Kind California BAs! My wife and I are traveling from Philly to spend next week in Pismo Beach culminating with a wedding in San Luis Obispo. This is uncharted territory for both of us. Can anyone offer up some beer friendly recommendations or musts for these areas? Any offerings of advice are much appreciated! Thanks, Chris
The Boardroom, downtown Pismo, close to the pier (just on the south-side of the parking lot on Hinds Ave) has a great beer selection (not a lot of taps but lots of bottles). Go to Splash Cafe for some amazing clam chowder. Firestone Walker is about 25 mins north, on the 101. there are also a lot of little liquor stores which carry a good selection of brews.
If you make it to San Luis Obispo County and do not make it to Firestone Walker Brewing in Paso Robles the trip is a major failure. There is also a lot of info on the area in the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest posts in this forum.
about 40 mins south on the 101 you can go to Firestone Walkers other location in Buelton (also where they filmed a lot of scenes from Sideways), they are running there Sour program from this location and there is also a restaurant there. Lots of wineries and scenery in this area.
I'd definitely try to hit up Firestone, but if you have extra time in San Luis Obispo, Tap It (http://tapitbrewing.com/home.html) is a good, local brewery. If you're planning to visit Firestone, I'd try to visit the one in Paso Robles, it's such a nice quaint town. I golf Hunter Ranch, and I love it when I stay in Paso Robles for a few days, one of my favorite towns in California.
you should fly into santa barbara if possible. on your drive north on the 101 go to hollister and then firestone walker buellton (barrel works).
By all means, go to Firestone Walker Barrelworks in Buelton. Do it. Don't think about it. Make it so. Make sure you go during the hours that Barrelworks is open, not just the restaurant. In the same town, Figueroa Brewing is also quite good.
Not beer related but you should try and head up to UC Santa Cruz and check out the Grateful Dead archive.
As everyone else said Firestone Walker or find a winery that you might enjoy. Also I strongly suggest High St. Deli in SLO. They do have a couple random beers you can drink there but the sandwiches are kick ass.
I was just down in pismo the past 4 days, i got home yesterday. California Fresh Market had the best bottle selection for a store i've found in town, prices were killer, and the groceries are fresh!. Mongo's Saloon had a really good "craft on draft" selection as well.
a little warning about Firestone walker in Paso is it can be 20 degrees hotter there then in Pismo. Here is a list of the boardroom's bottle selection (not sure how up to date it is): http://www.theboardroompismobeach.com/beerMenu.php
