Beer, the nectar of the gods... these are the local establishments who make their own. If you are just looking for a place to buy some beer, you might try lists of grocery stores or check out the Bars. If you are a cheap college student you might be looking for Free Beer. Of course if you are feeling antisocial you can brew your own beer or make your own wine.

Want too keep your experience fun, safe and enjoyable? Avoid the taboos.

Davis Breweries

Area Breweries

  • Berryessa Brewing Company — A mile or two west of Winters, right on Highway 128, this place has one of the best IPAs in existence. Their IPA is frequently found on tap in Davis and elsewhere in the region; the other beers are less common. Look for a tap handle shaped like a chain.
  • Bike Dog Brewing Co. — West Sacramento.
  • Black Diamond Brewery —A little gem located in Concord; the flagship Belgian Blonde Ale is unique and delicious.
  • Hoppy Brewery — Folsom Blvd in Sacramento.
  • Heretic Brewing Company — Airbase Parkway in Fairfield
  • Jackrabbit Brewing Company — West Sacramento
  • Jack Russell Brewery — Located just past Placerville on 50.
  • Mount Saint Helena Brewery — Great after a day of hiking or climbing.
  • Pyramid Alehouse — Another Sacramento brewery and restaurant, part of a chain. Beer not brewed on premises anymore.
    • Substantially above average food and beer. Most of the recipes use at least one of their beers in the sauces, glazes, batters, etc. Pyramid has the best hot wings I've ever had. If you haven't been, it's well worth the trip. Also a great place to have a wedding reception :) —TomGarberson
  • Rubicon Brewing Company Possibly the best craft brewery in the region. Located in Midtown Sacramento (Capitol and 20th), they have good pub food and awesome beer. Service can be iffy but it's worth it.
  • Ruhstaller Brewing Company- Several of their beers are available in local markets, including both Nugget Markets in Davis. The brewery and tap room are located in Downtown Sacramento on K St. The tap room is in a basement area, so you'll need to look closely for the entrance (think: 1920s speakeasy-style hideaway)
  • Sierra Nevada — Located in Chico, one of the nicest (from a brewer's perspective) breweries in the world. Well worth the pilgrimage.
    • I was here recently for lunch. The food was sub-mediocre but a pitcher of IPA, five (5!) twelve oz. glasses, was $7.50. prt
  • Yolo Brewing Company — West Sacramento

 

Area Cideries

For those who have not acquired the taste for beer, or want to try something different yet traditional, there is a growing presence of hard Cider in the region. Cider is beer-strength apple alcohol. Although fairly sweet by default, many micro-brew varieties have a range from sweet to dry and champagne-like. Cider has a history almost as long as Beer and was much more common than at present. Johnny Appleseed planted cider apples, not Granny Smith. UCD has a Pomology program and a Fermentation Science major, so perhaps there is a graduate student project waiting to happen studying ciders.

Departed Breweries

  • Davisville Brewery was the first brewery in Davis. It was around in the nineteenth century.
  • The Brewery — first modern attempt at a brew pub in Davis, in the building that has since been home to many restaurants, including Our House.
  • Brew-It-Up — A closed Sacramento brewery and restaurant.
  • Sacramento Brewing Company — Fulton and Marconi in Sacramento and a Egyptian themed restaurant on Madison in Citrus Heights.
    • Very good — excellent beer, and the menu has quite a bit of above average fare. Try the chili-oil and bleu cheese fries, the pork tenderloin and the crab and shrimp ravioli. — jw
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