5. “How can beer taste this good?” is all that echoes in the
back of my mind on this sunny November day. My taste
buds are confused, yet delighted. I rarely drink beer, but
Topa Topa is quickly changing that tendency as Patagonia
wearing co-founder Jack Dyer pours the crisp and hoppy
flavors of my 10 a.m. beer flight.
I’m sitting at the center of the Waterline on a stainless steel
chair, this new spot in the Funk Zone is rustic yet open,
but mostly welcoming. Topa Topa Brewing Company has a
firm belief in good vibes and great beer and I’m definitely
“vibing” with the Howler, a coffee IPA. I guess this can
suffice as my morning coffee? The surroundings of their
newly opened taproom exhibit rustic architecture with
hints of the Topa Topa
mountains in Ventura,
where their brewery lies.
As Jack fills me in on his
team’s success in the past
18 months he gives credit
where credit is due. Casey
Harris, Head Brewer, has a
PhD in the name of hops,
malts and crafting original
recipes, while co-founder
Kyle Thompson is the
brains behind the chem-
istry of brewing. And last
but certainly not least, is
Marketing Director Ryan
Jacobs, who has extensive
experience in global mar-
keting. The team is rapidly
growing and Jack has end-
less respectable things to
say about his entire staff.
I taste my next favorite,
Tux, which is a milk stout
nitro. To explain it in the
language of taste buds,
its subtle flavors of cake
batter, macadamia nut and
chocolate are almost too
good to bear. Beer can be
dessert too.
SBLIFEANDSTYLE.COM | 17
7. After a flow of conversation about his passion and journey to
becoming one of the founders of his brewery it’s nearing lunch
time and The Nook menu is too near not to peek at. Shortly
after perusing the menu I order the Lama Burger, by request
with Truffle Parmesan French Fries. French fries are my jam
and I’m a happy go lucky lunch goer today. The Lama Burger
consists of black angus beef, tomato, Gruyère cheese, chili
filled with cheese, caramelized onions, and candied bacon
strips. Wow. This is going to be a mouthful. Within the first
taste of this Eiffel Tower like burger I am blown away with a
burst of sharp cheeses, delicately cooked beef and a smoky
sauce that pulls the zest all together. As the sauce drips down
on my fingertips and leaves a mark on my bottom lip this
no-go-for-any-first-date burger is melting away in my mouth.
Munching on the crisp truffle fries turns into eating the entire
basket. While I sip on the remainder of my beer flight and
devour my plate I feel like I now understand men a little more.
This is where it’s at.
With a very full stomach and the last sips of my beer flight
dwindling, I’m well on my way to becoming that beer snob I
swore I’d never be. With eccentric flavors and a simple mission
to make beer taste good, Topa Topa Brewing Company will be
seeing a lot more of me. Before I walk away with a growler full
of beer, I thank Jack for his time as he heads out to catch some
surf. And this is why Santa Barbara will forever be the best
place to call home; beer, good vibes and a November day nice
enough to catch some waves.
*
Topa Topa Brewing Co.
120 Santa Barbara Street
Santa Barbara, CA
(805) 628-9255
topatopa.beer
SBLIFEANDSTYLE.COM | 19
