Hopped Up
Alaro brews winning touch with beer and food
By Gabrielle Myers
Alaro Craft Brewery and gastropub expands the long history of Midtown microbreweries with a farm-to-fork emphasis.
In the old Rubicon brewery location on Capitol Avenue, owners Ray and Annette Ballestero built an elevated beer experience with Spanish-style tapas and small bites, along with classic pub offerings such as burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads.
At Alaro, the Ballesteros decided to “highlight classic beer styles.” While beer doesn’t always have a culture that connects with dining, the couple developed cohesive pairings between beer and food.
Alaro opened in June 2018 and became a favorite for its causal atmosphere, excellent food and award-winning beers.
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The menu by Chef David Santana, formerly of The Waterboy next door, includes elegant Spanish classics such as pulpo Gallego (Galician-style octopus), gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), hogs and rocks (pork cheeks and clams in a paprika broth with aioli), patatas bravas (crispy potatoes with Spanish sauces), croquetas, marcona almonds, marinated olives and house-made chicharrones.
I’ve visited Alaro for the pulpo Gallego several times. It’s a tender and crispy octopus dish with molho cru, an olive oil-based sauce with onion, garlic, parsley, red peppers and an acid—usually lemon or vinegar.
Santana confits the octopus in olive oil with shallots, lemon peels and rosemary. He gently cooks in the oil bath, letting the olive oil penetrate and tenderize the meat. The final stage requires a quick sear to order.
Having enjoyed octopus at fine dining places in town and many restaurants around the world, I say Alaro’s pulpo Gallego ranks among the best with a tender, savory appeal and well-matched sauce.
The kitchen keeps things local with Ray Yeung’s Yolo County tomatoes, plus regional kale, radishes and butter lettuces.
In a nice touch, Alaro offers Spanish seafood tins—canned sardines, mussels, smoked trout, mackerel and squid. And there’s organic soft-serve ice cream made by Straus Family Creamery in Petaluma.
Ray Ballestero is a master brewer with more than 40 years of experience. Before opening Alaro, he brewed for three decades as a hobby and became a beer judge. He studied at the UC Davis Master Brewers program, supplementing his background in nutritional medicine and integrative health.
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Annette was among the founders of River City Brewing Company and has been involved in the fair trade business for years. The food, drinks, uniforms, ceramics and even decor at Alaro show concern for the social, environmental and financial situations of their small producers.
The brewing team, led by Chris Keeton and assistant Jason Martinez, helped guide Alaro to a 2024 U.S. Open Gold Medal for La Boheme beer, named “Best Pilsner in the World” by Forbes magazine. Castillo Classic IPA, which Ray has brewed for more than 30 years, won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Fest.
Alaro beer styles range from pale ales and pilsners to saisons, stouts, porters and lagers. While beer on tap is available, customers can get 500 ml bottles, squealers, growlers and kegs to go. There’s wine, too.
Alaro Craft Brewery is at 2004 Capitol Ave.; (916) 436-7711; alarobrewing.com.
Gabrielle Myers can be reached at gabriellemyers11@gmail.com. Her latest book of poetry, “Break Self: Feed,” is available for $20.99 from fishinglinepress.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
