Whole Foods opening taprooms inside its stores

THE CRAFT-BEER REVOLUTION is in full swing. More than 2,400 breweries are operating, the highest total since the 1880s. American craft beer sales topped 13.2 million barrels last year, up 15 percent from the previous year.

You can find taprooms in big cities such as Sacramento and Reno, small towns such as Nevada City and Truckee—and now within Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods is opening craft-beer taprooms at some of its stores in the region, including Roseville and Folsom.

The “Tap Room,” as it is named, has eight craft and artisan beers on tap that rotate weekly. It also has wines and a creative pub menu. The location in Folsom has an outdoor beer garden.

We recently visited the Whole Foods’ Tap Room in Roseville. Patrons found it a relaxing break from grocery shopping. Others made it their lunch destination, without necessarily shopping.

“Delicious,” said Kerry Clayton of Colfax, as she ate a Grilled Cheese Sandwich (three cheeses and caramelized onions) and fresh-cut fries. She was drinking a glass of Lander-Jenkins’ Cabernet Sauvignon. “It’s an excellent idea,” she said of the Tap Room.

The taproom is located in an airy, comfortable space within the store and includes the beer taps, a grill, a wood bar, six barstools and six tables. A flat-screen TV airs sports programs.

The beers and hard cider on tap the week we went included Stillwater Artisanal Ales’ Cellar Door, Schneider Aventinus, Two Rivers’ Huckleberry Cider, North Coast Brewing’s Scrimshaw Pilsner and Stone Brewing Co.’s IPA.

We sampled a pint of Stone IPA with a wedge salad (bleu cheese, bacon and cherry tomatoes) and a sausage sandwich (sausage made daily). It was an ideal pairing.

Other menu items included a burger with in-house ground beef; mac and cheese, a blend of artisan cheeses; and fish and chips. Beer is offered in flights too.

The Tap Room also features craft beer events (Hoppy Brewing Co. in East Sacramento was featured that evening). Brewmasters from Knee Deep Brewing Co. and Auburn Alehouse also have been present.

A happy hour features discounted pricing. There is a $1 corkage fee for wine that is bought in the store and consumed in the Tap Room. A home brewery section is located just outside the Tap Room.