2 Tread Brewing Aims for a Breakaway #Visitsantarosa

Greetings fans and followers! This is the fourth in a multi- part series of reviews highlighting the breweries I visited during the Great Beer Now Roses, Rivers, and Peanuts Beer Tour 2018. My visit focused on Santa Rosa, California and surrounding areas, which happen to rank among the best locations in the United States for craft beer. Sit back, open a bottle or can of your favorite craft beer, and follow me along on my journey. Cheers!

 

America’s craft beer scene just keeps on moving forward. Yes, the growth may not be quite as rapid as it was a few years ago, but there is still plenty of momentum in craft beer and it seems to still be pressing forward at a mile a minute. One newer brewery in Santa Rosa is a testament to this continuous growth; a brewery still young but one that is ready to face the future with a bold plan for growth that will take them as far and fast as its two wheels will carry it. That brewery is 2 Tread Brewing, located at 1018 Santa Rosa Plaza in downtown Santa Rosa, California.

Cadence on the Increase

2 Tread Brewing is located in the Santa Rosa Plaza Mall in downtown. Featuring an outdoor beer garden and contemporary indoor décor, 2 Tread Brewing is in a prime location and a perfect stopover for those who work downtown seeking a quick and tasty lunch and those who are visiting downtown for shopping or entertainment.

2 Tread Brewing utilizes a 15 barrel brewing system with a large, central bar with surround seating. The brewery serves American pub style food such as burgers, appetizers/bites, sandwiches, salads, and pizza. There is even a separate kids menu and the beverages go far beyond beer. With a large selection of wine and mixed drinks, everyone should be able to find something to suit their liking.

Crank it Up

Here is a summary of the beers I tried when I visited 2 Tread Brewing, listed alphabetically by name, followed by the style and my Untappd rating on a five point scale:

• Experimental IPA2, American IPA, 3.75
• Hoppy Pale Ale HPA1, American Pale Ale, 4
• Hoppy Pale Ale HPA2, American IPA, 4

Overall Average Rating: 3.92

2 Tread Brewing is a newer operation and, at the moment, they are still in the midst of experimentation with their beers. This is why there were only three beers on tap when I visited. I liked them all and encourage everyone to try them if they get the chance, but things will likely be very different in the future after they ramp up production and expand the lineup to include more styles.

Shifting Gears

2 Tread Brewing is a new player in the Santa Rosa craft beer scene. Founded by Bill Drury, Christian August, and Tracy Heydorn, 2 Tread opened its doors in September, 2017 and thus has had only a handful of months to brew beer, formulate a menu, gage customer satisfaction, and otherwise check the chains and oil as necessary to keep the machine running efficiently and smoothly.

I spent a good deal of time talking to the two founders when I visited 2 Tread Brewing. Bill, I learned, once worked for the pharmaceutical industry but had a burning desire to do something more enjoyable. His partner in business, Christian August, is the head brewer and boasts impressive credentials. He was once the head brewer at Firestone Walker and he has studied in the prestigious brewing science program at UC- Davis. Every business wants someone with solid education and work experience and it would be difficult to imagine anyone having a more impressive brewing resume than Chris.

Besides the two owners/founders, what I like best about 2 Tread Brewing is the location and design/layout. When I first heard about this brewery and its name, I expected to walk through the door and be greeted by an over- the- top bicycle emphasis, with wheels, tires, seats, and everything else bicycle related adorning the walls and ceiling. Thankfully, it isn’t that way at all. Other than one single bicycle on the wall, the interior maintains a contemporary, clean look with only a scattering of art pictures and televisions. The dual indoor and outdoor dining/drinking space is certainly a plus and there is a bike rack outside to park your human- powered vehicle. Given the location and theme, 2 Tread Brewing encourages cyclists to pedal their way downtown when they visit so it makes sense that a large bike rack would be part of the package.

Santa Rosa has a strong craft beer scene but in spite of what may seem like a saturated market, there is still room for newcomers. 2 Tread Brewing is one of the new kids on the block; the young kid who shows up with a flashy 18 speed racer and a hard- driving and dependable crank ready to set the wheels into motion. It will take time before 2 Tread Brewing finds its groove but given the passion and expertise of the owners, it shouldn’t be long before 2 Tread Brewing hits the derailleur, moves from the 40- tooth chainwheel to the 52, and starts cranking out some of the best brew in the city. Pay a visit to 2 Tread Brewing the next time you’re in Santa Rosa. And tell them Great Beer Now sent you.