SPOTTED IN CLOVERDALE: Australian woman visits namesake brewpub

A couple of months ago, Mary Ann Brigham, owner of Ruth McGowan's Brewpub in Cloverdale, received an email from a lady in Melbourne, Australia. It seems her name was Ruth McGowan, too, and she was coming across the ocean for a visit.

McGowan had discovered the pub that bore her name online about two years ago while researching an upcoming trip she and her husband were planning to San Francisco. With that unexpected discovery, it became her dream to actually visit Cloverdale and Ruth McGowan's Brewpub.

Earlier this summer, Brigham received an email from McGowan advising they would soon be in San Francisco and were excited about driving up to Cloverdale to visit.

"This will be the highlight of our trip," she wrote, "and I am really looking forward to tasting some of your beers. Being Australian, we love beers, especially ones from boutique breweries."

When the McGowans finally arrived, Brigham and her staff rolled out the red carpet and treated them like royalty. They shared stories, with Brigham telling her about her husband Michael's feisty Irish grandmother for whom the pub is named.

In return, McGowan told them about her ancestors, who came to Australia from County Galway in Ireland in 1823. "They had several pubs in the Australian State of Tasmania, so it must run in the blood," she laughed.

In a touch of kismet, it turns out both Brigham and McGowan have previously served a term as mayor of their respective hometowns.

After having lunch, a few beers and some great conversation, McGowan and her husband left, taking with them one T-shirt for her and one for each of their three sons back in Australia. Now all the boys want to visit Ruth McGowan's Brewpub one day, too.

Back home, McGowan says, "It was great visiting my namesake pub all the way from Australia. Awesome beer, great company and delicious food -- what more could you want?"

-- Mary Jo Winter