Craft beer bubbles up in downtown
It’s just within the last 10 years that downtown Napa has found its vivacity, becoming home to several top dining spots. But what’s now considered a California culinary capital has been missing one key ingredient: beer.
“Napa has been a wine town for so long, but those with a desire to drink craft beer have been underserved,” says Derek McClintick, co-owner of Napa’s newest taproom, Trade Brewing, which opened in November.
California is home to over 900 craft breweries — more than any other state in the U.S. — many of which are located in the Bay Area. But Napa was lagging in that department, and McClintick, a longtime hobbyist brewer, and his business partner, J.B. Leamer, say they wanted to “fill a void.”
“If Napa is going to be considered a food and beverage capital, I think beer should be included in that category,” McClintick says. (He and Leamer also co-own downtown’s Jax Diner.)
The taproom’s brew-style is focused on bringing craft beer back to its roots. Their specialty and seasonal beers are made with traditional ingredients, crafted in classic styles, McClintick says. “We want beer to be approachable and understandable by everybody,” he says.
Within the last year, Napa has seen the addition of two other new craft breweries, Tannery Bend Beerworks and Fieldwork Brewing Co. And the everpopular San Diego brewery Stone Brewing is scheduled to open its Napa footprint in April — an event that McClintick says “legitimizes” what these smaller beer businesses are bringing to “wine town” and opens up the market for future breweries as well.
The taproom owner has noticed, too, that his patrons — both locals and tourists alike — are enjoying a more wellrounded Napa experience: Foodies are experimenting with food and beer pairings; non-wine lovers have options of their own; and there are more places to continue a day in Wine Country after traditional winery hours.
An added bonus to the increase of taprooms in Napa’s relatively small downtown is that many are close to each other. You can easily hop, crawl — or just walk.