California Destination Breweries

What began as a cobbled-together home-brewing operation grew up to become Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, one of America’s first modern microbreweries, and the producer of one of California’s most beloved beers: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

Founder Ken Grossman started out as a young home brewer, making beer in five-gallon batches with homemade equipment. After studying chemistry in college, he opened a home-brewing shop in Chico for like-minded brewing fanatics.

Two years later, he took the plunge into commercial brewing. To make dowith limited funds, Grossman outfitted his operationwith used dairy tanks, a soft-drink bottler, and equipment salvaged from defunct breweries. 

In 1980, he brewed his first bottleof Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. The bold, piney beer was an instant hit—so much so that Grossman had to expand the brewery twice to keep up with demand.

In the decades since that first auspicious batch of its namesake pale ale, Sierra Nevada’s lineup has grown to include many other fascinating brews, such as the Hop Hunter IPA, Kellerweis, Beer Camp IPA, and the intense “High Altitude” series.

At Sierra Nevada’s taproom and restaurant in Chico, visitors can sample 19 draft beers and nosh on seasonal, farm-to-table fare. Those interested in observing up close how it all happens can select from a range of brewery tours,each of varying length. The restaurant makes bread from spent brewers’ grain and even offers a good kids’ menu, with organic peanut butter, golden raisins, and fresh fruit on crunchy flatbread. The brewery also has a 350-seat live music venue, so be prepared to stay a while. 

Barely a year into its existence, Auburn’s Moonraker Brewing Co. has emerged as one of Gold Country’s hottest brewers. 

Husband-and-wife homebrewers Karen and Dan Powell opened the brewery in early 2016 and quickly attracted a following with their Northeast-style IPAs. Less bitter than West Coast IPAs, these brews are distinguished by their hazy appearance and fruity character.

Moonraker is best known for its Yojo, a “get-it-while-you-can” IPA that sells out quickly after release. It’s no wonder: The brewery won three high-profile awards earlier this year from RateBeer, including “Best New Beer” for Yojo, “Best New Brewery” in California, and ninth-best new brewery worldwide.

Moonraker’s tasting room and brewery at the Auburn Air Park features indoor and outdoor seating, food trucks, and a welcoming, dog- and kid-friendly atmosphere that draws big crowds. It offers more than a dozen beers on draft, including flights, so there’s plenty to keep a beer-lover busy. As a bonus, Moonraker is a short walk from another great brewery, Knee Deep, known for its West Coast-style IPAs.

Hopheads the world over revere Russian River Brewing Co.’s Pliny the Elder double IPA, and thousands line up around the block each February for a chance to taste the limited-edition Pliny the Younger triple IPA. Before there was Pliny, however, there was Blind Pig. 

Vinnie Cilurzo brewed America’s first double IPA, appropriately named Inaugural Ale, at Temecula’s Blind Pig Brewing in 1994. A few years later he closed Blind Pig, moved to Northern California with his wife, Natalie, and began brewing at Russian River Brewing Co., which was owned by Korbel Champagne Cellars at the time. When Korbel decided to get out of the beer business in 2002, the Cilurzos bought Russian River and in 2004 opened their Santa Rosa brewpub.

Pliny the Elder still accounts for most of the brewery’s sales, but other Russian River beers of distinction such as Temptation, a wine-barrel-aged sour, and the Brett (a type of yeast with particularly vivid characteristics)-fermented Sanctification have loyal followers of their own.

Russian River’s downtown brewpub seats fewer than 200 people, so scoring a table or a seat at the bar can be challenging. But the place more than compensates for the lack of elbow room with friendly patrons, delicious beer, and a casual dining menu. There’s also a happy hour weekdays from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and all day Sunday. In 2018, the Cilurzos opened a larger brewery and brewpub in nearby Windsor. It features the same great beer along with a new menu, outdoor seating, tours, and an expansive gift shop. 

Adam Firestone grew up in the vineyards and cellar of his family’s namesake winery in the Central Coast, yet he developed a thirst for brewing at an early age. He carried out his brewing experiments using converted winemaking equipment—and the results weren’t always great.

Undeterred, Firestone continued fiddling with beer recipes and trying to convince others to buy into his dream of opening a brewery. He finally found a willing partner in David Walker, his brother-in-law, and together they conspired to create a brewery that would combine Old World craft with California innovation. In 1996, they opened Firestone Walker in Paso Robles.

The duo’s first release, a cask-fermented English-style ale called DBA (Double Barrel Ale), has become a California classic.

Along with the Paso brewery, Firestone Walker has outlets in Buellton and Venice, each with its own focus. The main location produces the flagship beers and vintage barrel-aged brews, and offers brewery tours (kids as young as 12 are welcome to come along).

The Barrelworks facility in Buellton focuses on eccentric wild ales. The Propagator brewhouse in Venice specializes in experimental beers and limited local offerings. Beer tastings are offered at all three locations, and each has its own restaurant, all of which are family-friendly: Menu items include big burgers, house-made pretzels, fish-and-chips, and pizza.

Just steps from the Oceanside Pier, Breakwater Brewing Co. produces inventive, top-notch beers in a laid-back, beachside location. The brewery was founded in 2008 by Lars Gilman and Shannon Sager, who met through a mutual friend. Together they carried out their vision of bringing a food-friendly brewery to downtown Oceanside.

Outfitted with used equipment salvaged from a New Orleans brewery after Hurricane Katrina, Breakwater takes a “something-for-everyone” approach to brewing. The brewpub offers 12 to 18 beers on draft every day, many of them made with unexpected and hyper-local ingredients.

The Pink Something Something is a sour beer made with Rasbiscus Mead and beet root, and aged in Chardonnay barrels. Local honey goes into the Beach Honey cream ale. Breakwater’s Kali Kush, an American pale ale, is infused with wild-crafted coastal sagebrush. While some of these combinations may sound outrageous, the resulting beers are truly delicious. (For those who like more traditional brews, Breakwater’s Rye Dawn rye ale won a gold medal in the prestigious 2016 World Beer Cup.)

The brewpub atmosphere is friendly and laid-back, with pinball machines and video games to keep the kids—and adults—happy. There’s also a full menu of pub fare, pizzas, and paninis.