Dunmuir Brewery Works - Warm German-Style Potato Salad

Interview with Davis Clarno + Aaron Greener - Owners of DBW + Recipe for Warm German- Style Potato Salad

David Clarno, Lauri Sturdivant and Aaron Greener at Dunsmuir Brewery Works,

David Clarno, Lauri Sturdivant and Aaron Greener at Dunsmuir Brewery Works,

Dunsmuir Brewery Works is a family owned micro-brew pub serving very tasty food in the charming historic district of downtown Dunsmuir. Their menu focuses on lunch and dinners with daily specials. There is live music most weekends. The menu is family friendly and dogs are welcome on the patio.

David Clarno and Aaron Greener became friends when they both worked at the Mount Shasta Ski Park. Aaron, a graduate of the American Brewers Guild, was looking for an opportunity to use his brewing talents and skills. David was looking for an opportunity to work for himself. He “didn’t want another job.” Their combined passions and talents make the Dunsmuir Brewery Works (DBW). It’s one of my favorite places to eat!

See David and Aaron’s favorite food scenes in movies here

“they have the best Caesar salad in the county,” Carly Turner

“they have the best Caesar salad in the county,” Carly Turner

Dunsmuir Brewery Works
530.235.1900
5701 Dunsmuir Ave. Dunsmuir
Winter hours: Tue - Sun 11 am to 9 pm.
Summer hours: Open 7 days a week 11 am to 10 pm.

Lauri: Your menu is more than pub food. How did you come up with the it?
David: We want to please both the beer-geeks and the foodies. Our menu is pretty varied for such a small kitchen and there is no deep fryer. We encourage the cooks to love the food and taste the food! Everyone of our recipes needs to be tasted and adjusted so we can provide a consistently good meal. Even the flavor of the vegetables in our popular Broccoli Slaw can vary from season to season so adjustments need to be made. When people come back we want them to enjoy the same meal they are returning to eat.
Aaron: When we were developing the menu David and I went to food trade shows to source ingredients and products. That’s where we found our bread from a small bakery in Corning. We work closely with our cooks giving them the encouragement to create recipes we can add as specials. We knew we wanted to offer good food for kids, too.

The patio seating offers a view of the garden and sunflowers and dogs are welcome.

The patio seating offers a view of the garden and sunflowers and dogs are welcome.

Lauri: What prompts the specials and changes on your menu? What do you harvest from your garden and the peaches you harvest from your peach tree on the patio?
David: We offer seasonal food choices as often as we can. The vegetable sides are seasonal. We use kale, herbs and figs we grow in our garden. We do buy some foods direct from the farmers at the Dunsmuir Farmers Market, which is convenient because the market happens on the side street during the summer. We use peaches from our tree and buy organic peaches from Hunter Orchards in Grenada. We’ve made peach bruschetta, salsa and even grilled them.

Lauri: One of my favorites of your salads is the Seafood Salad. My Granddaughter says your Caesar Salad is the best! Do you smoke your own trout for the Seafood Salad?
Aaron: Yes! We smoke the trout right here. We have to follow health code guideline so are unable to buy locally caught trout.

“DBW serves pub food with a flair,” states local Dunsmuirian Suzanne Scull

“DBW serves pub food with a flair,” states local Dunsmuirian Suzanne Scull

The Beer menu changes with the season. There is always something new to try.

The Beer menu changes with the season. There is always something new to try.

Lauri: Let’s talk about the beer! What determines your beer menu?
Aaron: We brew ales! They takes 20 days from start to finish. We are a small brewery and can only brew one style at a time. We rotate our flavors seasonally to offer lighter crisper beers like the ESB (Extra Special Bitter) for the summer and heavier porters for the cooler months. It is my goal to offer a full range of flavors. I get to experiment with hop forward flavors and brew the beers for balanced taste, like the Train Hooper and a Belgian white.

Lauri: What is the process to name the beers?
David: We have a lot of fun naming the beers. It’s a group effort where every one gets involved, including our customers. We do lots of laughing!
Aaron: We also make our own old fashion Root Beer; all natural and no preservatives. We make root beer floats in the summer months. We both have children and want to make sure there is good food and beverage for families.

Lauri: What’s your favorite part about owning the DBW?
David: It’s the interaction with our customers. It’s about how much they are enjoying eating our food and drink our brews.
Aaron: I really like the customers reaction when they try one of our beers and like how it tastes. We are a team and more like a family working together making the DBW a positive experience for us and our guests.

Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Warm German-Style Potato Salad

Ingredients

5 lb. red potatoes – cut into bite size pieces
1 lb. Bacon – diced
1 Red onion - diced
1 cup Champagne vinegar
¾ cup Italian Parsley - chopped
½ cup Whole grain mustard
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

Boil red potatoes until tender, but not mushy. Then cool slightly. Sauté onions, celery and bacon until bacon is crispy and vegetable are soft. Add 1 cup champagne vinegar to sautéed mixture then toss into cooked potatoes. Add parsley, mustard, salt and pepper to potatoes and toss. Garnish with a couple sprigs of parsley and serve warm.