Garden Path Fermentation

I dropped in at Garden Path last week to check out their taproom and see what they have going on, and I was not disappointed! I was rather surprised, actually, to learn that in addition to being a brewery and taproom, they operate a small bottle shop there as well, with a small but well-curated selection (maybe 100-150 items) of beers from Europe and the US. They also have a selection of wines and ciders, if that’s your thing.

The taproom is pretty small, with a couple communal tables, half a dozen seats at the bar, and some bar-height beer-rail tables around the perimeter. The brewery and barrel house is right there in the same building, and if they have the door open you can see the whole facility. On my visit they had 6 of their own beers on tap (with a heavy focus on spontaneous fermentation and saisons), plus 7 guest beers representing sours, rauchbier, pilsner, and from Russian River both an imperial porter and the classic Pliny the Elder. I had a light saison and their fresh hop spontaneous fermented beer, and they were both excellent.

Service is very friendly and very knowledgeable, and I just had a grand old time. I’ll definitely be back to Garden Path when I head up that way again.

Cool little fermentorium in an industrial area by the airport. Tiny bar perpendicular to the entrance on the left seats 3 with a couple of tables and counter seating inside and a few tables on the covered porch. 7 house beers and an equal number of guest offering. Also an impressive selection of bottles and cans for on premises or to go. If you like wild ales, this place is excellent. Friendly, knowledgeable bartender.

Out in a very spread out industrial zoned area, amongst the woods, near a small airport. Small and fairly new building, with a good little bar and well presented, shelves of bottled, wild yeast beers from the United States and Europe, for sale. At the bar there are many taps of their wild yeast, barrel aged beers on tap. They do not have any conventional beers here. Madeline was very ready with information on their beers and the bottled items from other brewers and very attentive, maybe because I was the only customer for most of the time, mid day on a Sunday. These beers are a novelty for me and would rate the quality higher if the styles were to my liking.

 

2020-03-14
Went here with my wife midafternoon on a Saturday. We had three of their beers and couldn't refuse Cantillon Gueuze on tap to round it out. Bought a couple bottles. Got a tour and sort of a lecture from Ron Extract. Bottle selection is kind of amazing, and anyplace in the US that has Cantillon Gueuze on tap on a random day impresses the hell out of me. Their selection is great for someone that is into wild, funky, sour, and outside-the-box beers, but if you're looking for a straight up stout or IPA or whatever, this is the wrong place.

Vibe was good. Several people had dogs in there, one person had a cat. I think it's 21+, though so probably not a good place for your kids (or mine).

Their beers are not straight-up sour bombs, and they're also not funk bombs. They're interesting. Nothing I had of theirs blew me away, but they're good and interesting.

They're way out of the way, so it might be hard for me to justify going back, but I'll always be tempted.

 

 

Chill little tasting room at their fermentation space (they don't actually brew, buy wort from a nearby brewery). Seating for about 30 inside (even though their posted capacity is 49, it seems like that would very snug) with some outside seating as well. About6 of their own beers on tap with a similar number of guest taps.

A nice bottle selection as well. No food, except for snack-type stuff. Worth a stop if you're in the area.