State to State Brewery Tour

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by CharlieBrown_Ale, Feb 25, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. CharlieBrown_Ale

    CharlieBrown_Ale Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2015 Oregon

    If one was traveling from San Diego, Ca to Portland, Or. With no time threshold to worry about. (Well no more than 2-3 days)

    Driving north on I-5. How would you successfully conduct a decent brewery tour?
    What cities are along the way with great craft beer options? (California cities before getting to Oregon. Oregon cities before reaching Portland.) Excluding all San Diego county breweries.

    The furthest I've been on a brew road trip was San Luis Obispo... Very familiar with what's going on in SLO and Paso Robles.

    There's a possibility that I'll be relocating to Portland pending a potential job offer. I'm really excited about this opportunity and would like to treat this state to state brewery tour as a reward for moving up in my career.

    Thanks for your time...
     
    #1 CharlieBrown_Ale, Feb 25, 2015
  2. rmdownward

    rmdownward Zealot (648) Feb 10, 2007 California

    Going up 5 in the northern part of the state:

    Redding has several breweries/pubs
    Dunsmuir Brewery Works
    Mt Shasta Brewing in Weed
    Etna Brewing now has a tap house in Yreka

    Caldera in Ashland.
    Several breweries/pubs in Medford.
    Wild River in Grants Pass

    If you're planning on stopping it will take more than 2-3 days
     
    #2 rmdownward, Feb 25, 2015
  3. CharlieBrown_Ale

    CharlieBrown_Ale Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2015 Oregon

    Thanks for the feedback @rmdownward.

    I don't plan to stop at each and every one unless the timing is right. I'll be driving alone and I want to try to keep it exciting as possible. First I have to wait for the job offer to be set in stone.

    There's a few breweries that I must stop at. Sierra Nevada and Lost Coast. Both are slightly out of the way. Worth the trip in my mind.
     
    #3 CharlieBrown_Ale, Feb 25, 2015
  4. pinkgrenade

    pinkgrenade Initiate (0) Aug 19, 2011 California

    you have 2-3 days total to drive and visit all these places?
     
    #4 pinkgrenade, Feb 25, 2015
    SpecialAgentDaleCooper likes this.
  5. Sumdeus

    Sumdeus Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2014 Indiana

    San Diego to Portland, about 1100 miles and you want to stop at breweries and take no more than two or three days? I think you are under estimating how long California is. Especially since I-5 does not pass through SF meaning you will have to take significant detours and going through LA could be very slow depending on when you are driving. A vast majority of the LA/OC breweries will take a significant detour too. If you want to do the road trip and hit up abunch of breweries you will need more time.
     
    #5 Sumdeus, Feb 25, 2015
    pinkgrenade likes this.
  6. Sumdeus

    Sumdeus Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2014 Indiana

    Hitting up lost coast and sierra Nevada makes it a 1200 mile trip with no other detours. Google maps is saying 20 hours with no traffic.
     
    #6 Sumdeus, Feb 25, 2015
  7. pinkgrenade

    pinkgrenade Initiate (0) Aug 19, 2011 California

    I have done this drive a few times and it's taken me 2 days without much time for fun haha. i usually stop in SF because i have places to stay and like to grab a beer there but ive never had a ton of time to have a crazy adventure or anything. especially because i am tired from driving and need to rest
     
    #7 pinkgrenade, Feb 25, 2015
  8. TheeWalrusHunter

    TheeWalrusHunter Initiate (0) Aug 23, 2013 Oregon

    I drive back and forth between San Diego and Portland at least once a year. I usually push through in a day (17 + hours). That being said, last time I stopped in San Fran for the night and it was well worth it.

    I would skip Southern Cal, since it sounds like you have already explored that enough.
    • Take 405 to the 101. Hit Paso Robles (FW), continue on to Santa Cruz (SARA). Spend night in Santa Cruz.
    • Continue to SF, Hit Cellarmaker, Rare Barrel. Go to Santa Rosa (RR) and then pick either Lagunitis or Bear Republic (whichever one you like more or BOTH!) It would be dark, I would consider spending the night in that area.
    • Continue on 101 to Lost Coast. Enjoy the pretty 101 drive; drive through a redwood or two. If it's still early in the afternoon, take the 96 through the national forest. Try to find bigfoot. Connect back with the 5 and hit Caldera Brewing in Ashland.
    • Drive on to Portland and enjoy the splendor for the next few years.
    *There are breweries dotted between in Ashland and Portland, but you will be close enough to these to hit while you live here.
    ** Sorry I missed Sierra Nevada, but missing Chico is not necessarily a bad thing.
    ***Click HERE for route. This adds about 350 more miles than just driving straight up the 5.

    Enjoy. I'm super jelly.
     
    #8 TheeWalrusHunter, Feb 25, 2015
  9. Sumdeus

    Sumdeus Initiate (0) Mar 17, 2014 Indiana

    If taking the 101 and on a weekend skip FW in Paso and go to BarrelWorks in Buellton.
     
    #9 Sumdeus, Feb 25, 2015
  10. CharlieBrown_Ale

    CharlieBrown_Ale Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2015 Oregon

    Thanks for your reply. I'm not trying to visit all of the breweries along the way. I am trying to visit as many as I can during my 2-3 trek. I'm sure it's impossible to hit each location. It would be fun to hit more than a couple.
     
    #10 CharlieBrown_Ale, Feb 25, 2015
  11. CharlieBrown_Ale

    CharlieBrown_Ale Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2015 Oregon

    I see... Leaving from my place and stopping at both Sierra Nevada then Lost Coast.
    12 hr 35 minutes
    772 miles
    without traffic..
     
    #11 CharlieBrown_Ale, Feb 25, 2015
  12. 01Ryan10

    01Ryan10 Initiate (0) Sep 10, 2011 California

    I hope you have a DD.
     
    #12 01Ryan10, Feb 25, 2015
    CharlieBrown_Ale and TheeWalrusHunter like this.
  13. TheeWalrusHunter

    TheeWalrusHunter Initiate (0) Aug 23, 2013 Oregon

    Unless you plan on staying at Lost Coast forever you still need to drive the additional 430 (8 hours) miles to get to Portland.
    That's what he meant.
     
    #13 TheeWalrusHunter, Feb 25, 2015
    CharlieBrown_Ale likes this.
  14. CharlieBrown_Ale

    CharlieBrown_Ale Initiate (0) Feb 25, 2015 Oregon

    Thanks for the suggestion @TheeWalrusHunter
    I've actually looked at your map and mapped it out on my own. I kinda like where this is going and I plan to stick with your thought process. Appreciate this a ton.
     
    #14 CharlieBrown_Ale, Feb 25, 2015
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.