7 Craft Beer Capitals In Small-Town California

Beer, considered one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in the world (please drink responsibly), is inspired by beloved and well-known brands, like Coors, Corona, Budweiser, and many others. California happens to be home to over 961 breweries (the most in the United States), located in numerous fantastic cities across the state. However, many small communities have incredible local breweries producing their own labels of beers or IPAs that locals enjoy, and visitors who come for weekend trips often return home with these locally crafted lagers, sharing them with friends and family.

Fort Bragg

Situated on the Mendocino County coastline is the city of Fort Bragg, a friendly coastal community renowned for its charming atmosphere and the home of Glass Beach. However, the community is home to The Pub at North Coast Brewing Company, which opened its doors in 1988 and has become a beer staple for the community. With the motto, "Make the world a better place, one pint at a time," North Coast crafts iconic brews like the Scrimshaw, the Old Rasputin, the PranQster, and the Red Seal Ale for the masses to enjoy.

Another incredible brewery to visit in town is Tall Guy Brewing, the youngest brewery in the community, which has been open since 2023. It serves pints of iconic cold brews, including the Beast of Burton IPA, Moonlight Mild, and Haage's Hefe, among others. On the northern end of town is Overtime Brewing, which has been open since 2018, offering a restaurant-friendly atmosphere and serving locally crafted classics, such as the Amarillo IPA, Jasmine Green Tea Ale, and India Peach Ale, among many other delightful choices.

San Luis Obispo

In the central part of the state, halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, is the city of San Luis Obispo. The city is a popular tourist destination due to its small-town atmosphere, outdoor activities, and an excellent spot for a brewery crawl. A great starting point for the memorable crawl is There Does Not Exist, a minimalist design brewery that focuses more on the taste of its pint options, like 60 Days in Hell and Dawn Keeper, to name a couple of the many choices. About a 0.4-mile (10-minute walk) away is the Oak and Otter Brewing Co., where patrons can order food and unique beers like the Otter Paw and Vitamin Sea, to name a few, to complete an awesome Brewery Crawl.

On the other side of town is Liquid Gravity Brewing Company offers its patrons great food and memorable IPAs to enjoy, like Pale From the Crypt, Orange Cream Machine, Atomic Guava, and many more. Further north is the Shrine Brewing, which opened in March 2025, and is in the Duncan Alley area. On tap at Shrine are brews like Beyond Horizons and the Traveler, to name a couple of local beers to try when venturing out to San Luis Obispo.

Avalon

One of the more unique communities in the state is the resort city of Avalon on Catalina Island. Although the city is known for its Mediterranean atmosphere, there are a couple of breweries on the island worth visiting. The Catalina Island Brew House is a perfect start to explore the town's drinking scene, with amazing views of the Pacific Ocean and scenery for patrons enjoying incredible beers like Buffalo Milk Stout and Rabid Fox Amber Island IPA.

A beer garden to visit on the island is Fix Biergarten, which has been open since June 2023, and has a diverse selection of beers to order. The city hosts the annual Two Harbors Brew Fest event, allowing attendees to try beers from over 20 to 30 microbreweries from around the world, has live music for everyone to enjoy, and gives people a souvenir beer glass. However, dogs are not allowed at the event. The next Two Harbors Brew Fest is set for July 11, 2026.

Benicia

Just north of San Francisco and Oakland in the North Bay region is Benicia, which boasts a historic arts scene, but also features a couple of breweries for beer enthusiasts to explore. Near the city's waterfront is the Mare Island Brewing Co. - First Street Taphouse, offering patrons indoor and outdoor seating in a historic building that was once the Elise Rooming House. The establishment serves an impressive selection of food and beers, including Shop 71 and Survivor's Tale, among other exciting options. On the other side of town, near Interstate 680, is Bruehol Benicia Brewing, which brews German-style pilsners influenced by the West Coast, such as Carquinez Kolsch and Old Capitol Pilsner, among others, for patrons to enjoy.

The Benicia Oktoberfest is a wonderful time to welcome the fall weather in the city, as well as enjoy German cuisine and German Beers for everyone to enjoy. Live music from German bands, souvenirs, games, and kid zones keep people entertained and busy, enjoying the incredible day.

Paso Robles

Although Paso Robles is known for its wine, the community also boasts numerous breweries to enjoy. Just east of downtown is the Hangar by BarrelHouse Brewing Co., located in what used to be the Sherwood Field Hangar. It serves amazing pilsners, such as the BarrelHouse Hazy IPA and the Galactic Rodeo, to truly entice the senses. Further in town, the California Coast Beer Company serves incredible beers like the Belgian Witbier and the Railroad Red to begin an exciting day. To make things better, the California Coast Beer Company is right next to the Den bar, the Patina @ Cal. Coast, and the Backyard on Thirtheeth are all in the same neighborhood.

Another exciting brewery to visit in the southern end of town is the Paso Robles Brewing Company, a family-owned brewpub serving delicious meals and lively beers like the Czech Pilsner and the Old School IPA in a classic American bar-like setting.

Grass Valley

Further inland in the Sierra Nevada region of the state is Grass Valley, a historic gold rush town that, oddly enough, has a growing craft beer scene. The Grass Valley Brewing Company is a great place to start when visiting the heart of downtown. Patrons can enjoy drafts of the Gold Pan Pale and Sierra Sunrise Red, among other exciting flavors. Further east on Spring Hills Drive is BrewBilt Brewing, which focuses on more locally sourced malt with high-quality equipment, and enjoys different pilsners like Strange Fish Cold IPA and National Monument West Coast Pilsner.

Right in the city limits is the Gold Vibe Kombuchary, a brewery that specializes in kombucha, whether it's soft or hard, and also brews its own beers, such as Airport Ale and the Lopsided Lager, to get the afternoon exciting in the mountainous brewery.

Buellton

Just three miles west of Solvang is the city of Buellton, which is usually known for its wineries and the home of OstrichLand USA, but it also has a couple of breweries to visit. In the southern end of town is the Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., which features local artwork on its labels and serves refreshing lagers, including Agua Santa Imperial and Guava Point Conception IPA, among other exciting pilsners to try. On the north side of town is the Firestone Walker Brewing Company, which has more barrel-aged beers to select from, along with the Brewmaster's Collective club. Lagers to try from Firestone Walker include the Sunglider and the Union Jack as a couple of exciting options for patrons.

Just out of town is the Solvang Brewing Co., which may be in Solvang, but is within driving distance from Buellton, and is smaller and more local to the region. Beers to try at Solvang Brewing Co. include the Munich Helle Lager and the Mango Hazy IPA as a couple of their interesting beer selections.

The Last Drop

Although explored by many for their beaches, museums, restaurants, and shops, these seven wonderful towns abound with charming and interesting beer scenes that excite those who enjoy trying new and local IPAs and pilsners from different breweries. Each brewery has its own personality in the communities that it calls home, and is worth a visit whenever people drive through these charming communities, or during a weekend trip away from larger cities. Enjoy, and again, please drink responsibly.