United Nations of Beer

Rubicon Brewing Company

by James III
(Beer Delegate, CA, USA)

Rubicon Brewing Company
Sacramento, CA, USA

On the tree lined streets in the deepest recesses of Sacramento California, you find numerous bars, pubs and restaurants all which offer the discerning Beerpublican exactly what he needs to quench even the most heinous of thirsts.

There are cheap bars ($3 shots), expensive restaurants ($15 a drink) and yes more Coors Light and Bud as anyone could ever care to pass on. Amongst the din, there is a shining brewery of hope with a great name: The Rubicon Brewing Company.

Named for the Italian river which has become synonymous with an affront to the established order, Rubicon Brewing Company stands as an excellent place to enjoy a balmy Sacramento afternoon, but affronts no order (in this case that is not a good thing).

Walking into Rubicon, one immediately takes a shine to it: a lively crowd, attractive waitstaff, pub food and their very own beer all imply that one is about to have quite an enjoyable meal. Everything is going great until you get a beer. Then you are smashed across the teeth with mediocrity.

Don't misunderstand; there are plenty of tasty beers and food available at this brewery.

Links to our Rubicon beer reviews:
Rubicon Brewing IPA
Rubicon Brewing Monkey Knife Fight pale ale
Rubicon Brewing Purple Maibock
Rubicon Brewing stout

The problem, however, is that they are not great, just tasty. The beer is the Sierra Nevada beer you get at a bar because they don't have any microbrews and you sure as hell are not going to drink a Coors light.

The food is the chicken sandwich you get because they are all out of fish tacos. In both cases you are happy eating or drinking your second string choice, but it is not the perfect choice.

The unequivocally best thing that Rubicon has going for it is the ambiance that I alluded to earlier. Its greatest strength lies in its being a kick-back place to chillax, enjoy some good food, a pitcher on a lazy afternoon.