Santa Cruz County may be known for gnarly waves, redwood trees and 420, but these days the new star attraction is its amazing craft-beer scene. Here is a Santa Cruz County brew guide for your next summertime weekend getaway.
Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing’s founder, Emily Thomas (shout-out to lady brewers), takes pride in being your neighborhood brewmaster. Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing uses all local, organic ingredients, so you can feel good about yourself while gulping down their delicious brews. Unlike most bars, SC Mountain Brewing is kid and dog friendly and has a full food menu from 12:00 p.m. to 7:0o p.m. every day, provided by Kelly’s French Bakery. (The food is nothing short of delectable.) The pretzel with grain mustard and pub cheese is a crisp and doughy ball of carbs; try not to swallow it whole.
Be warned: the majority of the seating is outside, and only about half of it is covered. So pick a sunny day, and kick back with your brew, your brew dog and your fam.
Best Brews: Their flagship ales, sold nationwide, are what they are known for. My personal favorite is the Devout Stout. It’s dark and strong yet creamy, and it will leave you growling. But also make sure to taste the seasonal ales. The Lavender IPA is one of my top five favorite beers—ever. If you’re not in the mood to imbibe, try the kombucha on tap, which is also killer.
One of the tonier Santa Cruz breweries, Discretion Brewing lives up to its slogan “Choose Goodness. Have Discretion.” Their bright, airy taproom is perfect for a long conversation on a summer afternoon. And that is just what the family of founders wanted: a place for quality discussions over quality drinks. If you’re hungry, grab some food from the Kitchen at Discretion (a little window in the taproom). The overpriced food might give you pause, but one bite of their grits will be enough to make you forget about your account balance. If you’re looking for something lighter, the Caesar salad leaves nothing to be desired (and the croutons will blow your mind). Choosing goodness, indeed.
Best Brews: The Song In Your Heart is a crowd pleaser, and for good reason. It’s a dark and mild beer with a full-bodied taste and not a drop of bitterness. And it goes great with anything, anytime.
Just a short bike ride from the beach, this cozy taproom is one of the hidden gems of Santa Cruz County. Brewmasters Adair Paterno and Tim Clifford brew their beer in small batches on-site. Once you grab a pour, there will be no question as to why they’re up-and-coming brewmasters in the West Coast craft-brew scene. Sante Adairius is situated away from most of the well-traveled routes — you’ll find them only if you know what you’re looking for. But they are more than worth the hunt. Come perch at a rustic barrel table and giggle at the bearded locals getting sloppy. Arrive early, as the taproom fills up quickly (and they close at 8:00 p.m.).
Best Brews: If you’re a hophead, go with the Simpleton IPA. For something a bit more decadent, try the Vanilla Joe, a porter brewed with Verve coffee and vanilla beans. But seriously, you can’t get a bad beer at Sante.
New Bohemia (affectionately known as NuBo) is the new kid on the block of Santa Cruz beers. Brewmasters Dan Satterthwaite and Mike Hochleutner are both UCSC alums who traveled the world and returned to Santa Cruz to pursue their love of beer. Because the place is so new, the beer selection is minimal in comparison to that of other local taprooms, but their session ales are of a very high quality. Their prime location on 41st Avenue is an open warehouse full of grainy wood and exposed piping, and feels very hip and modern without being pretentious. The two-floor setup makes for plenty of seating, even during busy times. If you catch them on the right night, you might even get to enjoy one of the pop-up eateries they feature and make an entire evening of it.
Best Brews: Try their flagship lager, the NuBo Pils. It’s crisp, clean and light enough to be drunk all night long. If you’re lucky, you might catch an experimental limited brew.
Seabright Brewery is the only location on this list that is actually a full restaurant as well as a brewery. Less than five minutes from the beach, it’s a perfect spot to come to for dinner after soaking up the sun. It’s hard to beat their spacious, open-plan patio on a breezy summer day. Their food menu is killer (definitely make sure to try the wings) and features decently priced classic American fare with a seafood twist. The casual vibe here is the epitome of Santa Cruz and will undoubtedly put a smile on your face.
Best Brews: I was fortunate enough to get the inside scoop from Seabright Brewery’s head brewer, Cat Weist (yet another shout-out to lady brewers), about upcoming stock. She told me that on June 1 they will be releasing a special beer brewed in collaboration with the Santa Cruz Derby Girls. The recipe isn’t finalized but will be an IPA inspired by strength and competition. Cat has also been experimenting with goses, which will certainly make for a tart summer treat worth checking out. In the meantime, the Blur is a great hoppy IPA. If you’re over-hopped, try the Two Rivers Cider — the flavors rotate seasonally.
Short on time? Can’t decide? Don’t fret. Head down to Beer Thirty and get a bit of everything. This taproom’s 30 rotating taps feature beers from nearly all the breweries mentioned in this guide, and then some. (It’s tough to go wrong with so many options.) Plus, you can’t beat the fun atmosphere — nearly all the seating is outdoors at long community-style covered wooden tables set in the dirt. In the back is a line of cornhole boards and ping-pong and foosball tables.
Beer Thirty is dog friendly, so bring Fido. If you’re hungry, make sure to visit the window provided by Carpo’s Restaurant, open daily, for some greasy deliciousness to accompany your brew. (I recommend the grilled cheese, which, when I ordered it, was dripping with cheddar.)
Best Brews: With 30 rotating taps, there’s something for everyone.
