated, gluten-free brewery. Locally sourced chestnuts and hops make for a unique, naturally gluten-free (and vegan) beer. Snowdonia, based in North Wales, is renowned for an “innovative and colorful approach to hand crafting their distinct range of cheeses.” In January 2017, Fine Food Digest released their “Best Brand Guide” and the Snowdonia flagship—Black Bomber—was awarded “Best British Cheese” (a distinction it has received two of the last three years).
Time & Cost: 6–8pm, $10
Register at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beer-cheese-pairing-with-groundbreaker-brewing-snowdonia-cheese-tickets-33406626118
Wednesday, May 24
Gluten-free cooking class: Summer treats
Join Chef Amy Fothergill for a hands-on cooking class where you will make fresh veggie quiche, rosemary prosciutto bread with fresh mozzarella, summer fruit crisp, waffles with berries, and luscious lemon tarts.
Time & Cost: 6–8:30pm, $40/Two for $70
Register at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gluten-free-summer-cooking-tickets-33293088524
Free films & talks
Tuesday, May 9
Gluten-Free on a Budget: Nutrition Talk & Store Tour
Join Nutrition Consultant Madia Jamgochian and learn how a gluten-free lifestyle could benefit you, and how to save money when shopping for a gluten-free diet. Sample some of the products discussed in class and expand your gluten-free repertoire.
Time & Cost: 1–2pm, Free
Register at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gluten-free-on-a-budget-nutrition-talk-store-tour-tickets-33316279890
Tuesday, May 9
Movie Night: Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret
This 2014 documentary uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today—animal agriculture—and investigates “why the world’s leading environmental organizations are afraid to talk about it.” With host Sandi Rechenmacher, Nutrition Consultant and educator. Free popcorn.
Time & Cost: 6pm-8pm, Free
Register at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/movie-night-cowspiracy-the-sustainability-secret-tickets-33260473973
Wednesday, May 10
Movie Night: What the Health
Feature length documentary “What the Health” follows the journey of film writer/director Kip Andersen as he uncovers “the impacts of highly processed industrial animal foods on our personal health and greater community.” The movie has local roots: Santa Cruz producer Bill Meade is behind it. This is a rare opportunity to see an acclaimed film for free; it will be shown at the Nickelodeon later this month. With host Sandi Rechenmacher, and free popcorn.
Time & Cost: 6pm-8pm, Free
Register at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/movie-night-what-the-health-tickets-33260560231
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