Exploring the world of beer and homebrewing has been a major interest for Adair Paterno over the past couple of decades, and in a story familiar to many in the brewing industry, that passion for discovering and making beer is ultimately what led her to launch a brewery with business partner (and brewer) Tim Clifford. The brewery they created, Sante Adairius Rustic Ales, has developed a stellar reputation for everything from hops-forward IPAs to mixed-fermentation farmhouse-style beers, all brewed in their small warehouse brewery just outside of Santa Cruz, California.
Their small production and focus on the craft of brewing, paired with endearing slogans such as “know your brewer,” are not just quaint for the sake of novelty, but are informed by a hands-on work ethic and a belief in slow, organic growth. “We were beer geeks before we owned a brewery,” Paterno says, “and seeking out new beers and new places to drink beer has been a big part of our lives for many, many years.”
Those years took Paterno to opposite ends of the country, from California to South Carolina and back, and as she honed her palate, trends emerged that one can find today in the beer Sante Adairius is known for. Dryness and drinkability are top criteria both in the beer she loves to drink and in the beer they love to make, and those two element feature heavily in her 6-pack of favorite and inspirational beers.