For many, Santa Rosa is rightfully synonymous with wine. After all, the charming NorCal city is in the heart of viticultural hotbed, Sonoma County, which is home to well over 400 wineries. But as evidenced by local op Russian River Brewing’s Pliny the Younger—a world-famous triple IPA, the release of which draws tourists from far and wide, generating over $5 million annually for the local economy—beer is also big in this burg. With a beer as impactful as “Younger” (not to mention scores of high-quality quaffs), it’s no wonder most peoples’ knowledge of Santa Rosa’s suds scene starts and ends with Russian River, but the city and its surrounding communities are home to more than 20 breweries, each with its own unique story, personality and liquid offerings. It’s a multifaceted craft community that’s well worth discovering, and not just during Pliny season.
SANTA ROSA BREWERIES
Russian River Brewing
725 4th Street, Santa Rosa (Brewpub); 700 Mitchell Ln, Windsor (Brewery & Pub)
Sure, there’s more to Santa Rosa than Younger, but no trip there is complete without a stop at this quarter-century-old stalwart’s OG pub. Take a seat at the bar, order up some Pliny Bites, then dive into a gargantuan taster flight stocked with uber-fresh hoppy ales, barrel-aged sours and more. Standards like the open-fermented STS Pils and Blind Pig IPA are benchmarks of their respective styles but be sure to soak up as many from-the-source rarities as possible, including “TION beers” going beyond the brewery’s core portfolio of Belgian ales and barrel-aged sours (Rejection, Sanctification, Compunction, Mortification), hopped-up limited-releases and a simple yet divine porter that’s not to be missed.
And for a next-level experience, motor north to nearby Windsor to check out Russian River’s headquarters. Designed with visitors in mind, it features a full-scale restaurant, tasting room, gift shop and tours (including a self-guided route) of the state-of-the-art brewery, packaging hall and, the pièce de résistance, a coolship. The spontaneously fermented Sonambics (local takes on Belgian-style lambics) produced on that vessel combine with small-batch offerings from a five-barrel pilot system to provide even more variety and delectable reasons to check out this must-see spot.
Pro Tip: The menus at the pub and HQ differ. Looking for pizza? Head to the pub. If salads, sammies and burgers are your jam, go north, young beerophile.
Standout Suds: Beatification, Barrel-aged Spontaneously Fermented Sonambic
HenHouse Brewing
322 Bellevue Ave., Santa Rosa (Brewery & Tasting Room) | 1333 N. McDowell Blvd, Petaluma (Palace of Barrels)
Over the past decade, this operation has risen into the ranks of the country’s white-whale-breeding “it” breweries. It’s not what one might have expected when the company opened as a two-barrel nanobrewery producing a trio of anything-but-everyday core beers—a saison, Belgian strong golden ale and oyster stout—using soap-distillation equipment, but as the brand spread its wings and diversified its portfolio, beer fans both local and far-flung took notice.
Today, HenHouse produces more than 100 different beers annually, covering just about every style under the sun. IPAs and hop-forward pales are what they are best known for—and they’re as good as they are plentiful—but don’t sleep on their English or Belgian offerings, especially the latter. HenHouse’s original saison shares the calendar with seasonal red-rye (autumn) and dark (winter) editions. Meanwhile, a simple mild ale (collaboratively brewed with Seattle’s Urban Family Brewing) is transportive in its English authenticity, and the aforementioned Oyster Stout remains one of the best beers in the region. You never know what you might come across at HenHouse’s pair of well-stocked tasting rooms, but friendly “flight attendants” armed with nth-level knowledge make it fun to work your way through whatever’s on tap.
Pro Tip: Don’t limit your triple-IPA exploration to Pliny the Younger. HenHouse’s Big Chicken has become just as popular for its profoundly hoppy punch.
Standout Suds: Oyster Stout
Cooperage Brewing
981 Airway Ct, Ste G
When asked whose beers they reach for when not swigging their own stock, Santa Rosa brewers unanimously name this product of a local homebrewer who brewed his wort off-site for three years before getting his own 15-barrel system. Originally conceived as a business that would focus on barrel-aged sours, it has become a largely hop-driven operation with IPAs and pales of all ilks served in a jovial, communal tasting room bolstered by an expansive outdoor area. While quality beer is the draw, Cooperage’s owner wants it to be enjoyed instead of examined, and says his place is about fun versus education. That said, one wouldn’t blame an astute epicure for some appreciative ale contemplation.
Dry-hopped with Hallertau Blanc and emitting aromas of lemon and key lime, Dolla Dolla Pils’ Y’all is a great first sip followed nicely by Curt, a super-dry pale ale that’s single-hopped with a different varietal each batch. On the IPA front, a West Coast called Light Deprivation is hopped with Centennial and Simcoe, resulting in satsuma on the nose and palate, and Simcoe- and Galaxy-hopped hazy Sucka Repellent is light in texture but heavy in its tangerine essence. On the other end of the SRM spectrum, an American stout dubbed Dark Nebula offers even-handed roastiness with a crisp finish.
Pro Tip: Cooperage releases new beers every single week. Check out the latest on the beer board against the backdrop of live music on Saturdays.
Standout Suds: Curt, Single-hop Pale Ale with Strata Hops
Shady Oak Barrel House
420 1st St.
Few are the brewers as enamored with oak as the individual behind this aptly named interest. At its inception in 2017, all fermentation took place in barrels. Since then, the business has shifted from an exclusively wild and barrel-aged portfolio to a blending of those passion projects with fresh, often-hoppy beers, all of which are available in a roomy sampling space featuring colorful murals, a stage for live entertainment, an arcade with vintage video games and pinball machines, and a recently expanded patio. It’s become a communal hub for those in search of a laidback form of beer-enhanced nightlife.
The tasting-room menu is split between a half-dozen clean beers (all of which are fermented with Kviek yeast) sidled by two-to-six barrel-aged brews. The latter are highlighted by fruited barrel-aged goses and a “Beer Country” series of sours aged on wine grapes, like a Petit Verdot variety with big tannins and an underlying funk. On the fresh end of the spectrum, a rustic pilsner called People’s Beer of Rosa (PBR, get it?) is medium-bodied with an unexpected yet delightful fruitiness, and an oatmeal stout called Velvet Couch (named for a piece of brewery furniture) is sturdy with a touch of smokiness. Hoppy standouts include a crisp, Simcoe- and Mosaic-laced IPA with marmalade and peach notes called West Coast Hustle, and a balanced, mildly fruity hazy named Galactic Juice Box.
Pro Tip: Keep an eye out for Shady Oak’s spontaneous beers, which are made using a mobile coolship that’s driven to various viticultural areas.
Standout Suds: People’s Beer of Rosa, Rustic Pilsner
Moonlight Brewing
3350 Coffey Ln, Ste A & D
When something’s exceptional, there’s no reason to keep tweaking. Such is the ethos of the brewmaster behind this thirty-year-old beermaking institution. While watching drinkers’ tastes skew to fruitier (and fruited) creations, he’s stuck to his guns, decreeing bitterness to be critical for creating a “beautiful beer” with a balanced flavor profile. It’s an MO that’s kept a steady stream of regulars returning to Santa Rosa’s oldest brewery to find dependable ales and lagers that have stood the test of time, as well as new offerings, one-offs and cask-conditioned spins on the classics, all from an unpretentious tasting room with tables forged from vintage hot-dog bun proofing trays, framed photos that appear to be plucked from a miscellaneous grandma’s living room and other disparate décor.
As reliable as the sureties it’s named for, a black lager called Death and Taxes is one of the most revered beers in all of Santa Rosa (and beyond) for its intermingling of restrained roast, bitter chocolate character and mineralic yeast notes. Similarly profound, Reality Czech is an archetypal rendition of a Czech-style pilsner that’s as fun to dissect as it is to simply enjoy from an outdoor picnic table. Additionally, a pale cheekily named Misspent Youth delivers citrus notes painted against a dry, crisp canvas, providing a nice precursor to the resinous Bombay by Boat IPA.
Pro Tip: Be sure to ask what’s hooked up to the beer engine. Cask-conditioned takes on Moonlight’s staid standards are a only-available-at-the-source treat.
Standout Suds: Death & Taxes, Black Lager
Third Street Aleworks
610 3rd St.
In business since 1995, this stately downtown center for suds and socializing has undergone significant change in recent years. In 2019, the two-story brewpub was acquired by enthusiastic new owners who revamped the ground floor, opening up the dining area while updating the bar area to enhance its aesthetic and serviceability. But that’s not all that’s changed. The brewing team is also spreading its wings, attempting new styles with greater regularity while continuing to produce the old-school standards that have made the business a success for more than a quarter of a century.
Flagship Bodega Head is a classic C-hopped West Coast IPA (herbal tea, orange candy), but the best of the hoppy stock is a hazy imperial IPA called Yes You Can (a companion to single NEIPA Can I Kick It) that’s all OJ with only the mildest bit of alcoholic octane. Also impressive are Stallion, an Italian-style pilsner dry-hopped with Hallertau Mittelfrüh, and Blarney Sisters, a seasonal dry Irish stout that comes on strong with coffee-like roastiness which transforms to dark chocolate in the finish.
Pro Tip: Looking for a good deal? On Tuesdays, you can fetch bratwursts for $2.50, with most house pints going for that same low price.
Standout Suds: Blarney Sisters, Dry Irish-style Stout
Iron Ox Brewing
3334 Industrial Dr.
When a veteran of Lagunitas, Speakeasy Ales and Russian River brewer started this business, it went by the name Plow Brewing. In its original form, the brewery produced a limited scope of styles—West Coast IPAs, a pilsner and an imperial porter—but since rebranding as part of a purposeful evolution, Iron Ox now offers hazy IPAs, an expanded array of lagers, hard seltzers and even alcohol-laced slushies. Adjusting to meet modern-day beer-drinkers’ expectations has resulted in new fans and increased relevance.
Iron Ox’s IPAs are split into categories: tropical, raw (unfiltered), hazy and West Coast. Vibrant, budding bouquets are the hallmark of a pair of tropicals—Under Dogs (Citra and Simcoe for an orange-sherbet nose) and Happy Place (Rakau and Sabro, kiwi and honeydew)—while a dank, grapefruit-pith backend is the calling card of a WCIPA called Monkey with a Long Tail. Even with all that hop prowess on display, Plow’s original “California pils”, with its aromas of fresh-mown grass and lightly peppery finish, remains the brewery’s top-seller. And on the other end of the spectrum, another original, Scythe imperial porter, remains a complex, chocolaty, roasty masterpiece.
Pro Tip: Real fruit is puréed in the making of Iron Ox’s spiked seltzer slushies, which mimic confections, including those of the chocolate variety.
Standout Suds: Scythe, Imperial Porter
3 Disciples Brewing
501 Mendocino Ave.
If Belgian-style ales were as popular today as they were a decade ago, this would easily be one of the most popular breweries in Santa Rosa. A trio of friends (including a homebrewer of 10 years) founded “3D Brewing” in 2016, intent on mimicking monastic brewing traditions. Since then, they’ve won some high-profile awards, opened a split-level taproom that’s become a hot spot for live music, and found additional success via a line of West Coast- and New England-style IPAs.
Meet the Simcoes (dank with layers of citrus, currant, grape skins and woodiness) and Galaxy Invaders (bright pineapple and passionfruit) are fan-faves on the hazy front, but Belgophiles will appreciate the skill behind the beers this interest was built on. A golden ale named Petit Freq (the sister to Belgian golden strong, Super Frequency) tantalizes with floral and bubble-gum notes plus a touch of white pepper, while another BGS, Solar Halo, brings banana and alcoholic girth to the equation. Its counterpart, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout called Lunar Halo, won Best of Show at Sonoma’s 2018 Battle of the Brews. That same dark beer adeptness is also on display in Third Eye Raven, a salted caramel latte-inspired porter incorporating local Bella Rosa Roasters coffee.
Pro Tip: Weekends are when 3 Disciples really comes alive, with comedy shows every Friday, and live music on Saturdays and Sundays.
Standout Suds: Petit Freq, Belgian-style Golden Ale
Fogbelt Brewing
1305 Cleveland Ave.
After homebrewing together for a decade, a pair of friends with winemaking roots decided to get into the beer business. Since bootstrapping a seven-barrel brewpub together in 2014, they’ve graduated to a 15-barrel system (which will help stock the taps at their Healdsburg beer garden, which is set to debut in June) that’s used to craft a little something for every drinkers’ taste, including beers made with cones from one of the founders’ own hopyard. Those wide-ranging ales and lagers, which are named for redwood trees from Big Sur to the California-Oregon border, pair nicely with a menu of fun pub grub, including reaper (as in Carolina reaper peppers…watch out!) wings, house bierwurst and elote nachos.
Fogbelt mainstays include the orangey, pithy Del Norte West Coast IPA, Screwdriver-like Stardusk hazy IPA and the unfiltered, lemony Atlas Blonde. Particularly impressive is a cold IPA called Canoe Creek that’s aptly described as “tropical fruit salad”, a dry, peachy double IPA called Screaming Way and a Willett barrel-aged imperial stout infused with pecans and candy cap mushrooms that tastes like a nutty, maple-laced pie, but without coming across saccharine or sticky. A number of other IPAs and modern styles (a golden stout, barrel-aged and pastry sours) can also be found along with remarkably friendly and efficient staffers.
Pro Tip: One week each month, Fogbelt’s chef cooks up a special dish built specifically to pair with one or several of the house beers.
Standout Suds: Canoe Creek, Juicy Cold IPA
Old Possum Brewing
357 Sutton Pl.
Upcycling is the name of the game at this four-years-young brewing outpost. Built by an entrepreneur who started out transporting wort to area nanobreweries after working as a winemaker for prominent operations all over the world, Old Possum leans on reclaimed materials, from its brewhouse and hodgepodge of mismatched fermentation vessels to a full-scale kitchen pumping out eclectic fare and a lengthy metal bar salvaged from a defunct kombucha biz. The second-handers here are breathing new life into all of it and gaining a cult following in the process.
Beers run the gamut but are, by and large, drinking-strength. Case in point, a pair of lagers named La Rosita after the Roseland District Old Possum calls home. A straw-hued version is made exclusively with pilsner malt from Alameda’s Admiral Maltings, lending an enchanting brew-day aroma, while a “Negra” version is chocolaty (a la dry Irish stout) versus caramely or sweet. Nothing But Citra is the latest in a line of single-hop IPAs that have previously featured Amarillo, Cashmere and Nelson-Sauvin, and comes across like a mimosa, while the extremely drinkable Sonoma Porter smells of coffee and cacao with tasty if not unexpected cola notes.
Pro Tip: Old Possum serves up smash-burgers on Mondays, Cajun cuisine from Tuesday through Thursday, and Southern smokehouse-style BBQ on Fridays and Saturdays.
Standout Suds: Sonoma Porter
OTHER AREA BREWERIES
Barrel Brothers Brewing
399 Business Park Ct, #506, Windsor
As one would expect from this business’ name, it’s home to an extensive barrel-aged sour program, but they also offer a variety of clean and non-alcoholic beers plus canned cocktails.
Bear Republic Brewing
5000 Roberts Lake Rd, Rohnert Park
Twenty-seven years since debuting in Healdsburg, these trailblazers of California’s craft-beer movement are sitting pretty in a family-friendly brewpub sited alongside Roberts Lake.
Crooked Goat Brewing
120 Morris St., #120, Sebastopol
Adjuncts are a way of life at this brewery, where you can enjoy fruit ales, a vanilla-infused stout, fruited IPAs or a scone-inspired sour ale from a sleek lounge or outdoor patio.
Cuver Belgian Brewers of Sonoma
7704 Bell Rd, Suite A, Windsor
A family of Belgian expatriates is producing the beers of their homeland along with a decidedly American double IPA from a spot a gaufres’ throw from Russian River’s mothership.
Lagunitas Brewing
1280 N. McDowell Blvd, Petaluma
Even after nearly three decades in business and a sale to Heineken, this vet op draws locals and visiting beer fans to its expansive outdoor compound withs its largely hoppy wares.
Old Caz Beer
5625 State Farm Dr., #17, Rohnert Park
Two strapped-for-cash buddies converted others’ Craigslist castoff trash into treasure to build a brewery as well as a gathering place with largely sessionable beers and a lively pulsebeat.
Palooza Brewery & Gastropub
8910 Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood
A hot-dog cart biz begat a food truck and catering operation before growing into a gastropub serving food-friendly house beers and a menu of small plates, sandwiches and pizza.
Parliament Brewing
5865 Labath Ave., Ste 9, Rohnert Park
This family-run brewery produces a modern portfolio presenting small-batch smoothie sours and a pastry stout alongside a German-style pilsner and assorted hazy IPAs.
Seismic Brewing (pictured above)
6700 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol
This sustainability-minded upstart offers thirst-quenching styles—including a new line of “Tremor” beers made using California ingredients—from a tasting room vying for LEED certification.
Stumptown Brewery
15045 River Rd., Guerneville
Famous for a huge deck giving way to a picnic-able patch of Russian River shoreline, this far-out brewpub is the place to while away a sunny day with a house beer in-hand.
Woodfour Brewing
6780 Depot St., #160, Sebastopol
An impressive assortment of farmhouse and wild ales, lagers and hop-bombs make for one of the most diversified beer menus in the area at this brewpub specializing in casual eats.
BEER-CENTRIC EVENTS
Freshtival (June 25)
SOMO Village, 1100 Valley House Dr., Rohnert Park
Devised to educate the public on the glories of drinking beer at its freshest, all of the brews at this who’s-who invitational arrive less than a week after being kegged.
Beer Revival & BBQ Cook-Off (August)
Stumptown Brewery, 15045 River Rd., Guerneville
One of the hottest tickets in town, this festival features a barbecue competition and scores of beers from area breweries in a bucolic setting right along the Russian River.
FeBREWary (February)
Multiple Locations
In February, locals and visitors can grab their official Brewery Passports (pictured above), then visit breweries to get the stamps necessary to redeem those travel documents for prizes.
Pliny the Younger Release (February)
Russian River Brewing Locations; 725 4th Street, Santa Rosa (Brewpub); 700 Mitchell Ln, Windsor (Brewery & Pub)
Come ready to stand in a line of beer fanatics, where you just may make new lifelong friends as you await your shot at one of the most sought-after beers on the planet.
Battle of the Brews (April)
Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa
Bragging rights are as much up for grabs at this event as local beer and food thanks to a pro competition where participating brewers vie for the coveted “Craft Cup”.
IPA 10K (April)
The Barlow, 6670 McKinley St., Sebastopol
On top of a 10K race (as well as a 3K), this event includes a beer festival and a “Beer Mile” where runners chug beers at the start of each of four quarter-mile laps.
BEER BARS
Bottle Barn
3331-A Industrial Drive
Brew Coffee & Beer
555 Healdsburg Ave.
Flagship Taproom|
446 B St.
Juncture Taproom & Lounge
4357 Montgomery Dr.
Rincon Valley Taproom
4927 Sonoma Hwy
Wilibees
700 3rd St.
SUGGESTED LODGING
Hotel E (pictured above)
37 Old Courthouse Sq.
Built in the city’s historic former courthouse building, this chic boutique hotel is smack dab in the heart of downtown, a short walk from a handful of breweries (including the Russian River pub), top-notch eateries and Old Courthouse Square, which is home to events, markets and more throughout the year.
AC Hotel Santa Rosa Sonoma Wine Country
300 Davis St.
Art House
620 7th St.
Astro Motel
323 Santa Rosa Ave.
Best Western Garden Inn
1500 Santa Rosa Ave.
Best Western Plus Wine Country Inn & Suites
870 Hopper Ave.
Courtyard by Marriott Santa Rosa
175 Railroad St.
Flamingo Resort
2777 4th St.
Hotel La Rose
308 Wilson St.
Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country
170 Railroad St.
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Santa Rosa Sonoma
111 Commercial Ct
The Sandman Hotel
3421 Cleveland Ave.
