Goathouse Brewing Company offers a serene tasting experience for visitors to Placer County

With the addition of the Goathouse Brewery to Placer Country, visitors can now enjoy  local beer as well as the area's famous wine.

Just last fall, Goathouse Brewing Company opened along the Placer County Wine Trail, taking its place as a valued part of the community. Visitors enjoyed special summer tastings in July, and in December wine and beer enthusiasts can return for the annual Holiday in the Hills event, which also includes tours of 19 vineyards.

The Goathouse brewery and tasting room is fully owned and operated by Michael and Catherine Johnson, making the business a family affair. Michael works as the business's official brewmaster, concocting all of the Goathouse's signature brews.

The Johnsons cleverly converted their building's old barn into a brewery, creating the perfect resting place for weekend bikers exploring Placer County. Visitors can stop in and enjoy a cool drink and a scenic tour of the grounds.

Both Michael and Catherine are advocates of "the farm-to-glass experience" and offer a unique local flavor to the area's already-impressive beverage industry. The Johnsons grow 1.5 acres of hops on their property, and use fruit also grown on-site to flavor their special brews. They offer IPAs, ales and a Goathouse specialty — the honeyweizen, a hefeweizen infused with home-grown honey.

Winemaking has a long and distinguished history in Placer County, with the first wine grapes having been introduced to the area in 1848, when the Gold Rush spurred European winemakers to the area. They established sprawling and successful vineyards, and by the 1860s Placer County boasted more wineries than Sonoma and Napa combined.

Placer County currently has 20 wineries, and as a whole offers a highly personal wine-tasting experience. These vineyards are family owned and operated, and visitors will delight in the intimate setting, beautiful landscape and temperate weather. And with the addition of the Johnson's craft brewery, the area is becoming a hotspot for locals and vacationers alike.

Placer County is definitely worth more than a short visit, so if you fall in love and want to stay, simply call Jon Hesse for the help you need in finding the perfect home. I have years of experience in Placer County real estate, and am confident I can place you in the house of your dreams.