April 2024

April! I took a trip to western Texas and southern New Mexico, explored Johnson City, Tennessee, made a stop in Asheville, and hung out in Winston-Salem for a day. All in all I tried 109 different beers this month, and crazily two of the best were Helles Lagers. In no particular order, here were the best beers I had over the past month:

4 Meters from Lesser-Known Beer Co. in Winston-Salem, NC

Lesser-Known has been one of my favorites for about a year and a half now. They make wildly delicious Lagers in a cute little taproom in Winston-Salem. This Helles was a tank pour and absolutely superb.

Chocolate Rain (2016) from The Bruery in Placentia, CA

Chocolate Rain is a Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with cacao nibs and vanilla beans. The 2016 edition comes in at 19.7% ABV (!!!) and packs a punch. It was full of flavor which was pretty surprising given the age and ABV. Thanks to Ricky for sharing this one at Pop The Top’s anniversary celebration!

Trailing Souls collaboration brew from Monkish Brewing in Torrance, CA and Root and Branch Brewing in Copiague, NY

Trailing Souls is a Triple IPA with Citra, Strata and Simcoe hops. I knew this was going to be a great Hazy based on the two breweries involved, but it exceeded expectations. Absolutely delicious!

Heartsease from Keepsake Brewery in Gastonia, NC

Heartsease is an unfiltered Helles Lager that was the perfect post-hike brew. Keepsake opened in the Charlotte suburbs in February and I made the trek to Gastonia at the beginning of this month. I was very impressed with the beers and will definitely be back!

Plum: 2021 Harvest from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT

I love a fruited Saison from Hill Farmstead and this version of Plum was great! The oak from barrel aging and fruity flavor both combine for a great well-rounded taste. I am so very excited to finally be visiting them next month!

Check back next month to see my top Beers in May! Cheers —Alexis

The Best Breweries in Southern California

Southern California is full of fantastic breweries, including some of the top breweries in the world! It can be overwhelming to plan a beer trip to this area just because there are simply so many breweries and a lot of those breweries also have multiple taprooms. For full guides to this area, check out my San Diego beer and travel guide here and my Los Angeles guide here.

In ranking order, here are the best breweries in Southern California:

Monkish Brewing Co: Torrance and Anaheim

Monkish is arguably one of the best breweries in the country. Their original taproom is located in Torrance, conveniently close to LAX if you are flying in/out of the city. They are best known for their New England IPAs which are absolutely spectacular, but their funky beers are delicious as well. Monkish has a second location in Anaheim next to Farmer’s Park and the Anaheim Packing District.

Bottle Logic Brewing: Anaheim

Bottle Logic is a powerhouse brewery specializing in Stouts. They have a nice patio, a large tap list, and phenomenal beers in Anaheim.

Pure Project: San Diego Area

Pure Project is easily the best brewery in the San Diego area. They have several locations to check out—Vista, Miramar, Balboa Park, Carlsbad and North Park. Their “Murky” IPAs, Stouts, Sours and Lagers are all superb.

Homage Brewing: Pomona and downtown Los Angeles

Homage is best known for their Saisons and Lambics, which are top-notch. Homage has two locations—their original taproom is in downtown Pomona and they have a smaller secondary taproom in the Chinatown neighborhood of downtown LA.

Green Cheek Beer Co.: Costa Mesa and Orange

A stellar brewery with a wide array of beers to choose from, including a few guest taps. They are best known for their Lagers and IPAs and have taprooms in Costa Mesa and Orange.

Highland Park Brewery: Downtown Los Angeles

Highland Park is a fantastic brewery in downtown Los Angeles with a wide variety of beers and delicious food. They have great beers and chill vibes.

Kings Brewing: Rancho Cucamonga

Kings is best known for their thiccc Fruited Sours but they also highly value a good crisp Lager. They have a massive tap list and a friendly team, located in Rancho Cucamonga.

North Park Beer Co.: San Diego

North Park does all styles of beer well! West Coast IPAs, Hazy IPAs, Lagers, Stouts—they are all fantastic. Their taproom in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego has chill vibes.

Burgeon Beer Company: Carlsbad

Burgeon is a great brewery with a wide variety of beers to choose from. Each style is executed well and their taproom is a fun place to hang out.

The Bruery: Placentia & Anaheim

The Bruery is a highly awarded brewery creating uniquely delicious beers. Their main brewery and taproom is located in Placentia, right near Anaheim. Their second location, Bruery Terreux Tasting Room, is 5 minutes away in Anaheim proper. This location houses their Lambics and Wild Ales, but you can get those on tap at the main taproom as well.

The Lost Abbey: San Diego Area

The Lost Abbey is a Belgian brewery with four tasting rooms in the San Diego area—The Main Tasting Room in San Marcos, The Church in downtown San Diego, The Sanctuary in San Marcos, and The Confessional in Cardiff-By-The-Sea. They focus on Belgian-style Ales and barrel aged beers.

What are your top breweries in southern california? Let me know in the comments! Cheers—Alexis