Ealish (the official PlanetSeth wife) & I called into Vino Locale last night for a drink before deciding where to eat. Vino Locale (which for the language challenged means local wine) may sound a unconventional place to talk about in a beer blog but it is certainly worth a visit. When Ealish & I first started going to Vino Locale they were sticking closely to their aim for serving local wines and local foods, where local means about a 50 mile radius. They also exhibit local artists. Once we got to know the owners I began to suggest that they should also stock local beers. Whether or not my efforts were a factor I don’t know but they now stock a range of high quality local beers.
I forgot to note down their entire beer menu but managed to sample two different ales on this occasion. Both were from the Farmhouse Brewing Company in Gilroy. I had the Two Tractor Ale & Ealish had the Saison 7. Two Tractor (I love the name) is an American style pale. It is coppery in colour with a hoppy aroma with hints of citrus that suggests Cascade hops. It’s flavour is hoppy without reaching IPA levels though the bitterness of the hops stands out more the aroma. I enjoyed it but Ealish found it a little too bitter for her tastes. Saison 7 as you may guess from the name is a saison; a Belgian summer ale. It had a floral smell, almost like a Belgian wheat beer such a Hoegaarden. Light and indeed summery it had a nutty rather than hoppy finish. Very refreshing.
Vino Locale is well worth experiencing whether for the beer or for the wine which is also excellent and well priced. Their food is exceedingly tasty though at the nibbly end of the scale so if you have a real hunger you may need to order several items. The place has a great ambience with a lovely patio to the rear which is just perfect for relaxing on a summer evening. To top it all off, the owners Randy & Harry are two of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet, their staff being just as equally amenable & efficient.
I guess I’ll have to pop back to record the remainder of their beer menu. I suppose I can have one whilst I am there.