Central Coast is swimming in good local beer

Anyone who has visited the Central Coast the last few years probably knows 805 is more than the region's area code. The flagship beer from Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in Paso Robles has quickly become a favorite throughout Central California. 

A sample of tasty Central Coast beers I found during a recent trip to the coast.But what many might not realize is that Firestone Walker is just one of more than a dozen micro and craft breweries between Cayucos and Solvang that are producing a wide range of beers to fit most tastes. That abundance of choice gives valley residents yet another reason to visit a region already blessed with fine wines and food, beautiful views and wonderful weather. 

Firestone is the best known of 13 commercial breweries dotting the region, and its ever-growing Paso Robles headquarters just off Highway 101 is brewery/restaurant/tasting room/merch shop sprawling multiple buildings. While Firestone has become the dominant regional brewer in volume, it's also the most adventurous of the bunch, blessed with brewmasters who consistently stretch the limits of beer making. My favorite is Wookey Jack, a hoppy black ale, and the classic Double Barrel Ale been a favorite for years, but it's hard to go wrong with any of their staples, seasonals or experimentals. Try a sampler at the brewery if you're not sure where to start. 

Nearby is BarrelHouse Brewing Co., an upstart that impressed many at the recent Bakersfield Craft Beer festival. BarrelHouse bottles a core group of five quality beers, but more adventurous drinkers may want to seek out limited releases that include Curly Wolf, an imperial stout flavored with vanilla and maple that is the best dessert beer I've tasted in a long time.  

Heading south on 101 takes you to San Luis Obispo, where at least four commercial breweries are fighting for the love of a vibrant college town. I believe SLO Brewing Co is the oldest commercial brewery in Central California, making tasty ales in downtown SLO since 1988 (I used to find SLO bottles at liquor stores in Bakersfield, but not in recent years).

But it's a newer San Luis brewery called Tapit Brewing Co. that has momentum, and is found on tap and in bottles throughout the northern Central Coast. And while I can recommend Firestone and BarrelHouse as the region's go-to beers, I've found nothing -- and I mean nothing -- that tastes as refreshing as a tap pour of Tapit's India Pale Ale when you're overlooking the ocean from one of the area's many bars, decks or beaches. Tapit's IPA is hoppy but doesn't overpower well-balanced citrus notes that are a perfect blend with an ocean escape. Bottled Tapit doesn't capture the same sensory experience, but I always a grab one or two to drink once back in Bakersfield. For some reason, the ocean vibe is gone by that point, but Tapit's IPA takes me halfway back. 

Way down the 101 in Buellton is Figueroa Mountain Brewing, whose unremarkable beers are easy to find in bottles and taps throughout the area. I don't have a Figueroa favorite, and given that this is the southernmost brewery on my Central Coast list (Santa Barbara seems SoCal to me), it's good reason to head back north and west, where at least eight other commercial breweries sell beer on tap or bottles. They include: 

• Solvang Brewing Co.
• Santa Maria Brewing Co., Started in Nipomo but are now in … Santa Maria:
• Pismo Brewing Co.
• Bang The Drum Brewery, San Luis Obispo 
• Central Coast Brewing, San Luis Obispo
• Libertine Pub, Morro Bay
• Cayucos Beer Co.
• Paso Robles Brewing Co.

If you can't hit up the actual breweries, you can find good selections of local and regional beers at bars, liquor stores and supermarkets. While I'm a big fan of BevMo, I find the SLO store to have limited local selections and much higher prices than small liquor stores in places like Cambria, Cayucos and Morro Bay. As for supermarkets, the Albertsons in Paso Robles  stocks a good selection of micro and craft beers at competitive prices (as an aside I found a limited release of Deschutes Black Butte XXVI for $10.99 and an AleSmith Speedway Stout for $9.99, both of which you won't find in Bakersfield for less than $15). 

Let me know if you hear of any spots I've missed, your favorite beers, or good bars and liquor stores we can all check out on our next visits. 

Comments

[Tiny Richmond]

Logan, I disagree about Figueroa beers, especially Davy Jones on tap. You have anything more to say about Cayucos and Central Coast? Thse are new ones to me.

[Gerry Riggs]

Sitting at Firestone bar as I write this. You must try the Hat Trick. A blend of imperial stout and SLO ambic, which is made with berries and aged in oak. Crazy flavors. Hope all is well.