Happy New Year at Oroville California

The Western Pacific Brewing and Dining is a brew pub, restaurant and bar in downtown Oroville, California. Built in a converted railroad station, it sits right beside the tracks. The restaurant features a full menu of the standard fare served in most restaurants. They have steak, burgers, seafood and the rest, with a full soup and salad bar. The bar is a full-featured bar, with beer, wine and hard liquor, and a cozy fireplace. They have enough space for a dance floor, making for a versatile and well-rounded establishment.

I visited with several friends on the eve of New Years, and so we didn't get to try the fish and chips or burgers. The special menu for the evening was pretty high-end, with filet and lobster, but there were some less pricey items. I tried the chili and the shrimp fetuccini Alfredo. The chili was a bit on the sweet side, and tasted as if it was made with canned tomatoes, but was otherwise tasty and satisfying. The Alfredo was actually very good, with really excellent shrimp, generously portioned. The bread which was served was very fresh and warm, with a nice sourdough taste, yet soft and moist.

But the real reason I went was to sample the brews. The selection was no as varied as many brewpubs I have been to. Possibly the fewest choice in a sampler I have ever tried was seven. This sampler featured only six selections. The first was a blond ale, followed by a pale, an Irish red, an IPA and a stout. The sixth was the brewer's featured beer, at this time a double IPA.

I sampled the blonde ale first. It was clear, crisp, very smooth and not bitter. I was thirsty, and it was cold, and my impression was very positive. I was pleasantly surprised. I tried the red next, and it tasted pretty good too. It was a dark-colored brew, with some body to it. It was a good red, in my opinion. My third was the stout. It was chocolatey and somewhat smokey, a little thicker than the red, but since stout is not one of my preferred brews, I wasn't as thrilled as with the blonde.

Then, I tried the pale, the IPA, and the Double IPA, in succession. The pale was great, but by this time, I was feeling the effects and couldn't keep up my objectivity. The IPA was remarkable. It was clean and hoppy, and delicious to drink. There was no aftertaste whatsoever. The double IPA was really good, and I believe this was the first time I had tried a double IPA in a brewpub sampler. I was very happy with it, and so I had two more pints of it before heading home.

Being new year's eve, I didn't go to bed right away, but I also didn't drink any more that night. It was a long ride home, and I was thankful to have my wife there to drive me home after indulging myself. I woke up the next morning feeling fine.

Western Pacific Brewing and Dining Is located at 2191 High Street in Oroville, California. Oroville is about a half-hour from Chico, in Northern California. It is worth a stop in if you are in the area. The beer will not disappoint you.