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Sophie Snook, Kelly Brewing Company Ross Kelly, owner and brewmaster of Morgan Hill-based Kelly Brewing Company, said, “People come here for a full- flavored beer. mpany A craft brewery is like the local pub: people come to socialize and hang out. We have pub games in the backroom and in the outside patio just for that reason.” Kelly Brewing Company, with its long, varnished bar and open seating, will soon have twelve taps available: “I’m planning to have two to three IPAs at all times,” Kelly said. “It’s the most popular craft beer. But I’ll be making a wide variety of beer. Once a beer is gone, we’ll replace it with something new, so customers will have something different to taste all the time.” Starting out with home brewing in 2006, Kelly upped his game in 2015, attending a World Brewing Academy course, which is a partnership between Seibel Institute of Technology in Chicago and Doemens Academy in Munich, Germany. A native of Morgan Hill/San Martin, Kelly said he is “happy to be back in Morgan Hill, and happy to be a part of the growing number of craft beer providers in our area.” Sophie Snook, Kelly’s fiancée and front-room manager, added, “When there are a number of places to drink craft beer, the area becomes a destination community.” Drinking beer has always been a part of the American identity: the 4th of July BBQ, sporting events, and summer picnics. But the boom in the craft beer industry is changing the taste of American beer drinkers and adding to the venues to enjoy them. We are craving the complexity of flavors and style that we can’t find with mainstream beers, and we’re flocking to the shops that provide them. In August 2016, owners of The Running Shop and Hops, Paul and Renee Rakitin, brought a much-welcomed taproom to downtown Morgan Hill to fulfill that desire for experimentation and choice. The taproom boasts 86 craft beers, the largest selection in the area. Popular since its opening day, “Hops” features outdoor seating and a large game room. GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN Bubbles and Brew: Food, Wine, Beer is the new name for Bubbles Wine Bar, reflecting the addition of craft beers on tap. Owners Kerry Wallace and her husband Dave Dindak heeded the many requests for draft craft beer by adding an outdoor venue called Grant’s Garden. Now, patrons can enjoy their “classic bistro dishes,” with wine or beer, inside the wine bar and bistro, or outside in Grant’s Garden. “With over ten craft beers on tap, there’s no place better to meet friends and have a good time,” states their Facebook announcement. “With both beer and wine,” Kerry said, “we’ve become a ‘date night’ destination.” They also host Saturday Music from 6-8 pm in spring and summer, featuring a variety of artists. And just like any European bistro owners, Kerry and David encourage patrons to “Stay for a while.” Bubbles and Brew is a “place to linger,” said Kerry. Trail Dust Barbecue has been a treasured destination for food and beer lovers ever since owner Eric Ingram opened the doors in 1989. As Marc Stroogandt, master beer sommelier for the Food and Beer Consultancy, UK stated, “Beer is a great match for food because of the complexity of its flavors, its ability to provide refreshment and to interact with many food flavors.” For many years, the servers/beer sommeliers at Trail Dust offered tasting suggestions for food and beer pairings from over two dozen bottled craft beers selected from around the state. Trail Dust installed a walk-in cooler in 2012 to further their commitment to the best and freshest craft beers. Currently, customers can choose from twenty-one craft beers on tap, and the knowledgeable wait staff are still available to help with your beer selection. “We are continuing to reinvent ourselves,” said Ingram. “Soon, we plan to double the seating at the bar, and we’re looking into adding a parklet [a patio extension out to the street] that will increase our seating, with a deck and lighting.” Another way to find the very best craft beer is to brew it yourself. With roots as a homebrewer himself, Ingram has april/may 2019 gmhtoday.com 29