California Beer Trip
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I've used the travel websites like Expedia a lot before but my last trip to the L.A. area, I wanted a hotel in a very specific area (walking distance) and https://maps.google.com was very helpful. Just go to the area you are interested in, click the 'nearby' button, then 'hotels' above that.
You can then put in the dates you want and use the slider to narrow your price range, and start reading reviews of any that look promising.
Finally, I switched to Street View mode to get a feeling for the neighborhood and let SWMBO make the final decision.
You can then put in the dates you want and use the slider to narrow your price range, and start reading reviews of any that look promising.
Finally, I switched to Street View mode to get a feeling for the neighborhood and let SWMBO make the final decision.
bigdawg86
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Just north of Stone is Temecula, and they have some pretty good breweries. Refuge is my favorite, but they tend to do Belgian style beers. Electirc Brewing in Murrieta does some really good IPAs. Enjoy your travels
Refuge is going away from the Belgian thing... they have alot of pale ales, IPA's, NEIPA, a few stouts, saisons, sours, etc... blood orange wit is great. Pretty good choices. Dan Kelly their head brewer has really opened up the available choices and is taking the brewery in a great direction.
Just my 2 cents since I spend a few weeks in the summer in Oceanside and the rest of the time live in the Sacramento area.
In your San Diego leg, Ballast Point was the biggest disappointment of the breweries the wife and I went to last summer. Food was good..beer was just okay. Granted we had already hit up Mikkeller, Saint Archer and Alesmith. I'd highly recommend hitting up Miramar Rd(link). Mikkeller, Ballast Point, St. Archer and AleSmith and White Labs are all a few miles apart not to mention several smaller breweries.
Some recommendations for SD:
- Green Flash (IPA heavy)(Link),
- Saint Archer (IPAs and Gose)(Link),
- AleSmith (big stouts, barleywines, belgians and some lagers..of course IPAs as well)(Link),
- Mikkeller Brewing SD (Really cool little place with some interesting beers)(Link),
- Ballast Point is also close by as well. Its is a good place to get food. Ballast Point has another tap room about 5 miles up the road in Scripps Ranch as well.(Link)
- White Labs
- Stone,
- Modern Times
- Coronado Brewing
Your LA picks look good. If I only had a few days there..my list would look similar.
Recommendations for SF:
- Cellarmaker (Link)
- The Rare Barrel (If you like sours, Closed Mon-Wed)(Link)
- Almanac (Lots of hop bombs, hazy and clear)(Link) (also have a taproom in SF
- Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room (closed Mondays)(Link)
- 21st Amendment (Link)
- FieldWork Brewing Co (Link)
San Diego to San Fransico (7-10hrs depending on traffic. You will hit traffic in both Los Angeles and San Fransico.)
San Fransisco to Petaluma (Lagunitas) and Santa Rosa (Russian River) 1-2hrs
San Fransisco to Paso Robles (3-4hrs depending on traffic)
Keep in mind it is not uncommon for Russian River to have a 1-2hr wait.
I would plan to stop in Paso Robles on the way to San Fransisco and possibly stay the night if you decide to drive up. Its a longer drive but its very scenic.
Best of luck and hope your have a great time. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.
@MaxStout That San Diego Beer website is great! Thanks for the link
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TwistedGray
El Jefe Brewing Company
Union Square Plaza Hotel isn't bad if that's the one I'm thinking of.
TwistedGray
El Jefe Brewing Company
Yeah I think he's opting to not drive, but you really can jam from LA to Monterey in 6hrs (+/- 30ish minutes if you get in a good rhythm with other cars. I do it a few times a year depending on work.
You can avoid all Bay Area (SF/SJC) traffic by hopping on the 1 at Santa Cruz. It adds 30 minutes to the drive time, but you're on the coast the entire way North. Plus there IS a brewery on Hwy 1 in Santa Cruz and in Half Moon Bay as well if you're getting thirst.
Honestly, I would skip Russian River...just find places that carry their beer in San Fran. and save the time.
This is a very good point as well. A strategy I've used is to show up ~30 minutes prior to open. You'll still be in a line at that point, but you should at least get in pretty quickly. That gives you a chance to get an early lunch while you're there, and then proceed on to whatever your next stop is.
Thank you very much for all the information!
I heard about smaller spots like: Bottlelogic and Dabruery. What about real small brewerys and brewpubs? People told me that theses spots "Green Flash, Ballast Point, Stone are too big and not with the good fresh beers". Any comments on that? Im looking for the nectars juice! the real deal! Thanks guys
I heard about smaller spots like: Bottlelogic and Dabruery. What about real small brewerys and brewpubs? People told me that theses spots "Green Flash, Ballast Point, Stone are too big and not with the good fresh beers". Any comments on that? Im looking for the nectars juice! the real deal! Thanks guys
Green Flash, Ballast Point and Stone are all awesome. Just because they have huge fermentors, doesn't mean they can't make great beer.
However, the following breweries have all made a name for themselves making NEIPA inspired beers, which it seems like you favor:
Abnormal Beer Company, San Diego
Mikkeller, San Diego
Modern Times, San Diego
Pure Project, San Diego
Monkish Brewing, Torrance
Bottle Logic, Anaheim
Noble Ale Works, Anaheim
State Brewing, Gardena
Mumford Brewing, Los Angeles
Cellarmaker Brewing, San Francisco
Fieldwork Brewing, Berkeley
Btw, I finally got to visit The Bruery last month and it was even better than I expected. There were only about 8 tables and the place was brightly lit, clean and quiet, and the beer was awesome!
However, the following breweries have all made a name for themselves making NEIPA inspired beers, which it seems like you favor:
Abnormal Beer Company, San Diego
Mikkeller, San Diego
Modern Times, San Diego
Pure Project, San Diego
Monkish Brewing, Torrance
Bottle Logic, Anaheim
Noble Ale Works, Anaheim
State Brewing, Gardena
Mumford Brewing, Los Angeles
Cellarmaker Brewing, San Francisco
Fieldwork Brewing, Berkeley
Btw, I finally got to visit The Bruery last month and it was even better than I expected. There were only about 8 tables and the place was brightly lit, clean and quiet, and the beer was awesome!
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You can catch a hotel shuttle from SFO to Santa Rosa, my daughter did it all the time when she would visit during school (She's at Cal State Sonoma) From there you can catch a cab or Uber to Russian River or into Petaluma to visit Lagunitas.
There's also a Balast Point and Beachwood Brewing in Long Beach
There's also a Balast Point and Beachwood Brewing in Long Beach
Hey guys! Im wondering what is the best way to move around LA since im staying near East Hollywod and every place i want to go is kinda far like Anaheim (bottlelogic, noble ale) and also Torrance,Gardena Long beach etc.
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Been a few years since I’ve had to get around in downtown LA/hollywood area on foot. Uber or Lift is your best bet for most local things that are to far to walk. For going to Orange County you could Uber to the metroLink train station.
Hey guys. So, the trip is pretty much this, let me know what you think:
LA day 1 Mikkeller e mumford
LA day 2 Firestone venice / state brewing / aleworks
LA day 3 monkish TORRANCE / beachwood bbq LONG BEACH
LA day 4 bottlelogic n noble ales
SD day 5 modern times
SD day 6 mikkeler
SD day 7 white labs / abnormal
SD day 8 stone
SD day 9 ballast point / green flash
SF day 10 cellamarker
SF day 11 fieldwork / amanac
LA day 12 dayoff
LA day 13 dayoff
LAX day 14 gone
LA day 1 Mikkeller e mumford
LA day 2 Firestone venice / state brewing / aleworks
LA day 3 monkish TORRANCE / beachwood bbq LONG BEACH
LA day 4 bottlelogic n noble ales
SD day 5 modern times
SD day 6 mikkeler
SD day 7 white labs / abnormal
SD day 8 stone
SD day 9 ballast point / green flash
SF day 10 cellamarker
SF day 11 fieldwork / amanac
LA day 12 dayoff
LA day 13 dayoff
LAX day 14 gone
Looks good. In the San Diego stretch, you could easily combine San Diego days 5, 6 and 9. Those breweries are all a few kilometers apart.
Something you may want to put on your calendar as its fairly close to East Hollywood.
Modern Times Dankness Dojo.
832 S Olive St
Los Angeles, CA 90014
United States
Something you may want to put on your calendar as its fairly close to East Hollywood.
Modern Times Dankness Dojo.
832 S Olive St
Los Angeles, CA 90014
United States
Is this just your "highlight" of each day, or are you planning on only hitting those breweries on those days?
Typically it's not that hard to hit 3-4 per day in some of these areas, particularly around San Diego. And the Anaheim area there are at least one or two others worth hitting, like The Bruery (which is Brea, but not far from Noble).
Typically it's not that hard to hit 3-4 per day in some of these areas, particularly around San Diego. And the Anaheim area there are at least one or two others worth hitting, like The Bruery (which is Brea, but not far from Noble).
I would say this is more like a guide to where start or end the day. Of course im not staying the whole trip inside a bar, but im trying to avoid commercial beers at any means and inspire myself with probably the best American Ales on the area. And im not trying to rush the experience. Im looking for food joints too and im not realy into that sighsteeing so much
Get a hamburger/cheeseburger from In-N-Out at least once while your in California.I would say this is more like a guide to where start or end the day. Of course im not staying the whole trip inside a bar, but im trying to avoid commercial beers at any means and inspire myself with probably the best American Ales on the area. And im not trying to rush the experience. Im looking for food joints too and im not realy into that sighsteeing so much
There are so many great places to eat in the areas you are going, I'm sure where to even start. Either way, your likely to have a blast.
In SD, check out Absolution by the Sea good food too.
SF area, Rare Barrel is really good as mentioned. But all they make are Sours.
Napa, Sonoma for wineries, too many to list.
Sacramento and surrounding areas have a great beer, about 90 min North of SF area. Goat House brewery is one of the fastest growing in the country. I haven't been there yet though.
SF area, Rare Barrel is really good as mentioned. But all they make are Sours.
Napa, Sonoma for wineries, too many to list.
Sacramento and surrounding areas have a great beer, about 90 min North of SF area. Goat House brewery is one of the fastest growing in the country. I haven't been there yet though.
6Tap
To drink beer is human..
FYI
I went to Goat House Brewery about 3 years ago and got their sampler flight of beers and did not finish any of them.
The owners and area is awsome but the beer was not good at all.
Their original system was probably around 1 bbl.
Transamguy77
Well-Known Member
Good luck and travel safe and post back when you get home.
Hey guys. I got a question about Anaheim. I want to visit Bottlelogic and Noble Ale Works so bad. My question is: Is it worth to book a hotel in Anaheim or i could book anywhere in LA and take public transportation? Since i dont have much interest in Disneyland im not sure if its worth to stay in Anaheim! Thanks
arturo7
Well-Known Member
Uber
Public transit is nearly non-existent in SoCal.
Public transit is nearly non-existent in SoCal.
plazola86
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It's worth the stay! You cant miss Green Cheek that's a most do (even more so than Bottle Logic and Noble for me).
You want to book a hotel in Anaheim. You probably do NOT want to Uber from LA to Anaheim or you'll spend the cost of a night in a hotel just on Uber. And as Arturo says, public transit here is basically non-existent for where you'll be.
(I definitely recommend getting a hotel in Anaheim and then using Uber to go from brewery to brewery.)
If you stay in Anaheim, I also recommend Green Cheek. I was there last Sunday and they've got a couple of hazy IPAs on, and had some decent lagers.
If you're going to Noble, you REALLY should hit The Bruery, which is very nearby.
I've been to Phantom Ales [close to Bottle Logic], and don't recommend it at all. You can easily skip that one.
