Craft Beers and Community in the Cove
On the precipice of summer, plans to sate wanderlust and appetites hang heavy in the air. With a county as large as Humboldt, every summer brings forth an opportunity to get out and explore, yet somehow, one of the most overlooked of Humboldt County corners is the seaside village of Shelter Cove. A surprising number of locals haven’t made the trek through the Lost Coast to the black sand beaches beyond the King Range, and they are seriously missing out on a little piece of paradise with sun, suds, and sustenance – and that’s where Gyppo Ale Mill comes in.
After a twisty and turny scenic drive from U.S. Highway 101 through Briceland and past Whitethorn, Gyppo Ale Mill sits on a grassy field facing due west to gather in each day’s last drop of sunshine. The woman-owned brewery and restaurant offers elevated pub fare and seafood dishes, often featuring the local catch, alongside a bevy of in-house brews to appeal to a range of palates. The indoor-outdoor seating features views of the Pacific along the horizon, with a grassy field for lawn games (they have a very serious cornhole tournament on Wednesdays throughout summer, drawing up to 80 weekly competitors) and space for kids to play while their parents lounge. When the sun sets, a fire pit and a fireball (that’s right, a giant ball of fire) are there to keep you warm and toasty.
The beers are certainly the star of the show, delicious not only on their own but also when featured in the food (more on the food later). The best way to start is a flight — a tasting of four of the ten Gyppo beers on tap. The brews are innovative and bursting with flavor, such as Chasing Rainbows (6.6% ABV, 29 IBU), a bright and citrusy hazy IPA with a subtle sourness to make your mouth water. Then there’s the Thirty Aut Six (4.7% ABV, 26 IBU), a Helles lager and the newest beer on tap, smooth and refreshing with a velvety mouth-feel. And for the not-so-faint-of-heart, the fruity and earthy Timber Beast (12% ABV, 49 IBU) is like a strong ale meets an equally strong port wine, with notes of fig, molasses and brown sugar.
If the beers, alone, don’t draw you in, the food will surely do the trick. On top of their expertly executed pub fare — like burgers, wings, and a smoked gouda and sharp cheddar beer mac and cheese — the seafood dishes are perfect for the seaside setting. A scintillating sharable and a total must-have is the Fathom Stout mussels: a big bowl full of mussels simmered with Gyppo Ale Mill’s Fathom the Bowl (an English oatmeal stout), heavy whipped cream, honey and cayenne, served with lightly toasted bread, buttery and garlicky and perfect for soaking up the broth.
The brightest and freshest menu option speaks to Gyppo’s commitment to sustainability and supporting local: the Meyer lemon grilled rockfish. Owner Julie Peacock partners with local fisherman Sam Stebnicki for line-caught fish (his fish appears in Gyppo’s ahi poke specials and rockfish ceviche, too) and pairs it with savory coconut rice, blistered tomatoes and capers with a garlicky white wine sauce. It’s finished off with luscious local Meyer lemons, grilled to perfection, lending a bit of sweet acidity. Peacock says “supporting families like Sam’s is a big part of what we do.” She incorporates little pieces of Humboldt flavor whenever she can — like produce from Briceland Forest Farm, and the incomparable J’s Catering bleu cheese dressing that graces the wedge salad (sidebar: this is one of the best wedge salads this writer has ever had, trust me when I say the candied cashews are a revelation rendering the need for bacon obsolete).
In the six years since their grand opening, Peacock, along with silent but supportive co-owners Josh Monschke (Peacock’s husband) and Trent Sanders, have taken a community-forward approach to developing their business. They’ve created a space where they invite the community in to make it their own, like keeping an open stage for local or traveling musicians to play on a whim, or using their lawn for local farmers to set up market. Their philosophy extends to the global community too, by committing to sustainability as an Ocean Friendly Restaurant certified by the Surf Rider Foundation. “We also use Monterey Bay Aquarium to find sustainable seafood options for us to use in the restaurant,” Peacock says. “We opened with this in mind and that’s the way we’ve always done it.”
Every decision she makes for her business seems to be a balancing act of what her impact will be on her community extending beyond the brewery walls. From running on thin margins to stay affordable for her patrons, to giving away memberships to Gyppo’s mug club each winter, to committing to promoting the Cove’s local businesses with every opportunity she gets to promote her own. “You have to be the neighbor you want to have as a neighbor,” says Peacock. “Shelter Cove is a small community, we all rely on each other, all businesses have to work together.”
With summer underway, Peacock plans to open her shiny converted Airstream adjacent to the fireball into a reservable villa-style hangout, complete with a dedicated server. When not reserved, it’s equipped with four taps and can serve as a raw bar with oysters and an array of sparkling wines. She invites the greater Humboldt community to come visit Shelter Cove this summer, but reminds us to trek in during the winter months, too. “While our summer season is vital, we need support year-round [...] our space is perfect for Christmas parties, wedding receptions, retirement parties, and other group events. Thinking of us outside the summer season can make a huge difference.” She says it’s the perfect place to watch a winter storm roll in and pass on by, too.
Come for the beer, but stay for much more. At the end of the day, Peacock says, “it’s about beer but it’s also about community.”
Gyppo Alemill
1661 Upper Pacific Drive,
Shelter Cove, CA 95589
(707) 986-7700
gyppo.com