Ingram , who also owns several barbecue joints throughout that Bay Area , which all carry his Promised Land beers , says “ PLBC tries to provide a sense of community .”
Ingram believes microbreweries should be a place where the questions , ideas , and feedback are as free-flowing as the beer . “ Unfortunately , today some breweries will shame you if you ask a silly question about the beer ,” he said . “ Not in the Promised Land . Ninety-five percent of our staff are from and live in the South County , making it easy to understand our communities ’ needs and wants .”
Ingram , when asked what Promised Land brings to the table , said , in a word : “ Quality . We formulate recipes not based on cost as much as flavor . This I believe makes us unique .”
Down the road from Promised Land , you can find Settle Down Beer . We provided tasters to the community at local events in the lead up to opening our brick-and-mortar taproom in Downtown Gilroy .
Robert Anderson , my co-owner , added , “ I see beer bars as a way to let beer drinkers experience multiple local breweries ' beer offerings instead of having to physically visit each one . It ' s a level of convenience for people that want to try all the beers that are out there . But in order to get the full feel of a brewery ' s beers , goals , style , vibe , etc ., you would definitely need to visit the brewery .”
“ Breweries will typically have specialties / one-offs of theirs that you can ' t get anywhere else . Also , you can pretty much guarantee that the beers you ' re tasting are exactly the way the brewers intended for them to taste ,” Anderson added .
Anderson and I plan for Settle Down to have a warm and rustic kind of vibe .
In Hollister , Mad Pursuit has been providing the locals with fresh options since July 2021 . Co-owner Lino Gonzalez said there are three main reasons that sets a microbrewery apart from a bar or taproom .
“ First , you have the ability to provide your customer with a wide variety of fresh beer , curated by beer enthusiasts ; second , you can ensure the beer is served according to your requirements of quality and consistency ; [ and ] third , you are able to share the experience and joy of hand-crafting beer with your customer including tours of the brewery and guided beer tastings ,” he replied by email .
The Mad Pursuit brewery , Gonzalez noted , provides a family-friendly environment .
“ At Mad Pursuit , we set ourselves apart by using local ingredients and incorporating the latest in brewing science to make truly unique beer . We are on an endless pursuit to produce the perfect pint by constantly innovating and testing new ingredients and techniques ,” he said . “ Our passion for beer comes through in the quality of our finished product and we stand by that quality .”
So , when you ’ re standing at a crossroads for a beverage and a good time with friends or family , you can ’ t go wrong by popping into any one of the several microbreweries in the South Valley .
MAIN PHOTO : Kelly Brewing Company in Morgan Hill offers 15 taps pouring their beer made on-premises in rotation . TOP RIGHT : Giovanni Albanese and Robert Anderson of Settle Down Beer in Gilroy . NEXT : Mad Pursuit ' s High Octane debuted in December of 2021 . NEXT : Mad Pursuit owner Lino Gonzalez making magic . NEXT : Promise Land Brewing Company staked its claim in downtown Gilroy and has become a popular spot with locals . BOTTOM : Kelly Brewing Company is a must-visit with beer flowing , ceiling murals and more . Photos provided by the respective entities . Giovanni Albanese is a 15 year veteran journalist for bay area newspapers , a gmhTODAY writer and Founder / co-owner of Settle Down Beer in downtown Gilroy . settledownbeer . com
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