Nevada City, California. August, 2018.
Nevada City is struggling with smoke filled air and the nervous tension of a town surrounded by forest as hot and dry as tinder, sitting just on the outskirts of the apocalyptic California wildfires. It feels like the whole world is burning and it’s only a matter of time until the scenic old west town is ashes.
But when I step into Ol’ Republic the owner, Simon, is all smiles. Every bit of him the barkeep who holds the town together. When he greets me I have already ordered the Fresh Kicks IPA because it says right on the menu that it’s made with local “Dr. Rudi and Loral” hops. It’s hot, I’ve been driving for about 6 hours down smoking stretches of mountainous highways, and the beer is a 5/5, though some of its perfection might have just been my gratefulness for it. Who can tell? It’s a beer that does a fantastic job of being easy to drink on a hot day, but also flavorful and not too light.
While in the tap room I hear from a number of people about their homes being burnt down, and the depressing reality of smelling wildfire smoke day in and day out. Some are full of steely resolve to stick it out, others sadly shake their heads and contemplate moving away. My heart goes out to California. Beer flows on.
Mark and David are with me, enjoying the Dark Matter ale and the Clouds of Jupiter IPA, when Simon stops by to chat and welcome us to his taproom. When I hear Simon’s accent I know my next round has to be the Pub Ale. There is a swirl of dusky malts dancing around in this beer and I immediately regret getting the short pour. If you’re looking for a killer pint of good old English style bitter, this will make your day. Not everyone loves this style beer, but to my grateful tongue Ol’ Republic’s version of a classic Pub Ale is perfection. 5/5.