The Sonoma beer craze continues with the late May opening of the Olde Sonoma Public House. Owners and long time Boyes Hot Springs residents Coley and Jo Thinnes have partnered with fellow Sonoman, Ron Dardis, in hopes of sharing their immeasurable passion for great beer with the Sonoma community. The Thinnes’ have a long history in the hops and barley business, dating back to Coley’s position as one of the original brewmeisters for the North Bay brewer, Lagunitas.
Located in the Fiesta Plaza Shopping Center on Highway 12 at Siesta Way in Boyes Hot Springs, the project has proven to be lengthy planning and permitting ordeal. The group began their work on the space, previously a hollow retail shell, more than nine months ago and having faced three major plan rejections from the County, endured many stress-inducing, patience-testing delays. Thankfully, an opening date is in the works for sometime in the next three weeks and a collective sigh has been taken by the group.
Obvious excitement could be felt as the beer taps were being installed the morning of our chat. The high-ceilinged space is flanked by a long bar, backed by an immense beer keg cooler. Hoping to be a living room away from home, additional seating is made up of cozy-looking leather couches and high top tables, while olive green walls provide a bit of warmth and vintage beer signage adds some festive kitsch. Sporting events will be televised, while a pool table, darts board, and possibly tabletop shuffleboard will provide plenty of additional diversion. While beer will not be brewed onsite in the beginning, plans are in the works to add an in-house brewery in months to come. A selection of thirty-two high quality draft beers from the Bay Area and from around the world will be the Public House’s main draw and a small rotating selection of local wine will be available for us winos. An enthusiastic sense of community and charity is hard to miss in the threesome and their big-hearted schemes for helping out and getting involved show it. My favorite being, a rotating “people’s choice” tap which will benefit local non-profits. Every good beer pub needs some good beer grub.
Lacking a kitchen, the Public House is more bar than restaurant, but will still offer their customers several fun options for snacking. Fellow Springs small business owners and friends of the trio, the folks at Rocket Café, may assist in enlarging the food offerings. The new business owners exude a palpable excitement and unmistakable zeal for the craft of artisan brewed beer, hospitality and customer service, a sure sign that the Olde Sonoma Public House will be a top contender among Sonoma’s growing selection of beer-centric spots that already include Lokal, Sonoma Springs Brewery, Mondo and this summer’s arrival of Dean Biersch’s Hopmonk Tavern. 18615 Sonoma Highway, Suite 110 in Boyes Hot Springs, oldesonomapub@gmail.com
