Samuel Horne's Tavern

Samuel Horne's Tavern is located in Old Town Folsom. It's a craft beer mecca for the area and serves some tasty food.

Their Facebook page is their prominent means of getting the word out on what beers they currently have on tap and upcoming events.

Sam Horne's hosts various beer and liquor-related events; meet the brewer, beer and liquor tastings, and even classes. They also host Beer Week events.

The decor fits in with the Old Town Folsom theme - the walls and ceilings have a Gold Rush feeling, with wall art that spans decades of American beer history. The place is dimly lit, again with the Gold Rush feeling, of low candle light. It's enjoyable and what you would want from Old Town Folsom.

I've been here twice. The first time, my reaction was - "this place is cramped!"The the space is narrow - you could probably sit 8-10 people across and maybe 15-18 length wise. There are booths along the side, a narrow high top table with stools down the middle and comfortable leather lounge chairs near the door. 

And while cramped is still an accurate description of the size, its not accurate of the experience. The place is usually crowded, but not the kind of uncomfortable crowded that comes with a college bar or club.

The crowd is similar to that of Pangaea Two Brews - young hipsters, young families, beer geeks, with a few old timers that appreciate a good brew. It's not uncommon to see parents sipping on a pint with their infant or toddler. It's a community bar.

Sam Horne's takes tavern food to another level. I've only had the Johnny Cash burger, but if they apply the same flavor and skills to their other food then they have a solid menu.

 

Sam Horne's has 16 beers on tap and about 5 times that in the bottle. The average cost of a pint seems to be $5. The beer menu changes frequently, so check their facebook page for updates. Their menu is focused on local, California beers, the majority being from Northern California. Rushtaller, Auburn Ale House, Old Hangtown Beer Works, Lagunitas, Sierra Nevada, Russian River, Rubicon, are all frequently featured breweries.

I've had the draft beers the two times I've visited. Sam Horne's takes care of their lines and kegs - they pour clean and fresh. The employees are friendly and knowledgeable about beers along with many of the customers!

I also attended one of the nights where a brew from Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp was featured along with the brewer. I talked to the Sierra Nevada employee who was present and had a great time. These and other types of events are weekly.

Overall, Sam Horne's is a little piece of beer geek paradise. Frequent events, constantly changing beer menu, hard to find local beers on tap, and awesome food make this a Must Have It.