44 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 4-10, 2024 www.montereycountyweekly.com CHILL Prickly pear grows on the Rustique Wines property on River Road near Salinas. Fruit from the barbed plant can be pressed into a bright, fruity juice with a unique floral sweetness perfect for refreshing cocktails or a brisk ale. With that in mind, Natalie Mika, brewmaster for Peter B’s Brewpub in Monterey, harvested some of the colorful orbs a year ago to produce a sour ale. She also learned a valuable lesson that she used this time around: When picking fruit from cacti it is wise to wear sturdy gloves. The current—and much less painful to the harvest team—release of Pleasure Nature almost glows, beaming ruby and rich amber hues. The beer is fresh and pleasantly tart, but what intrigues the senses are the shades cast by the desert and tropical fruits Mika (with the help of the team at Rustique) brings into play. There’s a pleasant, hard cherry candy notion without the sweetness, for that comes in a more plush and mellow impression of guava. The genteel softness of freshly cut rose petals wafts over the palate, drifting into a lean minerality. With the effervescence of a sour beer comes a hint of salinity. Yet this is not a cushy sip, for all along it is pierced by a biting citrus. Pleasure Nature is named for a local band that begged for a new sour. It’s cool, colorful, crisp and fun—and this time around, no one had to pluck needles from their bare hands. Peter B’s Brewpub, 2 Portola Plaza (Portola Hotel and Spa), Monterey. 649-2699, portolahotel.com. Needle Work A sour beer at Peter B’s owes its singular bite to local prickly pear. By Dave Faries SEND IDEAS TO: chill@mcweekly.com DAVE FARIES 720 BROADWAY AVE. SEASIDE Call 831-899-1762 to order DINE IN / TAKEOUT / DELIVERY Great Dough Great Pizza is Thin crust & Sourdough pizzas Salads & Calzones • Pasta • Subs Draft beer on tap • Wine • Dessert Serving handmade pizzas with fresh, quality ingredients At The Oven, we believe 10% OFF your order with this ad Valid until 4/30/24 Taste of the World sweet & savory crepes • paninis • bagels • tea • 11th Hour coffee THE CRÉPERIE CAFÉ THE CRÉPERIE CAFÉ THE CRÉPERIE CAFÉ THE CRÉPERIE CAFÉ THE CRÉPERIE CAFÉ @ @ @ @ @ 1123 Fremont Blvd, Seaside 831-901-3900 Mon–Fri 7am–4pm (Sat & Sun 8am–4pm) Explore our expanded coffee menu featuring drinks from around the globe • Café Bombon (Spain) • Lagrima (Argentina) • Turmeric Latte (India) • Yuanyang (Hong Kong) • and more! Smash Tournament 1st Fridays Open Mic 2nd Fridays Trivia Night 3rd Fridays FRESH. LOCAL. TASTY. Fisherman’s Wharf FRESHEST SEAFOOD with PANORAMIC VIEWS Open Daily at 11:30am • At the end of Fisherman’s Wharf #1 www.rockfishmonterey.com • 831.324.4375 LIVE MUSIC Wednesdays 5–7:30pm 146 12TH STREET • PACIFIC GROVE ALASDAIR FRASIER AND NATALIE HAAS Scotland’s premier fiddle ambassador, Alasdair Fraser, and the sizzlingly-talented Californian cellist Natalie Haas revive the Scottish tradition of playing dance music on violin and cello. Please join us in our beautiful Victorian sanctuary for a musical journey from Scotland to Celtic lands and beyond. FRI. APRIL 12•7PM Doors Open at 6:30pm ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE AT WWW.CELTICSOCIETY.ORG $30 ADV/35 DOOR BUY ADVANCE TICKETS AT WWW.CELTICSOCIETY.ORG For more info call or text 831-224-3819 Pacific Grove Hardware 229 Forest Avenue • 646-9144 Locally Owned and Operated OPEN DAILY 8am-5pm Your Hometown Hardware Store take $5 OFF ANY $25 or more regular items With this ad. Exp 4/30/24 One discount per transaction BEST Hardware Store ’09-’23
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