Hop a Vintage VW Bus for Santa Cruz Brew Cruz

A second nifty old-school roll has been added to the Santa Cruz brewery tour.

TAKING A BREWERY TOUR? You're probably going to be on foot, if you're visiting a single brewhouse for a single in-depth tour, or you'll be on a shuttle bus, if you're taking in a swath of sudsy spots that all happen to be in the same general area of the map. But there are various vehicle choices, if someone is kindly carting you around to various beer tastings, as they most definitely should. And one of the most memorable of on-the-roll choices, as far as history, coolness, and all-out funk-a-tude? It surely must be a beautifully restored 1964 VW bus, and we don't toss "surely" around lightly, even though such matters are subjective. But how to find such a fabulous set of wheels to take you to some quality beer-perfecting destinations? You only need to look in the direction of the Brew Cruz, in Santa Cruz, as you might know or surely have guessed. The cool brewery tour has just added the VW bus to its foam-seeking fleet, making it the second vehicle on the tour (yeah, you can use "fleet" when there are two or more vehicles, in our opinion).

IT'S CALLED "SLOWBOY," and Slowboy is ready to whisk you to Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing, Humble Sea Brewing Company, Shanty Shack Brewing, and Santa Cruz Ale Works, with more brewhouses to come in the days/months ahead. It's forty five bucks, there should be a quartet of people to roll, but not more than 7, and there are a few good things to know, like the dates (you'll want to keep Saturday and Sunday afternoons in mind for the Brew Cruz, though weekdays may be added). As for how Slowboy got his charming moniker? "(T)he former bus owner's 8-year-old son" chose it, "... an endearing reference to the bus's relaxed nature." If that's something you seek out, a relaxed nature, as you try out fresh brews, book it, with some buds, and get to know the Santa Cruz beer-making scene as the weather warms up. As for Betty Jane, the first vehicle in the fleet? Also incredibly charming, and larger, too, as photos reveal.

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