Cocktail Corner: Seek and Ye Shall Find

Seeker's wine & beer tour packages let you visit a variety of venues at a bargain price, photo courtesy Seeker.

Seeker’s wine & beer tour packages let you visit a variety of venues at a bargain price, photo courtesy Seeker.

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic!  By Leslie Dinaberg

In search of a fun way to navigate Santa Barbara’s burgeoning craft beer scene? Last weekend we checked out the newly dubbed “Lagoon District” Lagoon Loop Craft Beer Trail with a package from Seeker (http://seeker.co/), and it was a surprisingly great way to do some beer tasting.

Seeker, which launched this concept in January, is a local company offering all-inclusive, self-guided tour packages in various areas in Santa Barbara.  But unlike many of the tasting tours, this one works equally well for tourists or locals because once you purchase the tour, it lives on your phone and can be redeemed for up to a year. In other words, if you only want to taste one beer, or a couple of wines in a day, you can do that and return and still continue to use your package. This versatility also makes it a great gift for some of those hard-to-buy-for friends (or employees!). 

This is the map for Seeker's Lagoon Loop package, courtesy photo.

This is the map for Seeker’s Lagoon Loop package, courtesy photo.

Our package (retail price $34.99) included a stop at Pure Order Brewing Company (410 N. Quarantina St., 805/966-2881), where we received a pint of our choice, as well as a 64 oz. growler to take home filled with our choice of beer. As a bonus, Pure Order had a lively party with a band going on that day. I liked the extra pale SBA and the Santa Barbara Lager, while my husband preferred the darker Black Gull Porter.

A short walk away is the 2nd Stop, Telegraph Brewing Company  (418 N. Salsipuedes St., 805/963-5018), a roomy tasting room that appeals to many a beer aficionado. There we got a pint of our choice, as part of the Seeker package. Normally, I really like the White Ale, but I was trying to pace myself, so I skipped the beer (and snuck a few sips from Hubby) and now I have a free one waiting to use next time.

Our third stop was the new Third Window Brewing Company (406 E. Haley St. #3, 805/979-5090), which we’d been dying to try. It’s a beautiful space in the Mill, housed within a restored old barn/feed mill originally built in 1904. With the Seeker package we got a Tasting Flight with five beers of our choice, and honestly, there wasn’t a bad one in the bunch. Unusually, my husband and I had the same favorite this time, Walkabout, a chocolate orange stout that was absolutely yummy! I also especially favored the Batch 2, a Belgian lager with orange blossoms and loquats—but honestly, all ten of our tasters were good. At some point, Third Window will have its own kitchen, but right now you can order take-out at Wildwood Kitchen (410 E. Haley St., 805/845-3995) next door, (which we did, and it was delicious as always) and they’ll deliver to you at the brewery. A perfect, barbecued end to our adventure on the Lagoon Loop!

If beer’s not your thing, Seeker also offers two different wine tasting packages. Both the Anacapa Wine Walk package and the Funk Zone Uncorked package let you hop from winery to winery, receiving items at each stop (tastings, glasses, etc.).  Just like the beer package, you just show the web app on your phone to staff at each location to receive the included items.

And by the way, I’m always a little bit nervous when I have to show an app or a coupon to get something, but all of the breweries recognized our beer tasting package immediately, were very friendly and made the whole experience a breeze. 

I’d definitely recommend the Seeker packages as a fun way to taste wine or beer, and enjoy the day in Santa Barbara.

Cheers! Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

 Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on July 8, 2016.

News From Over the Hill

What’s Going on in North County This Spring

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Take flight over wine country with Sky’s the Limit Ballooning Adventures. Courtesy photo.

Craft Beer Month

It takes a lot of beer to make good wine, which is probably why the craft beer movement has exploded in Santa Ynez Valley. Our local wine country celebrates the virtues of beer for the entire month of May, when suds lovers can enjoy an impressive array of out-of-the-ordinary tastings, classes, dinners, demos and more. One of the highlights is the Buellton BrewFest. Featuring more than 50 breweries (and some wineries), life-sized beer pong, food trucks and three live bands, this fun festival is sure to sell out, so buy your tickets early. | Santa Ynez Valley Craft Beer Month, May 1–31, various locations, visitsyv.com/craft-beer-month. Buellton BrewFest, Riverview Park, 151 Sycamore Dr., Buellton, May 9, VIP 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.; general admission, 12:30–4 p.m., buelltonbrewfest.com.

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Cowboy entertainer Dave Stamey appears in Tales from the Tavern at the Maverick Saloon, courtesy of Dave Stamey.

Tales From the Tavern

Come hunker down at Maverick Saloon, Santa Barbara County’s quintessential cowboy bar, for the tavern’s annual concert series. Dave Stamey, who True West Magazine named the “Best Living Western Solo Musician,” takes the stage on March 11. This cowboy, mule packer, dude wrangler has delighted audiences in 14 states and says that he prefers this to being stomped by angry horses. Jamaican-born reggae singer-songwriter Owen Plant and Brother Sun play on March 25; then musician, rancher, storyteller and Canadian icon Ian Tyson tells his tales in a special Thursday night performance on April 16. Wrapping up the spring season on April 29 is American musical legend Janis Ian, who began her professional life at 12 years old and is probably best known for hits like “Society’s Child,” “At Seventeen” and “Between the Lines.” Fun fact: Ian was the very first musical guest on the debut broadcast of Saturday Night Live on October 11, 1975. | Maverick Saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez, 805/688-0383, talesfromthetavern.com.

Ballooning

One of the best ways to enjoy the valley is to go up, up and away in a hot air balloon with Sky’s the Limit Ballooning Adventures. Flights capture beautiful views over the wine country surrounded by transverse mountain ranges, the Channel Islands, Lake Cachuma and the historic towns of Solvang, Los Olivos, Buellton, Santa Maria and Paso Robles. A variety of packages are available, including one that includes wine tasting at vineyards such as Bedford, Alma Rosa, Rusack, Brander, Carhartt, Bridlewood, Dierberg and Blair Fox. | Sky’s the Limit Ballooning Adventures, Santa Ynez Valley Airport, 900 Airport Rd., Santa Ynez, 760/602-0295, santabarbaraballoonrides.com.

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Craft Beer Month in May is an excellent time to taste small batch beers, courtesy Firestone Walker Brewing.

The Penelopiad

Margaret Atwood’s new stage adaptation of her wry, witty and wise novella The Penelopiad is a reimagining of the ancient story of the Trojan War, Helen of Troy and Odysseus, told from the point of view of Penelope (perhaps the first desperate housewife to appear in art). She fends off the attentions of greedy suitors, as traveling minstrels regale her with the news of Odysseus’s epic adventures around the Mediterranean, only to have him repay her devotion with heart-wrenching ruthlessness. This PCPA (Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts) production runs March 5–22. | Severson Theatre, Allan Hancock College Campus, 1100 S. Bradley, Santa Maria, 805/922-8313, pcpa.org.

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Taste the best of Solvang this March, photo by Liz Dodder.

Taste of Solvang

There’s always something delicious going on in Solvang, but they really bring out all the stops at this annual event. Now in its 23rd year, Taste of Solvang offers a menu—from farm-to-table rustic Italian cuisine to new American and modern Danish fare, plus desserts in all forms, award-winning beers and world-class wines—that’s sure to please every palate. This year’s highlights include Farmers Market Chef Walks led by Chef Budi Kazali of The Ballard Inn & Restaurant, Chef David Cecchini of Cecco Ristorante and Chef James Owens of The Bistro at Hadsten House; Bubbles and Brunch at Wildling Museum; a Winemaker Dinner with Michael Larner of Larner Vineyard & Winery and Bacon & Brine’s Chef Pink; plus sips and sweets, the Solvang Wine and Beer Walk, the Grand Tasting with treats from more than 30 businesses and much, much more! | March 18–22, various locations throughout Solvang. 805/688-6144, solvangusa.com.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine, Spring 2015.