was one of the first breweries in the area when it opened its doors in 2009. Location: 41740 Enterprise Circle North, Temecula, CA 92590īlack Market Brewing Co. It’s time to kick your feet up, say “hi” to the locals, drink some delicious brew, and take a look at our top 20 California breweries list for 2020 below! 1. We love our California breweries and wanted to share some of our absolute favorites with you. From the warm sunshine of southern California to the mountainous northern regions, beer enthusiasts can enjoy some of the best brews around. In my book, places like Stone, FW, RR, Lagunitas, and SN are no-brainers if you're in the area, but beyond that.If there’s one thing California has down, it’s the fantastic breweries located within the Golden state.

I don't know of anybody who's tried even half of what's out there locally, and that's just one small part of a very big state.Īs far as breweries to visit: whatever route you're taking through the state will have more possibilities than you can imagine. Most of 'em are brewing at least 8-10 beers. In my experience, most of the nanos have at least one fantastic beer, but it's hard to compare them to the established crafts that: a) have extensive portfolios of great stuff and the resources to maintain dozens of beers on tap at any given time, b) usually avoid the trainwreck beers that so many start-ups seem to fall victim to, and c) we tend to take for granted, because their stuff is so widely available.īut the sheer volume is an even bigger 'problem.' (What a drag to have so many breweries, right?) I would say that over the past year, probably at least a dozen breweries have opened within 50 miles of where I live, and it might be a lot more than that. I've come to the conclusion that it is no longer possible to rate California breweries, because it's impossible to compare a Sierra Nevada or Stone or Lagunitas with the little nano that just opened up down the street, and because there are now so many breweries that nobody can sample more than a small fraction. Google map everything to find the best/most efficient route and have fun! There's alot of classic/iconic beer bars in SD, LA and SF, so you can probably fill your time with those stops as well.Īt the end of the day, it's up to what beer you want to drink. Any of the Pizza Port locations are more than worth a visit! Kern River is pretty much as far out of the way as you can go, but I figured I'd mention it in case it wasn't on your radar. The Bruery (Placentia - near anaheim - They usually have a lot on tap that doesn't get around, and some bottles that you can only get there as well). Others to consider: Societie (San Diego), Beachwood BBQ (Long Beach - some of my favorite IPAs hands down), Alpine (about 30-40 minutes inland of San Diego, really a good bit out of the way, but the IPAs make up for it all ). The tasting room is in the brewery, set off to a corner. More of a 'rugged' experience than the rest on the list so far. Lost Abbey - Located very close to Stone. They have a restaurant, though I hear mixed reviews Awesome serene garden, most impressive 'gift shop' I've seen.

Cool place, friendly people, cozy outdoor space, likely a few offerings on tap that you don't see elsewhere, but if you are strapped for time, either one could be ditched for a more CA-exclusive experience. Lagunitas - I feel similarly about lagunitas & green flash.

Green Flash - Cool place, they usually have a few special offerings on tap, and there is a large outdoor space. Lagunitas is about half way between the two, so that's a nice pit stop. Russian River - It's almost an hour north of SF, but worth the trip. not sure if this helps, but I like to hear myself ramble every once in a while.įirestone Walker - Unless you really want to check out their main production facility in Paso Robles, I'd say go to Barrelworks in Buelton.

California breweries north