Should I visit SARA or Firestone?

I would say SARA & The Rare Barrel. Shorter distance, more time to try harder to find beers. SARA was BYOG (bring your own growler) a few months ago if you wanted to take a roadie home w/ you.

 

SARA and Rare Barrel.

 

Now if the question was Barrelworks... but thats another hour/hour and a half more driving.

 

The guys are right. Save yourself some drive time and go to Sara and the Rare Barrel. Try Aptos BBQ its near SARA. They have a cool tap list and some good grub.

 

HUGE fan of both here, visit FW a couple of times a month, SARA at least once a week. If you can only do one, I'd definitely say SARA. FW is cool, but you're not really gonna get a whole lot there that you don't see in distro. They might have some of the last Barrelworks bottles at the company store in Paso, but unless you're looking to get quantity of the anniversary or last proprietor's series bottles, you won't find much else. The taproom tap list is always pretty standard, as is the visitor's center.

SARA on the other hand, if you've never been, will allow you to try a bunch of new beers, plus there's always a big bottle share going on. They were bring your own growler, but lately they have had glass blanks available. Probably still a safe bet just to bring your own in case they run out. Also you can go to Aptos St. BBQ which has amazing food and a solid tap list is well.

 

Lulz

 

FIRESTONE!!!!!

 

Do you want sours? Or a little bit of everything? Once you answer that, the answer will be easy

 

Therein lies the rub. The normal beers on tap are good but not otherworldly; I would choose FW Barrelworks over it if there aren't any bottles when you're going. If they don't have bottles to go they might still have some available in house though. And they're really good people. But it's a much tougher decision without bottles.

You can check their Facebook to see what's on that day: https://www.facebook.com/santeadairius

 

SARA.

 

According to Google Maps, Brentwood to Paso is 3 hours and 19 minutes. Brentwood to Capitola to Paso is 3 hours and 44 minutes. Why not hit both SARA and Firestone?

I did the drive from Roseville to Firestone with a stop at SARA (and Discretion) and it was no problem.

 

Skip SARA and go to Firestone, stay the night and enjoy urself. more likely to actually get beers.

SARA has to work out perfectly there are many times ive checked their FB and by the time i get there all the things i wanted to try or buy were out.

EDIT: I like theconductors idea best. try to loop by SARA on the way down. just be sure to pick the right time as traffic on 1 SUCKS!

 

Both are great places that offer something different.

FW is a palace compared to SARA but it's pretty much just their flagship beers on tap plus a couple vintage bottles from the Proprietors Series if you want to open up the wallet. Food is decent pub grub but not mind blowing. Paso is a cool town, nice little plaza, charming as shit, etc.

SARA is like drinking in your living room if your living room had concrete floors and 6-12 beers on tap. No food but you can bring in whatever you want. On the weekends it can be crowded if there is a bottle release. If there isn't, it can be pretty relaxed. Captiola/Santa Cruz are great towns too but different than Paso.

Can't go wrong with either really so it kinda depends on your personality and the experience you're looking for. I also call bullshit on Brentwood>Capitola>Paso in under 4 hours. On the weekend, that aint happening.

 

That axe is still dull huh?

 

almost every beer available at FW can be readily purchased in bottles and are available on tap at a million different locations. Of course a few exceptions though. SARA beers can more or less only be had at the source and for that reason alone if you had to chose I think SARA is the no-brainer choice.

FW is much more commercial feel to it. Great product, but you're just another customer. SARA is by far more relaxed and enjoyable setting, you can bring whatever you want to eat, bring your dog. my 2 cents.

 

firestone, you'll get some good stuff to take home and drink some nice stuff while your at it.

sara if you really want to go. i dont think you'll walk away with anything big.

 

OP specifically said he can't make it down to Barrelworks, so this is really just a Paso Firestone vs. SARA discussion. I think you can sum it up like this:

SARA - You'll have a good time, be able to drink beer you can't get anywhere else, they don't serve food, and you most likely will not leave with bottles

Paso FW - You'll have a good time, you'll pretty much only be able to drink beer you see all over, they do serve food, and you most likely won't leave with any bottles that you can't get in distro