Ontario/San Bernardino Question

There are not a lot of amazing places in between those areas, but there are a couple places you can check, especially if you have the time to drive just a little bit further.

In Rancho Cucamonga:
Red Carpet Liquor
Total Wine

In Redlands (grab a bite at Eureka Burger):
Olive Market
Gerard's

And the best place to go hands down is El Cerrito liquor in Corona. If you head to Corona from the San Bernardino area, try to also stop by La Bodgea in Riverside...it will also be on the way. BM me if you have any questions

 

As previously said, definitely El Cerrito Liquor. Ask for the owner, Jazz. Tell him that you're only in town for a day from Texas. After he asks you your preferred styles, maybe you'll get lucky with a gem pulled out from the back. Also, the place regularly has shelf Cantillons, but Jazz often puts out some pretty impressive offerings out on a whim. I imaging that his cellar to be something similar to Charlie & the Beer Factory.

 

Total wine is good, but check out Red Carpet and Ramona Liquor. Ramona doesn't have a huge selection, but you can sometimes get lucky with some limited stuff that made it around. Red Carpet has a bigger selection than Ramona, I usually stop by both stores when something is released, both sometimes get the same shipments

 

Red Carpet is great in Rancho Cuc. Also look at Pacific Wine Merchants in Upland. Paradise Liquor on Foothill in Rancho also good picks from time to time. If you want to drive a little bit, Lone Hill Liquor in Glendora has a great selection. They occasionally have RR and Alpine, but you have to ask (as usual) and buy something else (which sucks). As for breweries, Hangar 24 is a must. Ritual and Wild Donkey (nee Donkey Punch) are across the street from one another in Redlands and worth a look. Again, if you are willing to drive, Claremont Craft Ales is pouring the best beer in the Inland Valley if I have my say. Both Eureka in Redlands and Claremont has great beers on tap and great burgers. There is a Slaters 50/50 in Rancho which has 102 beers on tap and always good stuff.

 

San Bernardino folks, I have to work in Hesperia next week (lucky me) and am wanting to stay elsewhere, but still be close. I think my two best options would be Rancho Cucamunga (Slaters 50/50) or Redlands (Hangar 24 and Ritual). Thoughts on the better option?

 

Both are a healthy drive from Hesperia but easily freeway accessible. Rancho is probably a bit more centrally located, but for breweries and bottle shops, either works. Redlands has the Hangar, Ritual, Donkey Punch breweries plus the bottle shops described above. Rancho is closer for the smaller breweries (Dale Bros, Claremont Craft, I&I, Hamilton Family, Rok House) and the other bottle shops discussed above. Rancho is closer if you want to venture to LA or Orange County (if you have time). With that possibility I would say Rancho is more central to the whole Inland Valley (Redlands included). Kind of a push either way. Also it will be hot as hell either way.

 

thanks. will probably opt for Rancho, seems easier to just hop on the hwy and head north.