Nestled away in the back of a strip mall, many people could miss Dempsey’s Brewery along the river in Petaluma. Unless you had been there or had someone direct you to the small brewery and restaurant, you may have never been to Petaluma’s oldest brewery. With new beers hitting the shelves and taps, that may all change.
This summer, Dempsey’s increased their visibility substantially with the release of four bottled beers: Red Rooster, Petaluma Strong Ale, Sonoma Irish Ale and Sonoma Mountain Wheat. Sonoma Mountain Wheat was a summer release only, with a few bottles still on shelves around Sonoma County. The Irish Ale is a sporadic brew, which will come and go depending on demand. Red Rooster and Petaluma Strong Ale will be available year-round. Also, look for Ugly Dog Stout to make an appearance in bottles in the coming months.
If you’re looking to visit the brewery, two special beers are on tap currently that are worthy trying. The first is 6 Degrees, a “Vienna Ale” styled after the Austrian lager but brewed with an ale yeast. This beer is a malt showcase, but has enough hops to back-up the body of the beer.
Also available is Bad Bear Brown Ale. This ale was originally one of the brewpubs’s first beers. As Petaluma’s tastes leaned towards more lighter colored beers, Bad Bear fell off the menu but still makes a few seasonal appearances. This is the first time this beer has been available in three years, so be sure to try the full-flavored beer worthy of a nice session on a foggy night.
If you’d like to try Dempsey’s beer while out and about, catch them at the Beer in the Plaza on the 11th in Healdsburg or at the Harvest Fair at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in October.
Dempsey's Restaurant & Brewery
50 East Washington Street
Petaluma, CA 94952-3115
(707) 765-9694
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