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Just two hours north of our bustling Bay Area, the quiet Gold Rush town of Auburn counts hoppy IPAs and decadent waffles among its best creations. This daylong itinerary lets you sample a little of everything, from coconut-infused lactose brews to flagship IPAs at three tasty taprooms, before settling in for dinner at the venerable Auburn Alehouse.
But first, brunch
Before embarking on an Auburn beer tour, load up on non-sudsy carbs at Nancy’s Cafe, which opened two years ago in a nondescript parking lot not far from downtown. The ever-changing menu offers a little bit of everything, from sweet to savory, including a full lineup of “breakfast classics,” “breakfast moderns” and griddle specials. Dig into platters of strawberry, peaches and cream waffles ($10), blueberry lemon cakes ($10) or a Hillbilly Benedict ($11.50), with country-fried bacon atop a split biscuit with fried eggs and country gravy.
Details: Open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays and 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekends at 356 Elm Ave., NancysCafeAuburn.com.
A trio of breweries
Start your sampling at the Knee Deep Brewing Company near the Auburn Municipal Airport north of town. The taproom features large picnic tables with views of the brewery operation. Watch beer being made and bottled, while you sip a Tanilla Porter — a chocolate-vanilla infused beer with a rich coffee aroma — or a Breaking Bud IPA, a West Coast IPA nod to “Breaking Bad.” Beer flights are served in sets of four but you can tack on extras, if you’d like to try them all. Details: Open daily at 13395 New Airport Road.; KneeDeepBrewing.com.
A quick skip through the parking lot brings you to the new kid on the block, Moonraker Brewing Company, which opened in 2016. Ghost Ship is a must-try here. Made with Mosaic hops, this West Coast pale ale boasts tropical, citrus and pine flavors. If you like coconut, call on Amelia. This New England coconut IPA is made with lactose and Citra and Mosaic hops, but the layers of toasted coconut are what shine through. It’s a creamy brew with a smooth mouth feel. Again, the flights are served in fours, but you can pick some extras. Details: Open daily except Tuesdays at 12970 Earhart Ave., MoonrakerBrewing.com.
A few miles away, you’ll find Crooked Lane Brewing Company in a bright, airy space filled with long tables that encourage schmoozing. Here flights are served in fives. Guests can choose a pint from the chalkboard menu or go full bore and sample the lineup. The menu has a definite fruit focus. When we visited, flavors like mandarin, blackberry honey wheat and peach and mango hazy filled the menu. Pick one with a cool name just for fun — we enjoyed the Hop Rhapsody Hazy Triple IPA. Details: Open daily at 536 Highway 49., CrookedLaneBrewing.com.
One last stop
Before calling it quits, grab some dinner at the Auburn Alehouse, a local favorite in Auburn’s Old Town. When the weather is warm, the outdoor patio is the place to be. Twinkling lights are strung overhead and the sounds of downtown festivities waft in. This brewpub is a great spot to grab a burger, street tacos or mushroom gnocchi — and perhaps one more flight. The year-round brews bear monikers that pay homage to the region’s gold history. Order up a Fool’s Gold Ale, Gold Digger IPA or Gold Country Pilsner, or sample one of the brewer’s specials and seasonal beers on tap.
Details: Open for lunch and dinner daily at 289 Washington St., AuburnAlehouse.com