Visiting NORCAL, best brewery options for sours?

You have the big/main ones near SF/Bay listed in your post.

If you have time to go to the Sacramento area, Mraz Brewing is the best for Sours in the central/Sacramento part of Norcal.

https://www.instagram.com/mrazbrewingco/
http://mrazbrewingcompany.com/home/

 

Mraz is great, but it'll be a 2-hour detour. Very occasionally you'll see their taps in the city.

Also don't forget about Sante Adairius Rustic Ales (Capitola & Santa Cruz). That's on the way up from LA if you fork off to the 1 at a certain point.

 

If you use the 99 freeway you could hit Dionysus in Bakersfield. As mentioned above definitely hit SARA.

 

Calicraft in Walnut Creek and Cleophus Quealy in San Leandro. Both are in the East Bay.

 

If you want to take the scenic route, I'd hit the below spots on the way North from LA (in order):

Alvarado Street (Salinas location) — this is their warehouse/brewery and also the home of their sour arm, Yeast of Eden. One of their sours won bronze at GABF last year (weirdly enough that one is my least favorite from them). You'll be able to get pours of a bunch of their sours and provably get bottles of your favorites to go.

Corralitos Brewery — these guys still seem to be pretty under-the-radar despite also winning a GABF gold for their apricot sour. Definitely worth a stop.

Sante Adairius Rustic Ales (either location) — The Santa Cruz portal is beautiful, the Capitola location is the OG. Can't go wrong.

I'd also recommend stopping in Oxnard earlier in the drive up if you've never been to Casa Agria Specialty Ales. They're quietly churning out phenomenal sours as well as some low-key delicious IPAs.

Enjoy the drive! I did it last weekend and had a blast.

 

I haven't been to ASB since they started their Yeast of Eden program but... do they always have sours on tap at ASB Salinas?

 

I've only been twice, but both times they had 4-5 sours on tap, so I believe so.

 

More central coast but ... firestone barrel works and Libertine is Moro bay has some good stuff

 

If you're taking that route, a stop at Elkhorn Slough wouldn't leave you disappointed.

 

If you take highway 99, hit up Dust Bowl in Turlock. Tioga-Sequioa might be worth your while if coming on 99 as well. If you're down to head to Monetery area, Alvarado Street Brewing would be worth your time. Heretic in Fairfield would be a good one as well. Lastly, Fieldwork brewing taphouse in Berkeley would be worth your while. They have great sours.

 

Can't believe no one has mentioned Cellarmaker yet. I'd definitely stop by there when you're in SF. Like others have said SARA is another obvious stop, especially if you're into wild ales and saisons. Have a great time OP.

 

Don’t do it, man. Those beers have a microfloral bite to them.