Anticipated to open in late summer of 2018, Shady Oak Barrell House will be the newest tap room in Santa Rosa. Located on the border of Downtown Santa Rosa and the SOFA district, in an unassuming warehouse; locals and visiting beer lovers alike are sure to love this spot.
What to Expect:
Enter the large airy warehouse on 1st street and be welcomed by a reclaimed redwood bar, movie theater seating, and stacks of barrel aging beer. A custom barrelcade directs you to the large outdoor patio, which sits along the Santa Rosa Creek and features a handful of picnic tables. Perfect for sipping on Shady Oak Sour and Artisanal ales. In the future, anticipate rotating food trucks, music, and lawn games.
Who is Steve Doty?
Now for many this will be the first time experiencing Shady Oak and its owner operator Steve Doty, but don’t be fooled, Steve has been in the beer business for quite some time. Raised in Sonoma County, Steve received his first home brew kit at 16 and was hooked. Like many, he left after high school but returned during the Great Recession, where he took up a wine tech job and honed his chem skills. During this time Steve worked with various breweries and had an official collaboration with HenHouse Brewing Company on Ski Mask, a tart pale ale. But he knew this wouldn’t be enough, that he wanted something of his own, so he did just that and Shady Oak celebrated it’s 4th birthday this past July.
The Beer:
Steve is always playing with flavors. Various barrel aging techniques, could be 3 months, could be 3 years. Adding seasonal fruits to his Cellar Wizard bottles, a small batch production. Or using the mobile Coolship, a really cool contraption that allows for wild fermentation. The Coolship, an old world technique, is traditionally a large flat, open air stainless steel or copper vessel that allows the wort to cool and pick up the wild yeast in the air and ferment. The mobile Coolship lets you do that but anywhere, i.e hook the mobile Coolship up to the truck, drive it to the coast and let the magic happen. A hope for Steve is traveling the Sonoma County AVA’s and creating beer specific to that region by way of the native yeasts.
Taking a load off:
99% of the time you’ll find Steve working to get the tap room up and running but if you don’t, you’ll probably find him… Camping at Willow Creek, kayaking down the river or grabbing a bite at Ramen Gaijin. Either way he’s having a good time. Cheers!