“I wish we had a market downtown.” We do!
“I wish I didn’t have to drive across town for good craft beer.” You don’t!
The Market at La Comisaria is THE best small market in town. And they have a craft beer section to put all others to shame. It brings exposure to the market as a whole, because sure as the day a craft beer lover is born, craft beer lovers find craft beer. No matter what brightly colored building it may be hiding in. We discovered the Market, and met with manager Patrick Chinn, so you would have the scoop!
These days craft beer seems everywhere. We are truly in a craft beer craze. “Feedback from customers in the store I last worked at was that customers wanted craft beer. Good craft beer. And they also didn’t want to have to go to multiple stores to do all their grocery shopping. We solved that problem. We hope we are everyone’s one-stop grocer, especially as we expand.” says Patrick. “Beer is my passion. I want our beer selection to be exceptional. I hold it to my very high standards as a beer enthusiast.”
Oh, it is exceptional! The section of craft beer is worth driving from Turlock or Manteca for. They have local Dust Bowl, quasi-local Mikkeler or ToolBox, and dozens upons dozens of beers from all over the world! We’re not knockin’ BevMo’s selection, we love BevMo, but for a prime example of craft beer, look no further than The Market. Light, dark, doesn’t matter. Ales, pilsners, hoppy IPAs, stouts, sours, you like it, they carry it. Try a new brand. Try a new flavor. They even carry ciders, meads and wines. So stop in, pick out a new drink to try, head to the deli for some delicious bacon wrapped asparagus or chipotle apple sausage (they have plenty of other yummies too), then make one last stop down the condiment isle to grab some Sierra Nevada Porter Mustard. Your taste buds will enjoy it all!
MV: What is your favorite beer?
PC: My go-to is an IPA. I also love sours, and imperial stouts. Ok, actually I like a lot of beer! I push the envelope with distributors to get new, fresh, exciting beer here so we can all enjoy it. If you don’t ask, you might not get it! Always ask. The same goes for my customers. You want us to carry a particular brand? Let us know!
MV: Why Modesto?
PC: Modesto has a conscious unlike any other city I’ve lived in. Everyone wants to make it better. We hoped to spark 7th Street, make this street better. I think we’ve done that. Pour into your community and be the change you want to see. Make the difference yourself.
(MV note: If every business adopts a street downtown, Downtown Modesto will be revitalized like we’ve never seen! Let’s do this!)
MV: What can we look forward to here at The Market?
PC: We are going to start tasting and selling! But while we wait for that, we hope some Modern Times coffee on nitro served via tap will hold you over. It’s good stuff. We also rotate beers often, for freshness and to always have something new. Come in for deals because when we rotate out, we discount the beer. Also, we sell beer by the kegs!
We were specifically looking for some harvesty, Halloweeny beverages, and these are our picks for you!
The Jolly Pumpkin’s Cucurbitophobia Ale (which means “fear of pumpkins”), which is a barrel aged ale brewed with blood orange zest and juice, black lava salt as well as a rainbow peppercorn blend. If you dislike pumpkin beer (we do!), but still want to try a seasonal blend, this is a good one to try. No pumpkin spice in this beer!
The Zombies Take Manhatten Mead by BNektor. It’s apple & cherry honey mead ages in rye whiskey barrels. A dried mead but packed with flavor! (BNektar has some other great seasonal flavors, such as Black Fang and Necromangocon.)
500 7th Street, Modesto
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-7pm, Sun 8am-5pm
Find them on Facebook & Instagram!
