Here’s some good news for Peninsula, South Bay residents –  the new Firehouse Grill & Brewery pub in the East Palo Alto Ikea shopping center opened for business last month and Steve Donohue, Firehouse Grill & Brewery, 111 S. Murphy Ave. in Sunnyvale  is supplying the beer for the pub.

Everything he brews for the Sunnyvale brewpub also goes to the new pub in Palo Alto. He adds that he has a couple of rotating guest tap handles in Palo Alto. Right now, he’s got  El Toro IPA and Rogue Hazelnut Brown on. “My plan is to have rotating beer from local breweries,” he says.

He’s also working on stocking a large number of Belgian bottled beers. So what’s on tap at both places right now:  Firehouse Hefeweizen, Pale Ale  and an 8.2 percent Scotch ale. Also, he’s just put on Tommy’s Belgian Tripel. It’s 8.5 percent, named for a longtime customer, who was a customer at the Sunnyvale brewpub back when it was Stoddard’s, Steve said.

Steve won an honorable mention Saturday at the Bistro’s West Coast Barrel-Aged Beer Fest for OTIS, an 11 percent imperial stout aged four months in an oak bourbon barrel.  But it’s not on tap at the moment. However, there’s still a shot at tasting the beer:

“I have six or seven cases of (22. oz.) bottles left. I was planning on getting labels made and selling them here,” he said. “I crack one open on occasion it’s still really good. I should have a label designed soon, but I’ve been really busy.: No kidding. Steve’s one of the best one-man shows in town.

Directions: The new Firehouse Pub is near the big Palo Alto Ikea,  1765 E Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA, 650-326-9700.

Firehouse Grille & Brewery in Sunnyvale is literally right across the street from the Sunnyvale, Evelyn Avenue  Caltrain stop. Riding Caltrain’s a bit like stepping back into the 1940s. Spell it slow. But there’s no need for a designated driver. Also, Burlingame Station, a very fine brewpub that always has a cask ale on handpump is right across the street from the Caltrain Burlingame stop.  And, it’s dead easy to connect from BART at the BART MIlbrae station.

For more info on BARTING to pubs, go to www.beerbybart.com.