California Trip

What everyone will tell you.

1. In SF go to Cellarmaker. Pliny can be found all over on tap.
2. If you love sours then go to Rare Barrel.
3. If you're willing to drive out a bit, like Russian River, then go to SARA.

 

What's your route? Up the 5 through farmland or up the 101/hwy 1, up the coast (recommended)?

 

In LA you may be able to sneak a brewery trip in the back door [] by going to Hermosillo/Highland Park Brewery - they're a great new-ish LA brewery, but their taproom just happens to be a very cool beer/wine bar. You can pitch it to the girlfriend as a visit to a cool LA neighborhood, stop in to Hermosillo, walk down to Sonny's Hideaway for a cocktail, then keep going to Huarache Azteca or Tacos La Estrella for a good LA experience.

Otherwise, if you're only going to one LA-area brewery I think the answer is probably Beachwood in Long Beach. Or you could do the Smog City/Monkish combo in Torrance.

 

Just keep in mind that The Rare Barrel is only open Friday - Sunday. Cellarmaker & SARA are closed on Mondays (which looks like you will avoid as you will be in LA).

 

Good thing about Rare Barrel is they have a nice guest tap list. Usually some Cellarmaker, SARA, Societe on tap among others so your wife can enjoy sours and if you feel like having some hops or something, they will have that too. As far as SF or LA....im sure everybody has their opinion. You'll be drinking amazing beer either place you choose.

 

Beachwood in long beach for dinner, it shouldn't count as a brewery cause you have to eat. Then you can hit one up north too.

If you have time the coast is best. The 5 is long and booring, but a straight shot. The coast is gorgeous, but windy roads, towns and other things to slow you down. U say everyone should do it at least once.

 

I'd recommend a visit to the Bruery while in LA but the traffic can make it brutal getting down there...

Not sure where you are in NJ, but you can find Pliny regularly in Philly on draft. Just had it at Khyber Pass Pub in Olde City a couple weeks back. Also, don't take this as me being a dick; don't use the term "San Fran" when you're out there. When you're in SF, go to Toronado, they ALWAYS have Pliny on draft (cash only) and usually have bottles to go for the same price they'd be at the brewery that you can enjoy during the rest of your trip.

 

If you are going back to LA after Yosemite, make a stop in Fresno at Tioga Sequoia. Not a big name, but has incredible beer. Also on you way to SF Fieldworks had some really good stuff.

 

If you decide to take the 101 up, surprised no one mentioned stopping at Barrelworks since it is like a right and then a left directly off the 101. Sours, non-sours, and potentially bottles of both.

 

Yeah, I guess barrelworks could fall into that "we need to eat" category. But he said the girlfriend only wants to go to one brewery and, while there is food there, you have to be in the other section to order the special stuff.

 

Ah yeah, good point.

You could always drive there, exit, and do the whole "damn, I gotta see a man about a horse" bit and while she looks at you slightly disgusted you sneak inside for a quick taster or two, grab a bottle and then come out surprised like "hey, they had bottles of beer when I walked out of the restroom, who knew!?!?"

I tried that twice so far, I have about a 50% success rate. Sadly the girlfriend has finally caught on and tends to walk into the place and usually buys more than I would have. =P

 

doesn't sound like his girlfriend is all that interested in beer. Would be tough to convince her to take that detour.

 

good plan. need to top it off by ending at Scoops for ice cream

 

wait, 1 brewery trip??? you're going to all over California and you are allowed 1 brewery trip?

i think you might need to discuss this

 

I'm going to burgundy this month. My wife has allowed two domaine visits. Some partners just aren't that tolerant

 

Maybe he means she only wants to make one brewery trip to California so they're trying to hit as many good spots as possible. (I'm trying to be optimistic for the OP's sake)

 

Did you know this going into the marriage? Seem like that might have been a deal breaker for me. Unless like sax said and it is 2, like one in the morning and 1 in the afternoon

 

I love Tioga as much as the next Fresnan, but if he's only "allowed" one brewery stop on their route, it isn't the one I'd pick. He could potentially use the food trucks as a dinner excuse, I suppose. I'd probably send a visitor to the area to House of Pendragon before T-S though.