Woodfour Brewery

Sometimes a morning walk turns into a pleasant daylong affair. A newsy phone call from Matt meant that we didn't get started on our walk until 10am, but we decided to go to the Laguna trail outside Sebastopol. The beautiful oak trees seem to be holding up well and the grapes in the Balleto Vineyard have been picked, but the vines are still in full leaf and haven't even started changing color yet. I've put a picture of OilMan and Ozzie disappearing down the trail as I lingered taking picture

By the time we finished our tour of the Laguna (Laguna de Santa Rosa, the flat space between Sebastopol and Santa Rosa). it was noon and we were both hungry, so we repaired to the Barlow and the Woodfour Brewery for lunch. I liked their wall display of bottles with a peek into the brewery through glass windows at the side. We sat outside on the wide deck, watched the people shopping at the galleries and shops across the street and enjoyed beer and bratwurst sandwiches with melted cheese, caramelized onions and arugula.

I am not a beer lover but when in a brewery needs must, so I asked the server for a recommendation. She said she was a wine girl herself but highly recommended the Sonoma'festbier', which was delicious and refreshing. OilMan was excited that we had finally found a beer I liked as he quaffed his large glass of King's Ridge Lager. I'm sure he would agree with the Czech proverb quoted at the top of the menu. "A fine beer may be judged with only a sip, but it's better to be thoroughly sure."

A drive over the backroads took us to Healdsburg and the Geyser Peak winery where we picked up a case of wine. Ozzie considers the back of my car a second den, so he was happy to go along for the ride.

Will is here now to work on a college essay with me, so I will have to go see if we can knock out the second one for the University of California.