Northern CA breweries

I'm planning a road trip up in Nor Cal and i wanted to visit some breweries.
They have some really great microbreweries and i wanted to see if any one else has been to these. Which ones are a must go to? Any comments?

Anchor Brew - I wasnt able to get reservations for their tour. You have to plan 4-6 week in advance.

Lagunitas - Sounded very welcoming. They said to come at 3pm. Been a fan of there Imperial Red.

Moylan's - They didnt mention anything about tours but i've always liked their Kilt Lifter.

Marin Brewing co - Never really had their beers, Is it worth going to?

Never been there, but Anderson Valley Brewery in Boonville has some great brews.

jiffybrew said:

I'm planning a road trip up in Nor Cal and i wanted to visit some breweries.
They have some really great microbreweries and i wanted to see if any one else has been to these. Which ones are a must go to? Any comments?

Anchor Brew - I wasnt able to get reservations for their tour. You have to plan 4-6 week in advance.

Lagunitas - Sounded very welcoming. They said to come at 3pm. Been a fan of there Imperial Red.

Moylan's - They didnt mention anything about tours but i've always liked their Kilt Lifter.

Marin Brewing co - Never really had their beers, Is it worth going to?

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If planning to come to San Francisco, there is a small brewery called the Beach Chalet across from Ocean Beach, one called Magnolia (In the lower Haight District), and if you make an appointment you can tour the Speakeasy brewery that brews beers like Prohibition Ale and Big Daddy IPA

Hope that helps!

Jason

How far North is North to you.
If you can swing it, I highly recommend tooling up the 1 through Ft. Bragg (www.northcoastbrewing.com), then around back to the 101 and up to Eureka/ Arcata (www.lostcoast.com, http://www.humboldtbrews.com/, www.madriverbrewing.com)
All the above breweries have several on my Favorites list, and that's not just 'cause I grew up there.
Have a good trip regardless.

Thanks for the help! I guess i should have specified how far up north. So i'd say from San Jose to Sacramento.
I'll be taking a look at Speakeasy and Magnolia. Thanks!

Too bad about Anchor...I'd definitely try and hit Speakeasy.

Pyramid is in Berkeley. It's a great place to drink, but I'm not sure about tours.

Two great drinking spots in SF: Toronado and Beach Chalet. Google Toronado...you will be impressed.

Marin Brew Co. has tasty beers, decent food, but again, I'm not sure about tours. White Knuckle IPA!!

One more I forgot is Gordon Biersch across from AT&T Park (where the SF Giants play), but not sure about tours or whatever

Speakeasy makes some fine ales. There is also the 21st Admendment in San Francisco, Russian River Brewery in Santa Rosa, Bear Republic in Healdsburg. I don't know about tours but they all make great beer.

The Thirsty Bear in San Francisco is pretty good too. In Sac, try Rubicon Brewing, and don't forget Sudwerks in Sac and Davis.

jiffybrew said:

Thanks for the help! I guess i should have specified how far up north. So i'd say from San Jose to Sacramento.
I'll be taking a look at Speakeasy and Magnolia. Thanks!

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Ha! I'm originally from Northern California, and just to set the record straight, Northern California doesn't even start until you get north of Sacramento. I don't care what the common opinion is.

Northern California? Mt. Shasta in Weed & Eel River Brewing (although it is a bit cool to "Drink Naked") in Fortuna come to mind.

Firestone Walker in Paso Robles, they open around noon. Oh, and we cannot forget Sierra Nevada in Chico.
AP

Jesse17 said:

Ha! I'm originally from Northern California, and just to set the record straight, Northern California doesn't even start until you get north of Sacramento. I don't care what the common opinion is.

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There's stuff north of Sacramento? Go figure...!

My wife is from Marin and we hang out down there all the time. Spent many a boozy night at Marin Brewco. Don't know about tours, but their limited run stuff on tap at the pub is off the hizzy.

Mendocino Brewco(Red Tail), which strangely enough is not in Mendocinco, operates the oldest brewpub in CA. It is located in Hopland, CA(not kidding) and is a really fun spot.

Lagunitas is also a good tour. Very friendly folks willing to share some brewing insight with you.

I don't recommend the Pyramid tour in Berkeley. They don't let you see much, and won't talk brewing with you. They're very corporate and not very friendly.

Lagunitas sounded very freindly. A lot more willing to answer questions versus Anchor. They're on my list to visit.

APendejo said:

Firestone Walker in Paso Robles, they open around noon. Oh, and we cannot forget Sierra Nevada in Chico.
AP

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Im drinking their Double Barrel Ale right now! I have all these great breweries at my disposal and I haven't visited a one...I need to get going!

Jason

One more thing, if you are at all interested (and I am not sure why you would), but my hometown of Fairfield, CA is home to the Budweiser brewery, and they have free tours! But their beer sucks, so there you go!

Jason

Sierra Nevada is up in Chico and it's a college town

Jayfro21 said:

One more thing, if you are at all interested (and I am not sure why you would), but my hometown of Fairfield, CA is home to the Budweiser brewery, and they have free tours! But their beer sucks, so there you go!

Jason

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yeah, but isn't the Jelly Belly factory pretty close by?

Look up Bear Republic

http://www.bearrepublic.com/

Some GREAT beers

ma2brew said:

yeah, but isn't the Jelly Belly factory pretty close by?

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It sure is, and it is actually a pretty fun tour if you're bored or you have kids...I've done it a few times

Jayfro21 said:

Im drinking their Double Barrel Ale right now! I have all these great breweries at my disposal and I haven't visited a one...I need to get going!

Jason

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Ditto that on both counts. I find the Double Barrel disappointing considering their Pale Ale is possibly my favorite beer. Double Barrel is sort of Fat tire with ingredients in it.

And back on topic, sort of:

Breweries I would put at the top of my wish list, just for quality beers:

Anderson Valley
Bear Republic
Lagunitas

OK you are looking more "bay area" which is where I am.
Lauganitas in Petaluma is good beer and I think you can tour. I don't know where else you can tour but there are some good local brews if you just want to try.
Pyramid in Berkeley is great, food is also good, they have a great hefe and their curve ball (which is only available in summer I think) is mmm so tasty.
Marin Brew is owned by Brenden Moylan... Moylan's is in Novato, north of San Rafael they have a good amber. Marin Brew is in Larkspur Landing, south of San Rafael. I prefer Marin Brew (food is better and so is atmosphere). He also owns Noonan's in Larkspur Landing.
Gordon Biersch is in SF, San Jose and Palo Alto. Also good, like the Marzen.
Third Street Aleworks in Santa Rosa is pretty good.
Hope that helps! Enjoy...

Go to Berkeley, but skip Pyramid (I moved from Berkeley this summer). Triple Rock Brewery is right downtown, and has some really excellent hefty brews, and good burgers as well as being right near a ton of great restaurants. If it's a sunny day, Jupiter has a great courtyard and some nice lighter beers, and is on Shattuck, about 3 blocks south of Triple Rock.

San Francisco Brewing Company is on Columbus in SF, and has some really tasty beers in a very cool atmosphere, a couple of blocks from the TransAmerica Pyramid.

I would just like to say that I hate you all. I moved from CA to ME when I was 16 and I have been home sick ever since. I lived in Geyserville, next town up from Healdsburg and the bear republic brewery, and I’m very jealous listing to this conversation. I would kill to go pub hopping out there. And maybe wine tasting too.

If you are ever unlucky enough to find yourself in Bakersfield (A.K.A. the armpit of America), you could cheer yourself up a bit by hitting up Lengthwise Brewery...

http://www.lengthwise.com/

Adolphus79 said:

If you are ever unlucky enough to find yourself in Bakersfield (A.K.A. the armpit of America), you could cheer yourself up a bit by hitting up Lengthwise Brewery...

http://www.lengthwise.com/

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That's my hometown! Bakersfield is awesome! No really, it's not that great, but it's getting better. I will be spending Xmas there this year with my parents. There is also this brewery that I read about in Bakersfield, it might be the one you are talking about!

Jason

Edit: That is the one I read about...I'll have to check it out over the holidays

Jayfro21 said:

That's my hometown! Bakersfield is awesome! No really, it's not that great, but it's getting better. I will be spending Xmas there this year with my parents. There is also this brewery that I read about in Bakersfield, it might be the one you are talking about!

Jason

Edit: That is the one I read about...I'll have to check it out over the holidays

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I just drove thru Bakersfield 2 weeks ago. You are not missing anything, it still smells the same.

APendejo said:

I just drove thru Bakersfield 2 weeks ago. You are not missing anything, it still smells the same.

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See thats what everybody thinks, but nobody drives through Bakersfield. You drive up 5 or 99 and hit the very outskirts of Bakersfield, but it takes 15 minutes just to get to bakersfield from any major highway. I am in no way advocating bakersfield, but its not AS bad as people think it is. It used to be extremely cheap, hell my dad built a brand new custom house in 2002 for $225,000, which for CA is amazing...not that way anymore

Jason

Jayfro21 said:

See thats what everybody thinks, but nobody drives through Bakersfield. You drive up 5 or 99 and hit the very outskirts of Bakersfield, but it takes 15 minutes just to get to bakersfield from any major highway. I am in no way advocating bakersfield, but its not AS bad as people think it is. It used to be extremely cheap, hell my dad built a brand new custom house in 2002 for $225,000, which for CA is amazing...not that way anymore

Jason

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Yes it is... the place is a dump anymore... I lived there for 8 years, the first 5 is was at least somewhat bareable. But in the space of 3 years it went to hell... the LAPD began cracking down on gangs, so they all moved up there. You couldn't run into to AM/PM without worrying about getting shot. Then the property boom was the catalyst for me getting the hell outta dodge... When I moved, my little duplex that I had paid $70k for sold for $250k... I hear that the property values are back down to normal now, but the violence is still escalating.
99 goes through the middle of Bako now also, since the city is moving west again. Baker St. is the middle of the ghetto now, Chester is being forgotten, and downtown will soon be all the way out near Coffee.

jiffybrew said:

I'm planning a road trip up in Nor Cal and i wanted to visit some breweries.
They have some really great microbreweries and i wanted to see if any one else has been to these. Which ones are a must go to? Any comments?

Anchor Brew - I wasnt able to get reservations for their tour. You have to plan 4-6 week in advance.

Lagunitas - Sounded very welcoming. They said to come at 3pm. Been a fan of there Imperial Red.

Moylan's - They didnt mention anything about tours but i've always liked their Kilt Lifter.

Marin Brewing co - Never really had their beers, Is it worth going to?

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I'm from Chico, and I love Sierra Nevada beers (yes, all of them!). However, I went on a brew/camping tour last summer and found some great places over on the coast. Definitely hit North Coast Brewing Co. in Fort Bragg. They've got a nice taproom and restaurant, and they brew one of my favorite pilsners(4.4%): Scrimshaw. If you have time, also hit Booneville for the Anderson Valley Brewery. Further north is a great brewery for organic ales, Eel River Brewery. When we stopped in, they had a couple horseshoe pits out back and a very nice patio where you can enjoy the sea breeze. Also...they had the BIGGEST calamari steaks I've ever had which went great with their Amber Ale!

Even further north you will hit the Eureka/McKinleyville area which has several great brew pubs and bars. One of my favorites is the Lost Cost Brewing company/ which has too many great beers to mention, including Downtown Brown and 8 Ball Stout. Head up the road a bit to McKinleyville and you'll find Six Rivers Brewery, which is a great little brewery. I'm not that much of a porter fan...but these guys had a fantastic Kona Porter that was so good I had to buy a 64oz growler for later :cross: .

You can come back east to I-5 via hwy 299, and hit Chico, CA and have a beer with me and Sierra Nevada if you haven't had enough. And also if you're in Chico you need to drop by Butte Creek Brewing Co or at least pick up some 6packs. They are also a great local micro brew with a killer organic lineup.

Cheers!

Last October I took the long way home from Reno Street Vibrations. Came west on 36 to Eureka and took 1/101 home to LA. Motorcycle camping in the Redwoods and drinking wonderful beers the whole trip.
Coming down 1 into Ft Bragg was a treat. As soon as you hit the main drag of Ft. Brag you could smell the grains from the brewery. So sweet.
It was around 1030 am and the taproom across the street was closed but there was a litlle side door at the brewery with a gift shop. I told the dude I was a homebrewer and asked if I could check out what they were doing. He said no. Dick! North Coast products are off my list now.
AP