Bridgeworthy: Cheese, Beer and Booze – A Culinary Trifecta
Top shelf sometimes means just that. Gene Fieldenhas, the manager at Bottlecraft, also has a connection to Coronado as he sits second seat viola for the Coronado Philharmonia.
How do cheese, craft beer, and booze qualify as a trifecta? Artisan cheese, craft beer, and top-shelf liquors all under one roof feel like a triple win. Bottlecraft and Venissimo in North Park are a marriage made in heaven. I have loved both of these stores for years. It blew my mind when I discovered Venissimo and Bottlecraft shared the same space.
Items that can be enjoyed on-premises.
Upon entering, order a beer from their small but well-thought-out tap list, then, drink in hand, head to the cheese counter. A chalkboard menu guides you through snacks that you can enjoy on-site. Stroll through the shop, and browse all the fantastic beers while the cheese mongers assemble your order. Could this place get any better? What if they added top-end spirits? Bingo, Bottlecraft now carries top-shelf amaros, mescals, bourbons, rye, and much more. The selection surpassed all my expectations; there is something for everyone.
I like to venture into this den of temptation with a specific cocktail in mind. Several times the manager Gene Fieldenhas has helped me find the perfect ingredients for the cocktail on my list; Gene possesses a wealth of knowledge, and if he doesn’t know something, he has a great selection of reference books. He also has a connection to the island as he sits second seat viola for the Coronado Philharmonia.
I planned a simple but fun dinner consisting of a cheese board and a cocktail. Jessie, the bar manager at The Henry in Coronado, had turned me on to a cocktail called a Naked and Famous.
Gene, the manager at Bottlecraft, finds the correct citrus for a Naked and Famous cocktail.
Craft beer can feel overwhelming if you are not keeping up with it. San Diego has 160 craft breweries and 55 tasting rooms. Even long-time craft beer fans need help to keep up with all the new stuff coming…
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