Drinking

The san francisco Chronicle: In El Dorado, Wine prospectors strike gold

Vineyards may decorate the landscape, but there's no mistaking it: This isn't Napa. This is El Dorado, California's historic Gold Country, where local wineries wear the "We're not Napa" attitude like a badge of honor.

While winemaking in the area dates back to the time of the Forty-Niners, the region's modern viticultural era truly began to take off in the late 1960s and early '70s. These days, the appellation is home to some 50 wineries, and while Fair Play boasts the most, El Dorado's Pleasant Valley and Apple Hill districts are each home to a handful of charmers.

The san francisco Chronicle: 9 things you should know about sour beers

"Everyone always remembers their first sour beer. That’s how impactful it is," says Jason Kirmse, beverage director for Hi Neighbor restaurant group, the team behind San Francisco restaurants Fat Angel, Stones Throw and Trestle.

For Kirmse, his first sour beer was Duchesse de Bourgogne, a Flanders red, which he first had at Mission gastropub Monk's Kettle: "It blew my top. It's a fun style -- makes people think about what beer could be."

The san francisco Chronicle: unforgettable tea and coffee service in the Bay Area

For most of us, a cup of coffee or tea is simply about getting a quick jolt of caffeine to start a busy day or serve as a midafternoon pick-me-up.

However, lost in the modern hustle and bustle is the fact that a well-prepared cup of coffee or tea can be so much more. Coffee or tea service — and more so, the ritual of the preparation itself — is a ceremony that crosses cultures across the globe, and can also be a chance to not only pause, reflect and relax, but also find joy in the simple pleasures in life.

The san francisco Chronicle: Northern Santa Cruz Mountain wineries

Redwood-lined highways and panoramic ridge-top views are reason enough for a road trip through the Santa Cruz Mountains. Add to these the region's many exceptional wineries, and you have the makings of a fantastic wine country getaway.

The san francisco Chronicle: The Brew Coop, a pour-it-yourself beer bar, opens on Valencia Street

Want a beer without all that annoying bartender chit chat? Head on over to Valencia Street.

Now open in the former Osha Thai space is the Brew Coop, a “pour-it-yourself” bar. It’s the first such dedicated bar of its kind in San Francisco and comes from Gore Song, who modeled the bar after the self-pour beer systems Song experienced while visiting Prague in college.

The san francisco Chronicle: 6 things you need to know about Gose. (Like, it’s a sour beer.)

Why is Gose, a tart and slightly salty style of German beer that dates back a thousand years — and nearly went extinct — experiencing a renaissance in the United States?

You can thank the booming popularity of sour beers, which have been embraced by craft brewers and consumers alike.