Now, with nearly 100 breweries, beer in Los Angeles is beginning to enter the conversation for best on the West Coast. became an important and influential craft beer hub.ĭespite being California’s biggest city, L.A.’s brewery scene lagged behind the state’s original craft beer hubs like San Diego and San Francisco. With craft beer continually growing nationwide, it was only a matter of time before L.A. The city’s history and global significance is undeniable.
Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are and what I left off.Los Angeles is a contemporary cultural juggernaut. The brewery has early closing times, so make sure to check out the hours if you make the trip to Alpine. It is regarded by many as making one of the best IPA’s in Southern California, and that is no small feat. This brewery in the small town of Alpine, CA, has been making killer beers for over a decade now. Try the Speedway Stout and the Wee Heavy Scotch Ale. The brewery itself is small but accommodating enough with its rustic wood vibe and old barrel keg tables. They really have the market on craft stouts, in my opinion. The beer here is exceptional, especially for an up and coming brewery. I just got turned onto this beer by a friend a couple of weeks ago, and what a great recommendation it was. Try the Farmer Flannel Maple Brown and Two Trees Double IPA. They have art on the walls, massive vats behind the counter, and old rustic brick walls it is a great place to enjoy their beer with friends.
#SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BREWERIES BEER ADVOCATE FULL#
Anacapa Brewery has a selection of seven and a full menu of food, and even though the place is small, it still has a great atmosphere.
I may be partial to this one because I love the island it is named after and the location in Ventura, but I did enjoy their beers. It is all wood and has a vintage vibe with its oak barrels and it steel vats in the corner. The atmosphere is great as well since it has a wide-open tasting area with lots of tables and chairs to relax on. The Bruery has a smaller selection of beer than many of the others, but the place is always packed, and there are even days when there are lines. Yes, that is how it is spelled, and yes, this Orange County brewery knows what it is doing. If you haven’t been, stop reading this post and go. The beer is great if you like heavy beers, but even if you don’t, you would be hard-pressed not to enjoy sitting by the massive stone fireplace with a soda they also make on site. They have created an experience that is second to none with their gardens that you can walk through and their stellar food. I know this is an easy pick and not especially helpful, but if you are talking about breweries in all of California Stone Brewing Company would probably be high on that list. Try the Sculpin IPA, or whatever crazy beer is on tap that day.
I wish there were a little more space as it can get busy but an easy pick for the list. It is a great stop, and the tour they give is fun as well. All of this, while still making one of my favorite IPA’s called Sculpin. Every time I go, there is a new flavor they are trying, and I have had everything from a beer with ghost chilies (hottest in the world) to beer with chai and ginger. This list was written in 2015.īallast Point is probably my favorite of the bunch if we are solely basing it on beer. Since California is so big and I haven’t spent as much time up north as I would like, I decided to constrain this list to the best breweries in Southern California (in no particular order). Now I am by no means someone with an exceptional palette, but I have braved many a donut shop or brewery on the hunt for my favorite.