Moderators - if you would, please do not move this to the Pacific forum even though it concerns California experiences. I would really appreciate sharing it with everyone. The beer business is alive and well in California [recently visited San Diego & San Francisco]. You can walk into ANY decent sit-down restaurant [but I didn't visit any chain restaurants - why bother] and find at least 3-4 craft beers on draft and perhaps a half dozen in bottles. Try doing that on the East Coast. Ha! Good luck. Visited Stone Liberty Station and Firestone Walker in Buellton, both of which are absolute palaces. Hit Societe in S.D., a real nice spacious set up in an office park type of location. Also hit Alpine in Alpine [funky and fun], Coronado brewing in Coronado [another palace] and several beer bars. Also got to Slater's 50-50 in Liberty Station. Unfortunately didn't make it to Hamilton's or Toronado in S.D. but did hit Toronado in S.F. and was pleasantly surprised since many of the reviews of the place complained about surly bartenders. I think I was there on a Friday afternoon, full bar and the bartender was a real good guy. In fact, he had to search for a souvenir shirt for me and didn't blink an eye. But since it's a kinda neighborhood place, it's probably best if you know your beer before you go in there. As I was traveling with my wife and son [who enjoys craft beer but doesn't like to bust his ass to find it], I was limited as to where I went, but overall, I would go back to San Diego to hit the rest of the breweries in a heartbeat.
You missed a lot of good stuff here in Santa Barbara when you went to Buellton, but that's all good. Did you go to Barrelworks?
yea I ran into folks with that issue in Vegas, they lost their ass.. Us poor retired navy folk any dinner over 30 bucks is pricey.
Telegraph has had its moments, and I enjoy their California Ale a good deal, but there's a lot more to Santa Barbara (and the area). Santa Barbara Brewing Company, which was absolutely atrocious for a while, has a new brewer who has been around for a few years now and is pretty top notch. Then there's Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company, which is based in Buellton too, but has a brewpub/taproom in Santa Barbara's "Funk Zone." Fig Mountain took home five medals at GABF, including three silvers from beers that were produced at this location. Then there's Island Brewing out in Carpinteria (a bit south of SB) which is perhaps one of the most pleasant places to drink a beer in America (hyperbole), and Hollister Brewing Company in Goleta (just north of SB) that routinely has a staggering amount of good beer on tap. It's a must-visit for hop heads out there, as the brewer's IPAs are always just right.
Welcome to the Pacific forum! Did you try any restaurants besides Slaters and the brewery-owned places?
