Father's Day sippers

June 18, 10:54 AMSF Craft Beer ExaminerBrian Yaeger

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Three generations of the Norgrove family, Bear Republic Brewing

Show of hands—how many of you are following in your old man’s footsteps? Have you even thought about following him in his trade? The overwhelming majority of you answered “no” and now it’s time to think if your answer would be different if Pops were a brewmaster.

This Father’s Day, don’t just get dear old dad some beer; get him beer that is the result of Take Your Son/Daughter to Work day, if such a day were every day.

Bear Republic in Healdsburg was founded by Richard R. and Richard G. Norgrove (along with their respective spouses). Son Richard G. sweet talked his family into starting the brewery in 1996 and it has been growing ever since. Wondering which of their award-winning beers to give Dad? While it's a far cry from Schmidt's and Schlitz, try their most popular—Racer 5 IPA.

Sierra Nevada in Chico deserves much of the credit for getting the whole microbrewery thing going, since founder Ken Grossman first released the flagship Pale Ale in 1980. His daughter, Sierra Grossman, was a baby and his son, Brian Grossman wasn’t even born. Today, they're learning the admin and production aspects, respectively, of the biz. If your dad would love Racer 5, he’d also love Sierra Nevada’s new Torpedo IPA, then again, if he’s a fan of wheat beers like my dad, seek out their new Kellerweiss.

And while Don Barkley and son Jeff Barkley aren’t exactly a brewing duo, father Don’s C.V. includes brewing at New Albion, America’s first microbrewery ever, founded back in 1976. Today he brews for the mom-and-pop operation of Napa Smith, which employs two generations of the Smith family, located in Napa. Nearby, Don’s son Jeff, who learned to homebrew from his dad, now brews at Moonlight in Santa Rosa. For your gift pack, try Napa Smith’s Amber. Or better yet, take Pops out for some pints, since you’ll only find Moonlight brews on draft, such as Reality Czech, a craft-brewed Pilsner in the style of all the beers your old man grew up drinking.