Beer on the Beach
Beer on the Beach
Some of the most popular breweries (and 1 cidery) in Orange County!
Hey foodies! It’s Krager, and welcome to this week’s issue of The Foodie Maps Orange County! A special warm welcome to our new subscribers: retailhell & kgrass!
Each week we bring the hottest trends, recommendations, and news from the OC food scene right to your inbox. We are all about local business. Whether you’re a local looking for new places to eat or a traveler planning your next trip, this newsletter is for you. And best of all, it’s totally free!
Brewer, The 4000-Year Old Profession
We humans sure love to drink. We have records of dedicated spaces for brewing going all the way back to 2500 BC! With so many ingredients and steps, it’s no wonder the production of beer has perplexed us for millennia.
Today we are here to tell you about some of OC’s locally-owned breweries. When we say breweries, we don’t mean the huge production plants you see off the freeway. We mean the independently-owned craft breweries and microbreweries supported by our local communities. These breweries have catalogs of unique beers made from local ingredients. In addition to being a social space, they often serve food or are found alongside local food trucks.
So, let’s get to it!
🍻🍻 Truly Family-Run
The HB Brewery
🍻 Julius Who
📸 @foursonsbrewing
📍 Four Sons Brewing - Huntington Beach
The Dufresne family started Four Sons Brewing, who as you might have guessed, consists of four sons! Derek, one of the four, was an avid homebrewer for 8 years. His hobby enabled the family to take the leap of faith in opening a brewery.
In 2014, Four Sons Brewery opened its doors and the family began their journey of producing quality craft beers. The brewery is a staple of the SoCal community and pairs with local food trucks every Thursday and Friday. In Huntington Beach, they recently expanded their offerings to Pacific City and Bella Terra. They even have a collaboration beer with the HB-based band, Dirty Heads!
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🍎 Angry at Angry Orchard?
Are you the kind of person who thinks Angry Orchard has potential, but just can’t get over how sweet it is? If so, you should look into visiting a Cidery.
A Flight of Cider Anyone?
🍻 Flight of Cider
📸 @waywardcoug
📍 Ficklewood - Long Beach
Don’t like beer? On a gluten-free diet? Want a change-up from your typical beer brewery? Located in the heart of Downtown Long Beach, Ficklewood Ciderworks offers an experience that is any cider lover’s dream and will change the mind of any cider hater. While most store-bought ciders are too sweet for many (myself included), Ficklewood avoids crafting sugary ciders and instead highlights the natural fruity flavors of their ingredients. Not only do they let their fruit shine, but their brews are diverse in their flavorings, with each one being an out-of-the-box but pleasant pairing to their plain cider. For example, my favorite is the Nordic Aurora, a cider made with Nordic yeast and blended with gin botanicals and juniper berry that has a fruity beginning with an herby juniper finish, a cool and crisp evolution. Some other standouts include the Wisevine, a cider blended with red wine, and the Moodyroot, a beet and date sugar cider. Being rare here in SoCal, visiting this cidery is a unique experience that you’re sure to find yourself coming back to.
🏖️ On the Coast
Our beach cities in OC boast a vast collection of breweries. I mean, the beach really is the best place for a quality craft beer.
Mango Beer?
🍻 Flight of Beer
📸 @shawnayetka
📍 Golden Road Brewery & Pub - Sunset Beach & Anaheim
In 2011, Golden Road started in the LA neighborhood of Atwater Village and quickly became renowned for their mango cart beer. In fact, it has gotten so popular that the beer is now available at select markets. In the last few years, Golden Road has begun opening brewpubs all across California. As agreed upon by most LA-based restaurants, Orange County is a great spot for a 2nd location. In 2017, they opened a spot in Anaheim, and in 2019 they did the same in Huntington Beach. The Sunset Beach location has been one of the biggest yet. With 30-40 taps and 8,800 square feet, Golden Road Huntington Beach includes both indoor and outdoor seating for guests, all right on the Huntington Harbor and across the street from the beach!
Golden Road is most commonly known for their fruity ales. Their mango, melon, and pineapple cart beers are quickly becoming household names in Southern California. Recently their Wolf Pack IPA has caught on also and has made its way onto shelves. At their brewpubs, you can of course try their classics, but also branch out to some of their seasonal offerings. Their on-tap selection is often SoCal-themed too! I recommend going with some friends and getting a flight and some of their shareable appetizers to quench the inevitable hunger that comes from sitting in a restaurant and drinking. There is plenty to try and plenty to eat!
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“Artfully crafted, locally inspired”
🍻 Flight
📸 @itsbeerbreak
📍 Helmsman Ale House - Newport Beach
A new brewery with qualified staff.
The Helmsman Ale House replaced the long-time Newport Beach Brewing Co. With large shoes to fill, the Helmsman Ale House hired an absolute stacked staff of brewers. Dylan Mobley, the head brewer, is a graduate of the Siebel Institute with its highly regarded WBA Master Brewer program. Prior to his time in Newport, he has won many awards from various brewing competitions. Dylan has worked tirelessly to use local ingredients to create quality craft beer. In fact, most of their selection was produced entirely locally! I particularly enjoy how descriptive their menu is, describing exactly what to look for when you try their selections.
Alongside their beer lineup, they also serve brunch, dinner, and a selection of seafood.
🤷 Technically LA… But…
We know! This one is technically in LA, but we definitely think it’s worth the drive!
San Pedro Beer, San Pedro Vibes
🍻 Holy Satoshi Hazy TIPA
📸 @hopsandthecity
📍 Brouwerij West - San Pedro
Located in a warehouse in industrialized San Pedro, Brouwerij West offers an interesting collection of brews that complement their name. Boasting a variety of Hazy IPAs, Stouts, Pilsners, and Ales, this brouwerij has beers that cater to all palates. I find myself going for the Blackberry Ale every time, but was bold enough on my last visit to down a glass of “Why Are Cakes Round?,” a stout with a whopping 15% ABV. If beer isn’t your thing, Brouwerij West offers a selection of hard seltzer as well.
🍺 And Finally… A Throwback to High School
Wait, what?! Ok, I can explain. One of my high school teachers recently opened this brewery in Anaheim called Dueling Ducks. I have yet to visit but plan on going soon! Mr. Kause, if you see this, we’d love to feature a visit in a future issue!
Thanks for reading this week’s issue of The Foodie Maps Orange County!
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