Wednesday 8th of February 2017 01:55:59 PM

link
2016 found us traveling across America for a few months...and as they dropped off and into 2017, we were back in our native California driving Highway 1, that gorgeous, spectacular stretch of road from Oceanside up to the Oregon border and beyond.

Late one afternoon in January, we were headed into Santa Barbara but, because we were aware of the expense in that burg, stopped instead a few miles outside in Carpenteria for, what else? A brew...and found Rincon Brewery.

A good beer selection but not enough of those dark, bold and naughty brews we enjoy although their Bombora stepped up to the plate and hit a home run...but, like most West Coast breweries, Rincon laid heavy on the IPA's.

Their beer "garden" was street-side...traffic is not our idea of relaxing with a beer and understand the limitations when you have to use the space available.

Staff was friendly...not over-"protective"...and it was a nice respite after a long drive in from Riverside through the towns of Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, past LAX, through Malibu..and on and on and on.

Given all that, Carpenteria and but a suburb so be prepared to pay high prices...but you can do in without the crowds that now permeate Santa Barbara year round.

And Hopefully, Rincon will have a few more Dark Passengers, and a few less IPA's AND Pale Ales AND Ambers...and be more innovative rather than following the California "crowd"-ed beer community