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38 places we cover. Tap a marker for details.
Craft beer in California
Where modern American craft beer was invented.
California holds more craft breweries than any other state — over 1,100 at last count. The state effectively invented modern American craft beer when Sierra Nevada (1980) and Anchor (revived 1965) established that small-scale, hop-forward brewing could thrive. Today California spans every style: West Coast IPA from San Diego, hazy NEIPAs from Los Angeles, lager-focused experimentation in the Bay Area, central-coast farmhouse and barrel-aged saisons.
Places
38
With Scanner
5
Sub-regions
3
State
CA
Cities to plan around
- San Diego
- San Francisco / Oakland
- Los Angeles
- Santa Rosa
- Paso Robles
Live releases in California
Recent releases from California breweries we track. Tap through to the brewery page or the full releases feed.
Notable picks in California
AleSmith Brewing
San DiegoOld-guard SD brewery with one of the best beer halls in the country and a barrel program that punches at top-tier BCS levels. Speedway Stout (and its variants) is a cellar staple.
Known for: Speedway Stout, .394, Sublime Mexican Lager
Bine & Vine Bottle Shop
San DiegoBest curated craft bottle shop in San Diego. Fresh inventory, deep selection of local releases, and staff who know the difference between a 2-week-old NEIPA and a 6-week-old one.
Bottle Logic Brewing
AnaheimStout specialist with the Fundamental Observation lineage. Annual stout releases are chase-tier; the IPA program holds its own.
Known for: Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy in hazies
Burning Beard Brewing
El CajonSmall but serious East County operation making excellent traditional German lagers and clean West Coast IPAs.
Cellarmaker Brewing
San FranciscoQuietly the best hop-forward brewery in San Francisco. Small-batch focus means inventory turnover is fast and freshness is consistent. The Bernal House of Pizza adds a destination food angle.
Known for: Nelson Sauvin, Citra, Mosaic, NZ hop programs. Pale 2-Row foundation under hop-forward IPAs.
City Beer Store
San FranciscoBest bottle shop in SF. Tight curation, fresh inventory, and a small bar attached so you can sample before buying. Owner Craig Wathen knows everyone in the scene.
All places we cover in California
AleSmith Brewing
San Diego · Miramar
Bine & Vine Bottle Shop
San Diego · Normal Heights
Bottle Logic Brewing
Anaheim · Orange County
Burning Beard Brewing
El Cajon · East San Diego County
Cellarmaker Brewing
San Francisco · SoMa + Bernal Heights (House of Pizza)
City Beer Store
San Francisco · Mission
Drake's Brewing
San Leandro · South of Oakland
Everywhere Beer Co.
Orange · Orange County
Faction Brewing
Alameda · Across the estuary from Oakland
Federation Brewing
Oakland · Jack London
Firestone Walker Brewing
Paso Robles · Wine Country
Fort Point Beer
San Francisco · Presidio + Mission Bay + multiple
Geisthaus Brewing
Sacramento · Rosemont / between Sacramento and Rancho Cordova
Ghost Town Brewing
Oakland · West Oakland
Green Cheek Beer Company
Orange · Orange County
Highland Park Brewery
Los Angeles · Highland Park / Chinatown
Humble Sea Brewing
Santa Cruz · Westside
Magnolia Brewing
San Francisco · Haight-Ashbury
Mikkeller San Diego
San Diego · Miramar
Modern Times Lomaland
San Diego · Point Loma
Moonraker Brewing
Auburn · Sacramento Valley foothills
Movement Brewing
Rancho Cordova · Sacramento metro / Barrel District
North Park Beer Company
San Diego · North Park
Original Pattern Brewing
Oakland · Jack London
Pizza Port Solana Beach
Solana Beach · North San Diego County coast
Pure Project
Vista · North San Diego County (HQ + multiple SD locations)
Riip Beer Company
Huntington Beach · Sunset Beach
Russian River Brewing
Santa Rosa · Wine Country
Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
Capitola · South of Santa Cruz
Shred Beer Company
Rocklin · Sacramento area
Slice Beer Company
Lincoln · North of Sacramento
SLO Brew
San Luis Obispo · Downtown SLO
Societe Brewing
San Diego · Kearny Mesa
Tenma Beer Project
Oakland · Golden Gate / Paradise Park
There Does Not Exist
San Luis Obispo · Edna Valley industrial park
Toronado
San Francisco · Lower Haight
Toronado San Diego
San Diego · North Park
Wondrous Brewing
Emeryville · East Bay
By Freshie region
Places in California span 3 Freshie sub-regions:
Date code formats from California breweries
MM/DD/YY
3 breweries
MMDDYY
2 breweries
Common styles in California
Neighboring states
FAQs about craft beer in California
How many craft breweries does California have?
Freshie tracks 38 curated craft beer destinations in California (breweries, brewpubs, and bottle shops), of which 5 have date-code scanner support. The state has many more total breweries — the list here is curated for quality and editorial value.
What styles is California known for?
The state effectively invented modern American craft beer when Sierra Nevada (1980) and Anchor (revived 1965) established that small-scale, hop-forward brewing could thrive
What does Freshie do?
Freshie helps you check whether the craft beer in your fridge is still fresh. Each brewery on the list has its own page explaining how to read its date codes, plus a freshness window based on the beer style. Hop-forward beers like NEIPA fade quickly; stouts and barleywines age well for years.