Crossing the Rubicon

June 28, 2013 By Ben | Filed in Breweries, Reviews

My visit to Sacramento area stalwart, Rubicon Brewing, was under a dark cloud as we’d attended a memorial earlier in the day. So, looking for a cold beer or two to lighten the mood, I suggested we stop in.

Rubicon Brewing

Nestled in midtown Sacramento in an eclectic neighborhood we swung in last Saturday afternoon. A small patio with giant windows greeted us but we opted to sit inside as it was a warm day and we were wearing all black. The interior was smaller than I expected, with perhaps a dozen tables, vaulted ceiling and exposed brick with a small bar and brewing equipment visible in an overall pleasant, homey atmosphere.

Inside Rubicon Brewing

Rubicon brewing equipment

Our waitress was friendly and attentive (and very accommodating for a cranky three-year-old) and I ordered their award-winning IPA from a selection of around a half dozen different brews. Not particularly hungry, I looked over their menu to see if anything small sounded good and I regretted my light appetite as they had an astounding number of burgers/sandwiches listed—over 20! Impressive! I opted for a small bowl of chili which proved to be pretty decent, although the fish and chips we got our daughter proved to be pretty spectacular (maybe the best fish I’ve tasted in some time). The IPA itself was thirst quenching and aggressively hopped, definitely channeling the “West Coast IPA” style and literally the perfect beer for that moment (I love it when that happens).

Rubicon's friendly interior

The overall atmosphere was definitely “neighborhood hangout”—with several televisions showing the Giants game and a handful of boisterous fans rooting them on. In fact, it really reminded me of my old San Diego haunt San Diego Brewing Company (minus the massive beer selection) so I felt right at home. I read on their website they’re opening a new brewery in July in West Sacramento so I might need to make a trip back east under more enjoyable circumstances for a repeat visit… and try one of their delicious sounding sandwiches!

Rubicon patio

I’d highly recommend stopping in at Rubicon Brewing if you find yourself in California’s capital someday soon and maybe you’ll be lucky enough to try one of these top-shelf beers that I enjoyed: