Babi’s Beer Emporium

Wine industry workers say that it takes a lot of great beer to make great wine: That is, after a long day in Santa Barbara wine country, winemakers, cellar workers, and grape pickers need refreshing beer to quench their thirst. In the tiny town of Los Alamos, Babi’s Beer Emporium is the place to go. Ale fans won’t miss the absence of wine on the menu, which includes between 40 to 60 bottles of craft brew, along with a small selection of beers on tap. Owner Sonja Magdevski, who makes wine under the label Casa Dumetz (which she owns with her husband, actor Emilio Estevez), chooses her beers carefully, avoiding bottles readily available at nearby chain grocery stores or retailers. Sit at the bar and sample her favorites (90 percent of the tap selections are from California breweries), join in the spirit of discovery, and hunt through the bottle collection for hard-to-find international brews. Or hang out on the outdoor patio with your newfound favorite beer and a plate of pork belly, chicken, or chorizo tacos. Look around—you may just be surrounded by winemakers.