Beer Stops SOUTH BAY UPROAR BREWING San Jose; uproarbrewing.com A San Jose beer tour might well start with this downtown spot with beer primarily aged in wine barrels sourced from wineries in Sonoma and Napa. The food menu comes with a beer pairing guide—fish tacos go well with a golden beer, while the farmhouse burger is best consumed with a sour beer. Open daily. CAMINO BREWING CO. San Jose; caminobrewing.com Just south of downtown is this relatively new craft brewery with over 10 beers on tap inspired by co-owners Nathan Poulos and Allen Korenstein’s 1,900-mile bike pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in Spain. “Balance, brightness, freshness and drinkability is what we strive for at Camino,” the owners say. Camino often hosts food pop-ups, including Taco Tuesdays. Open Tues-Sun. CLANDESTINE BREWING San Jose; clandestinebrewing.com This passion project of a group of local home brewers is just a few blocks from Camino Brewing. There’s a rotating list of beers on tap, from Hefeweizen and various ales to a hybrid IPA-cream ale. Open Wed-Sun. SANTA CLARA VALLEY BREWING San Jose; scvbrewing.com Continue heading south to land at this friendly brewery with a philosophy informed by the agricultural history of Silicon Valley. Each beer and its ingredients are richly described according to their earthy connections and flavors. Along with a hearty selection of IPAs and pales, there is a particularly strong showing of traditional European-style brews like Hefeweizen and Belgian Tripel, along with a great variety of stouts and porters. Open Wed-Mon. HERMITAGE BREWING San Jose; hermitagebrewing.com Farther along the beer trail, Hermitage Brewing proudly identifies itself by what it is not: a mainstream brewery. American sour ales, a Scotch-style ale, a year-round selection of IPAs and an imperial stout, along with limited-edition
releases, all offer a “retreat from the ordinary.” Known as a Silicon Valley incubator, this is where several local brewers cut their teeth before starting their own ventures. Open Tues-Sat. STRIKE BREWING CO. San Jose; strikebrewingco.com The roster at this well-loved brewery— you final stop, perhaps, on the San Jose beer trail—includes a half-dozen yearround ales, some limited-edition collaborations, and the Bullpen series—a 20-gallon experimental batch of new brews served on tap nearly every week. The beer names, from Bleacher Seats lager to Colossus of Clout, are a natural fit for owner-brewer Drew Ehrlich, a former pitcher for the Stanford University baseball team. Open daily.
HERMITAGE BREWING
HAPA’S BREWING San Jose; hapasbrewing.com Housed in a large, open space—once a fruit cannery—just east of downtown, Hapa’s offers not only excellent beer (don’t miss their hazy IPAs) but also cornhole, board games, comfortable couches, food trucks, live music and an incredibly welcoming vibe. Hapa, the Hawaiian word for “mixed,” works on two levels here: the mixing of ingredients to make beer, and mixed cultural heritages. Simply put, all are welcome at Hapa’s. Open Tues-Sun. GOLDEN STATE BREWERY Santa Clara; goldenstate.beer Concocting classic beers in a classic Silicon Valley architectural gem (the old Memorex building) is fitting for this neighborhood brewery which claims to be Santa Clara’s first brewery since Prohibition. A year-round lineup ranges from blondes and reds to double IPAs and stouts, and you can also try seasonal brews like Strawberry Smash or Pumpkin Pie Milk Stout. Open daily. LOMA BREWING COMPANY Los Gatos; lomabrew.com Located in the heart of downtown Los Gatos, Loma Brewing is a low-key brewpub with something for everyone: German, American and wheat ales; a rotating sour beer; a rotating cider; cocktails and an ample food menu. In the mornings, Loma Brewing doubles as a coffee bar, serving Loma’s own roast as well as breakfast. Open daily.
DINESHOPPLAY.COM 91