Heading East to South of North

We’ve been experiencing a heatwave this week, with temperatures getting well above 100 degrees. Then on Saturday statewide news outlets reported a fire had broken out near the Placerville airport. Given the tinder-dry conditions and the large number of historic wooden structures in the area, my mind naturally turned to this question:

There’s an airport in Placerville?

I’d certainly never heard of it before. And now it was burning?? Borrowing an aphorism from Ronald Reagan, I decided to trust but verify. So this morning I headed up the hill and just east of town I came to the very real Placerville Airport (PVF). It’s a one-runway airport that apparently mainly handles private, single-prop aircraft.

I didn’t manage to get a photo of the airport because there was a Sheriff’s cruiser blocking the entrance, presumably to keep our lookie-loos like myself. But I can report that there was absolutely no evidence of a fire. No scorched trees, no smell of smoke, no nothing. This is odd, because to judge by the news reports you’d think it was the Second Coming of the Great Chicago Fire. Friends and relatives from all over the country have been texting me asking if our home was threatened by the inferno.

Anyway, as long as I was heading east on US 50 I figured I’d continue up to Lake Tahoe and enjoy a respite from the heat. I met up with my old college roommate, Bruce, who was with his dad at Zephyr Cove for a music camp. It’s always nice to come up to Tahoe, with the smell of pine and the views of the lake and the cool(er) temperatures.

Near Zephyr Cove is a brew pub with the confusing name of South of North Brewing Company. This is where Bruce and I went for lunch, and we were glad we did. It’s nestled into a relaxing setting, with plenty of outdoor seating under pine trees and solar shades. Amidst the outdoor seating are a ping-pong table and the now-requisite Cornhole game. A rustic but homey building houses their service counter/bar, an event space, a bar, and their brewing operation. Yes, they brew their own beer. Today they had eight of their delicious beers on tap, plus another half-dozen guest brews. Notably, they are the only brewery in the area to draw their water directly from Lake Tahoe, and I want to think it makes a real difference in the taste. Didn’t some Brand X brewer used to say “it’s the water, and a lot more”?

The head brewer is a Sacramento transplant named Thomas. He’s been here for a little over three years, and with a single assistant they make all those beers. The brewing space is a converted hotel room. (Their business abuts an old hotel.) Their brewing tanks were custom designed for the space.

So Bruce and I found a table in the shade and enjoyed pastrami sandwiches, salads, Bavarian pretzels with beer cheese, and a handful of beers. The food was delicious, the weather was perfect, and the bartender, Heather, had her personal 1970’s classic rock playlist feeding into the speakers. It was just what we were looking for.

Meanwhile, the Community Engagement Event Coordinator, Sam, was setting up a stage for their signature “Listening Room” program, where local artists share their music and tell their stories. The place was a hub of activity, and is clearly one of the go-to destinations in the Tahoe area.

So, if it hasn’t already been made obvious, this is an awesome place that’s a worthy Tahoe destination, no matter where you’re coming from. I’m definitely coming back soon.

BREW OF THE DAY

The BOTD is South of North’s Solar Midnight Imperil Stout. This is a deceptively drinkable beer, even on a hot day (by Tahoe standards). It’s exceptionally smooth with the consistency of strong coffee. Served with almost no head, this is not as heavy or creamy as your average stout. It has distinct notes of chocolate, coffee, vanilla, and licorice. Each sip is pretty sweet on the front, but it finishes with some mild hoppiness that keeps the whole experience from becoming cloying.

This beer clocks in at 9 percent ABV, which is why it’s only available in a 10-ounce pour. You can’t drink just one, though, so I was compelled to order a second. Then Sam bought me a third as a way of saying thanks for helping her with the stage curtain. It wasn’t until after I finished that one that I realized I hadn’t taken a picture of my drink. Given my dedication to my readers, I was compelled to the counter and asked for another pour purely as a photo op. Heather insisted that this one was on the house, and I felt it would seem ungrateful not to drink it. This all explains why I’m sitting here trying to sober up before heading back down the mountain to Placerville.