While the names of metropolises and counties are typically used when referring to locales with rich craft-beer cultures, if one drills down, they’ll typically find the smaller municipalities making up those regions adding their own unique flavors to the greater melting pot. Such is the case with Rancho Cordova, an eastern suburb of Sacramento that had no breweries within its city limits a decade ago, but now boasts an impressive Barrel District comprised of artisanal beer and beverage producers. It’s become a centerpiece, source of civic pride and draw for locals and visitors looking to spend a day sipping in craft suds (or spirits or mead or kombucha or wine). Come along with us as we show you around this lesser known yet remarkable destination.
BREWERIES
Movement Brewing
11151 Trade Center Dr, Ste 104/105
Almost every locale has an “it” brewery, and Movement is Rancho Cordova’s. Despite launching during a global pandemic, the business – the passion project of a pair of sisters and their spouses looking to offer good beer and good vibes in equal measure – has rocketed into the upper echelon of the Sacramento beer scene. As such, the tasting room and its overflow seating area are regularly packed, especially on weekends. That industrial space is perked up by colorful murals depicting house-beer iconography augmented by barrels on barrels of aging fluid stock, and plays host to myriad events, including the brewery’s March anniversary and April festival featuring other popular U.S. breweries.
There’s an emphasis on variety at Movement, where just about any style may find its way onto the beer board. Core beers like Uncle Money Pilsner and Beer of Kings West Coast IPA are joined by everything from an award-winning, floral saison called Mime Time to a peanutty, toffee-nosed red dubbed Irish Rover. Dude Monster hazy IPA brings vibrant passionfruit and tangerine with almost zero bitterness while a delectable imperial stout with coconut, vanilla and cacao called Ancient Night Owl is German chocolate cake in a glass. Meanwhile, harmonious fruit and additive blends produce outstanding results in kettle sours like Whip Wrangler (pineapple, orange, banana, vanilla and marshmallow) and Big Stick Energy (pineapple, cherry and vanilla), as well as a rotating line of Fruitonic hard seltzers.
Standout Suds: Ancient Night Owl, Imperial Stout with Coconut, Vanilla & Cacao
Burning Barrel Brewing
11210 Sun Center Dr, Ste B
Looking for a lineup of en vogue and adventurous beer styles? Let an oak barrel shooting flames from either end serve as a stylish beacon, drawing you into this cult-fave brewery with a 150-seat tasting room that includes a corner lounge setup with plush leather chairs and a large, shaded patio for the al-fresco inclined. Kid- and dog-friendly (the brewer’s mom crafts canine treats from spent grain, bacon and peanut butter, which are for sale onsite), it’s a fun, comfy gathering place for fans of fruited, hazy, smoothie, pastry and otherwise nouveau interpretations of classics, some of which are so popular their releases bring on lines around the building. Events like April’s Taste of Royalty (collaboration beer fest) and fall’s Jam Fest (music-themed beer releases) also pack the house.
From a 100% Citra-hopped hazy (Boarish Behavior) to an imperial West Coast model (Dankness 4 President) and an IPA that’s both cold and black (Frozen Darkness), Burning Barrel’s hoppy beers are varied, bold and immaculate. And would-be adjunct overdoses are considerably balanced. Examples include Lord Velvet, a smoothie sour with raspberry, plum, grenadine, red velvet cake batter and white chocolate, and Forged in Flame, a boozy choco-vanilla swirl-tasting imperial stout aged 40 months in Widow Jane bourbon barrels. But not everything’s next-level here. Back-to-basics hits include delicate Pilsner, Side Pull Pillows, and an English-style ale with citrus and peanut-husk appeal called Pub Talk. Beer slushies are also available and can be added to flight boards matching the taproom’s bar in their live-edge wood composition.
Standout Suds: Boarish Behavior, Single-Hop Hazy IPA
Claimstake Brewing
11366 Monier Park Pl
Hopheads so single-minded in their lupulin-driven desires that they have zero room in their lives for anything other than West Coast IPAs will find a friend and common mindset in Claimstake brewer-proprietor Brian Palmer. If he had his way, the only thing he’d brew at his eight-year-old brewery (Rancho Cordova’s longest-operating) would be clear, bracingly bitter hop-bombs. It’s the reason he made the leap from award-winning amateur brewer to the pro ranks. In doing so, he constructed a brewery and tasting room that, with lounge and dining room enclaves, feels rather homey. Claimstake is Palmer’s castle, but all are welcomed…especially IPA lovers.
A hop bill of Strata, Citra and Mosaic lend passionfruit, papaya, peach, and savory (as in the kitchen herb) flavors and aromas to flagship IPA, One Spot, while an anniversary creation, Eight Spot, is big on citrus-fruit character and dankness. The latter is the primary characteristic of Sticky Nicky, an IPA released each year on April 20. While roughly half Palmer’s taps dispense “Sac-style” IPAs, he makes compromises in the name of being a good host, exploring various other styles. Sure, they’re mostly pales, hazy, red and black IPAs, but still. A murky IPA named Haze Rush features a bouquet of orange and marjoram followed by satsuma, apricot and papaya on the palate, and an ultra-clean American light lager called Pace Yourselves has an unexpected, green-leaf finish thanks to a dose of Centennial hops.
Standout Suds: Pace Yourselves, Hoppy American Light Lager
LogOff Brewing
3054 Sunrise Blvd, Ste J
Upon moving to the Sacramento area to be closer to family in 2018, longtime homebrewer Kenny Terry decided to dive headfirst into the craft-beer industry, starting as a bartender before eventually coming aboard and being welcomed into the brewhouse at this Rancho Cordova brewery. A year-and-a-half after ascending to the role of head brewer, Terry had the opportunity to purchase the business outright and jumped at the opportunity. Such was his deep-seated affection for LogOff, a chill spot regularly packed with regulars looking to unplug and relax while sampling through an ever-changing array of lower-alcohol beers designed to support lengthy stays, meaningful interactions, and enjoyment of live music and comedy acts (Friday evenings) plus musical bingo (Saturday nights).
Session starters include a namesake light lager with an interesting lemon-zest note, an immaculately clean, refreshing rice lager and a tangerine-vanilla wheat ale called Walker Texas Oranger. Smoked beer devotees will enjoy a remarkably well balanced grodziskie or a mixture of that Polish style and the aforementioned wheat beer dubbed “Smoking Gun” (one of numerous off-menu beer blends servers are happy to clue patrons into). On the IPA end of the spectrum, the 100% Nelson Sauvin Double Dry-hopped Tears is a must for fans of that New Zealand varietal, while Hazy Lazy Days delivers profound navel orange and pineapple flavors care of Citra and Mosaic hops.
Standout Suds: Divide By Zero, Japanese-style Lager
Fort Rock Brewing
12401 Folsom Blvd, #110
Several miles removed from the heart of the Barrel District is this northeastern outpost sited inside the Nimbus Winery Mall. Its stripped-back industrial environs include full views of the brewhouse and cellar, while low-frills fun is delivered in the form of darts and arcade games (not to mention googly eyes affixed to the mash tun). This seven-year-old brewery’s beer selection is largely made up of classic and Americanized takes on ales of English origin, lagers and a year-round fruited smoothie sour. Valencia orange, pineapple and passionfruit are hallmarks of soft-textured Hazy Hop Goblin, while super-dank West Coast IPA, Thirst Response, is all pot and pine. On the bottom-fermenting side of the things, a dark lager called The Unknown has an assertive dark-chocolate finish that lends it something of an American stout character. Looking to brings some food into the equation? You can order items from fellow mall tenant, The Old Spaghetti Factory, and have them delivered straight to Fort Rock’s tasting room.
Standout Suds: Hazy Hop Goblin, New England-style IPA
OTHER BEVERAGES
J.J. Pfister Distilling Co.
9819 Business Park Dr, Ste 3
In addition to crafting top-shelf whiskies and other spirits, this tucked-away spirits refinery is one of Rancho Cordova’s most popular watering holes. Many of the Barrel District’s brewers are regular patrons and some of their beers are on tap, providing tasty options for watering down an eclectic from-scratch menu that includes fun shared fare such as “adult Lunchables” and “dirty” kettle chips.
Strad Meadery
2539 Mercantile Dr, Ste 1
An ever-changing variety of meads are available at this intimate corner spot, along with information on each as well as the process of producing honey wine. House-made cider is also on tap (if you can get a taste of a blackberry variety that usually sells out within 48 hours of being released, count yourself lucky) and, like the mead, brilliantly showcases locally harvested fruit.
Shorebirds Brewing
11327 Trade Center Dr, #355
In the two years since it hit the scene, Rancho Cordova’s lone hard-kombucha company has earned the respect of its Barrel District colleagues behind booch that takes inspiration not just from seasonal produce, but fruity cocktails, including mojitos and margaritas. Also setting the business apart is a scrumptious novelty turned mainstay, “hard swerve” hard-kombucha soft-serve!
Drink EEZY Craft Winery & Kitchen
11225 Trade Center Dr, #250
Step into this strip-mall spot’s contemporarily cozy environs to enjoy wines spanning multiple varietals and growing regions served on-tap and in single-serving vials to-go. Those whites, reds and rosés are forged at the company’s production winery several blocks south, while fruit-infused wine slushies are crafted onsite along with a menu of flatbreads, charcuterie and more.