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Author Topic: Mendocino Coast  (Read 1393 times)

Offline gav

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Mendocino Coast
« on: June 04, 2019, 10:25:48 am »
Going to be between Gualala and FortBragg for 2 weeks. Any brewery rec's. Also doing the tour at Russian River @ Windsor. Any other breweries recommended in Santa Rosa area?
Thanks
Isn't beer the holy libation of sincerity? The potion that dispels all hypocrisy, any charade of fine manners? The drink that does nothing worse than incite one to urinate in all innocence, to gain weight in all frankness?
Milan Kundera

Offline Richard

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Re: Mendocino Coast
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2019, 01:16:31 pm »
In Fort Bragg or on the way between there and Santa Rosa:
  • North Coast Brewing in Fort Bragg
  • Overtime Brewing in Fort Bragg (small and new, I haven't been there myself)
  • Anderson Valley Brewing Co in Booneville (on Hwy 128)
Here are some in Santa Rosa, but I haven't been to any of them in person:
  • Henhouse Brewing Co in Santa Rosa
  • Old Possum Brewing Co in Santa Rosa
  • Fogbelt Brewing Co in Santa Rosa
  • Moonlight Brewing Co in Santa Rosa
  • Cooperage Brewing Co in Santa Rosa
Heading south a bit:
  • Lagunitas in Petaluma
  • Bear Republic Brewing Co in Rohnert Park
Unfortunately, Mendocino Brewing went out of business in 2018
Original Gravity - that would be Newton's

Offline Robert

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Re: Mendocino Coast
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2019, 07:47:21 pm »



Unfortunately, Mendocino Brewing went out of business in 2018

Sorry to hear that, I didn't know.  I knew they were acquired by foreign ownership more than 20 years ago and production expanded to an upstate NY site, which was initially to my advantage, but I hadn't seen their products in some time.  They were one of the pioneers and truly one of the greats, as evidenced by their successes over the years at the Great British Beer Festival.   Red Tail and Black Hawk were early benchmarks.  But I suppose hopelessly untrendy. 
Rob Stein
Akron, Ohio

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Offline jeffy

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Re: Mendocino Coast
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2019, 05:23:58 pm »



Unfortunately, Mendocino Brewing went out of business in 2018

Sorry to hear that, I didn't know.  I knew they were acquired by foreign ownership more than 20 years ago and production expanded to an upstate NY site, which was initially to my advantage, but I hadn't seen their products in some time.  They were one of the pioneers and truly one of the greats, as evidenced by their successes over the years at the Great British Beer Festival.   Red Tail and Black Hawk were early benchmarks.  But I suppose hopelessly untrendy.
I remember drinking a Red Tail in Mendocino on a trip up the coast in the early 90’s.  That beer bottle was the first in what turned out to be an extensive collection of American craft beer bottles.  Its a great label.
Jeff Gladish, Tampa (989.3, 175.1 Apparent Rennarian)
Homebrewing since 1990
AHA member since 1991, now a lifetime member
BJCP judge since 1995

Offline gav

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Re: Mendocino Coast
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2019, 09:54:58 am »
In Fort Bragg or on the way between there and Santa Rosa:
  • North Coast Brewing in Fort Bragg
  • Overtime Brewing in Fort Bragg (small and new, I haven't been there myself)
  • Anderson Valley Brewing Co in Booneville (on Hwy 128)
Here are some in Santa Rosa, but I haven't been to any of them in person:
  • Henhouse Brewing Co in Santa Rosa
  • Old Possum Brewing Co in Santa Rosa
  • Fogbelt Brewing Co in Santa Rosa
  • Moonlight Brewing Co in Santa Rosa
  • Cooperage Brewing Co in Santa Rosa
Heading south a bit:
  • Lagunitas in Petaluma
  • Bear Republic Brewing Co in Rohnert Park
Unfortunately, Mendocino Brewing went out of business in 2018

Reporting back after trip (albeit a bit late)

North Coast was fantastic! Their brewpub was very laid back, and I tried pretty much every beer they had on tap over multiple visits. Pity they don't to brewery tours any more - too busy. Still a family run operation. They have pretty big distribution, but the packaged product I've bought in stores is a far cry from what I had at the taproom. Standouts - Barrel aged Old Rasputin, Hand pumped (casked) Red Seal, and Old Stock. The local place where I get my CO2 tanks filled in SoCal (Tavern Service Co) can get me sixtels or half-barrel kegs from NorthCoast.

Overtime, also in Fort Bragg - nice people - beer OK. Takes some balls to open a small brewery in the shadow of North Coast.

Anderson Valley - not very impressed. Serving staff did not know a thing about the beer - very surprising at the very large flagship taproom. Seems like they have just gotten too big.

Gyppo - made it to this tiny brewery in Shelter Cove, on the remote Lost Coast (border of Mendocino and Humboldt Cos). Fantastic local place - owners are not beer people - they started it as a community restaurant/pub - but they hired a great brewmaster who put out some spectacular beer. Spoke with him for a while. Detailed log sheets on each fermenter, which are each named, and have a picture of a famous person - I remember Huey Lewis. This place is hard to get to - but they have a small airstrip right outside the brewpub (the wife was very accommodating, and abstained from drinking so she could fly us back).

Did the tour of the new Russian River Windsor facility. This is really a class act. While touring the bottling line, they poured us Pliny that had a bottling time stamp of 12 min before the top was popped! Their Funk side was something else. Gt to taste the new Intiction. I could have stayed at the bar all day.

I also went to Bear Republic in Healdsburg (loved the Racer Max) and Ukiah Brewery (new owners - used to be Ritual), which though being known mostly as a good restaurant, had a decent small beer list.

Richard, thanks for the info.
Isn't beer the holy libation of sincerity? The potion that dispels all hypocrisy, any charade of fine manners? The drink that does nothing worse than incite one to urinate in all innocence, to gain weight in all frankness?
Milan Kundera