Beer America’s Best Coast

Sure there’s Colorado and Oregon; there’s Vermont and Washington state, but it’s hard to make the argument that there’s a more important craft beer state than California. The first American Pale Ale, the first American IPA, and the first American Barleywine all came from California brewers who were craft brewers before there was craft brewing. The state is the home of two significant American beer styles — the Steam Beer (now officially known as the California Common) and the West Coast Style IPA.

California’s first brewery started in 1849, a year before the territory became a state. In 2024, they had just shy of 950 craft breweries, more than any other state. And sure, it’s larger than all but two other states, but Texas had only less than 450 craft breweries. Heck, San Diego, alone, has more craft breweries than many states do. (Don’t worry. They do not have more than we do. Virginia is a healthy craft beer world.) San Diego’s tourism board calls the Bay City “the capitol of Craft Beer America,” and it’s a reasonable reaction to pause and say, “Yeah, I c an see that.”

This Thursday, we celebrate beers from California. Please join us any time between 5:00 and 6:30 PM.