FoodWineArt Insider: What’s new in our region

BREWBILT: MADE IN NEVADA COUNTY
In 2008, Jef and Erin Lewis launched BrewBilt in Nevada City to fabricate brewery equipment, one of their passions. We wrote about BrewBilt last year, as part of ol’ Republic Brewery’s ongoing expansion. BrewBilt is continuing to grow, opening a new 8,000 sq.-ft. facility. It also built additional tanks for Three Forks Bakery & Brewing Co. in Nevada City.

BrewBilt also has the potential to land more local business: Two new breweries are being contemplated for neighboring Grass Valley, and ‘ol Republic has further expansion ambitions, our magazine has learned.

BrewBuilt reminds us of Copper River Bags, which makes high-quality leather bags, also in Nevada City. With local manufacturing jobs being exported abroad, it is refreshing to see this kind of expansion in our own backyard.

POKÉMON GO’S SIERRA AND FOOTHILL’S “POKESTOPS”
Nintendo’s Pokémon Go is boosting tour- ism in our region, helping visitors identify landmarks and boosting sales at some businesses. Players use the game’s geo-location feature and their smartphones to find virtual Pokémon—animated creatures—in various locations. Some businesses have a Gym or Pokestop close enough to draw customers. One example: The giant guitar at the Hard Rock Casino in South Lake Tahoe is a pokestop.

NEVADA CITY HOSTS CHINESE DELEGATION
Chinese tourism leaders are visiting Nevada City in late November to scout out the region as a travel destination. It is a first for Nevada City to be included as a featured destination for the largest and fastest-growing segment of foreign visitors to California. The Nevada City tour is focusing on Chinese heritage in the Gold Rush era. The group also is visiting Yosemite and the Shasta region.

CHEESE CONNOISSEUR
The owner of Wheyward Girl Creamery, Barbara Jenness, is among the 2016 class of American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professionals. Barbara is part of an elite group of 155 individuals who passed the 6th ACS Certified Cheese Professional Exam. ACS CCPs now total 740 individuals in the United States, Canada and Europe, a recognition similar to a sommelier.

UC DAVIS’ NEW COFFEE CENTER
Peet’s Coffee has pledged $250,000 to the University of California, Davis, to fund the Peet’s Coffee Pilot Roastery, a first-of-its-kind Coffee Center at UC Davis. The pioneering center aims to be the leader in coffee science. UC Davis already is a leader in scientific research for making wine and beer.

FAIR’S COFFEE TROLLEY
The Nevada County Fairgrounds is partnering with locally owned Brew Bakers Coffee & Pastry House to open Califia Café— a coffee trolley serving coffee, specialty drinks, and baked goods—at Gate 1 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds.

(Photo: Ingrid Nelson)