Maker: Bobby of Old Redwood Brewing Company

I grew up drinking beer. There is an infamous picture of me as a toddler in a high chair sucking the last few drops of taste from an empty beer can. As a child, when my dad poured his beer at dinner, he would slide the glass over to me and let me have the foam. My grandma didn’t drink beer often, but when she did, she mixed it half and half with sprite, and always let me have some. She called it a “radler” the german word for cyclist, and I didn’t believe that it was anything more than just something she made up until I actually saw a bartender make it once. It’s the old school version of the famous Shandy that you might see bottled now. I discovered my love of microbrews when I worked in a local winery that had a small brewing company under its label. I loved learning about the beer, seeing the process, getting to learn about all the ingredients used in the different batches. I loved serving it and watching customers enjoy the unique tastes of the ever changing brews. During all of my pregnancies I looked forward to the day when I brought my babies home…so that I could once again enjoy a glass of my favorite apricot beer. When I met Bobby and found about his hobby of brewing, I couldn’t wait to hear more about his creations. He was creating small batches of beer in his garage, and whenever we were lucky enough to be around when a growler of his brew was opened I was always very impressed by what he had made. When we heard that he and a few guys were going into business and opening up a tasting room for their microbrews, my husband and I made sure to get there and check everything out. (I’d advise not tasting on an empty stomach, if you don’t want to walk out the door a little more wobbly then you probably should be…true story) So far they have won “Peoples Choice Best Beer” at Battle of the Brews ‘Craft Cup’ 2013 on the Full Windsor (double IPA) and “Best Specialty Beer” at Battle of the Brews ‘Craft Cup’ 2014 for their Barrel Aged imperial stout. If you are in the Sonoma County area, and are looking for a great place to taste a few very unique beers, head up to Windsor, and set some time aside to check out the award winning Old Redwood Brewing Company. You won’t be disappointed!

{Angie}

Please introduce yourself.
My name is Bobby and I grew up in Windsor, Ca. Although I spent 4 years in the Marine Corps and attended College in Sacramento, I’ve always called Windsor my home.

What do you make or do?

I create the delicious golden, tan, amber, red, brown, or black elixir commonly known as beer.

Where can we find your product?

We have a small tasting room/brewery in Northern California in the town of Windsor on the Town Green. You can check us out on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Oldredwoodbrewco or follow us on twitter @OldRedBrewing .

Is there a unique story behind the name of your business?

We named our business Old Redwood Brewing Company in honor of the historical highway running through Sonoma County. Prior to being known as a world renowned wine growing region, Sonoma County was one of the world leaders in hop production, a key ingredient in beer. Truckloads of hops were once shipped down Old Redwood Highway during the early 20th Century.

When you are not creating, what are you up to?

When I’m not brewing beer, I’m chasing my two boys around, spending time with my wife and working my day job as a Ninja. Being a full time Ninja is tough work but lends flexible hours allowing me time to brew fine, small batch, craft ales.

Where do you find your inspiration?

I get my inspiration from those who enjoy my creation. There is something incredibly fulfilling about taking raw ingredients (such as whole barley kernels, hop flowers, water and yeast) and converting them through creativity, artistry, and science, to produce a finished product that so many people love and enjoy.