Beer has come a long way from the days when the only choices available were light or regular. In the past two decades, the flavors and styles on tap have grown into a booming industry that now satisfies patrons thirsty for fruity saisons, triple IPAs and barrel-aged sours. 

Craft beer, once a niche market for a community of homebrewers and beer aficionados, has spilled out across the nation in record numbers. As of 2024, there are over 9,700 breweries in the country creating unique and flavorful concoctions of hops, malt and yeast. 

Sonoma County, and Santa Rosa in particular, reigns supreme in this golden age of beer with riches in the form of world-renowned craft breweries. With an ever-growing number of first-class beer venues to choose from, it can be hard for beer-lovers to plan their Sonoma suds adventures. For first-time visitors wondering where to start, we present a sampling of our favorite local breweries below. Cheers! 

HenHouse Brewing Company, Santa Rosa/Petaluma

For beer aficionados, a handful of craft breweries make Sonoma County stand out – among them is HenHouse. HenHouse co-founders Collin McDonnell and Scott Goyne founded the brewery in 2012, and sold bottled beers exclusively at the Petaluma brewery. Four years later, they opened a Santa Rosa taproom; an industrial space featuring free popcorn and the Red Horse Pizza food truck out front.

Now in its 13th year, HenHouse continues to churn out the kind of ales, sours and stouts that attract beer snobs from near and far. Their HenHouse IPA and Chemtrails IPA are two of the best IPAs we’ve tried and the limited-release Big Chicken DIPA is one of the most sought after brews made in Sonoma County.

322 Bellevue Ave., Santa Rosa; 1333 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, henhousebrewing.com

Cooperage Brewing Company, Santa Rosa 

Cooperage founder, head brewer and Orange County transplant, Tyler Smith has turned a decade of brewing in a garage into one of the premier craft breweries in one of the premier craft brewery locations in the world.

The brewery, located in an industrial warehouse, has become a favorite destination for beer enthusiasts looking for unique and well crafted pale ales — The Wyatt Terp is a must-try for IPA lovers. Cooperage also features food trucks for the hungry, a giant projector screen for sports fans and an arcade machine with joystick classics for those looking for some old-school fun. Just last year, Cooperage opened a second location in downtown Santa Rosa.

981 Airway Court, Suite G, and 575 Ross St., Santa Rosa, 707-293-9787, cooperagebrewing.com

Fogbelt Brewing Company, Santa Rosa/Healdsburg

Founded in 2013 by Paul Hawley and Remy Martin, Fogbelt Brewing Company is another reason why Santa Rosa is repeatedly named a top of craft beer destination. Like the name of the brewery, Fogbelt’s brews pay tribute to the North Coast — each flagship beer is named after a coastal redwood tree.

From the crisp Atlas Blonde Ale to the robust Armstrong Stout, beer flights connoisseurs will not be disappointed with what’s on tap. The brewery is also host to one of the best brewery kitchens we’ve encountered: try the fish tacos with pickled radish and chipotle crema. In 2022, the brewery opened Fogbelt Station in Healdsburg.

1305 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-978-3400; 410 Hudson St., Healdsburg, 707-473-8532, fogbeltbrewing.com

Moonlight Brewing Company, Santa Rosa

Moonlight head brewer Brian Hunt is old school. Hunt was crafting brews before there was even a craft beer industry, and his Moonlight Brewing became the first microbrewery in Santa Rosa when it opened in 1992.

The Moonlight brewery process relies on a no-frills approach: sight, smell and taste determine when a beer is ready and barley, grains and herbs make up the main ingredients. A sip on a Moonlight beer will bring you back to a time when the beer world was not dominated by hoppy IPAs; and the San Francisco-style, black lager “Death and Taxes” will make the previously pure join the dark side, for sure.

3350 Coffey Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-755-4951, moonlightbrewing.com

Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa/Windsor

What is there to say that has not already been said about this Santa Rosa brewing behemoth? Russian River has won just about every beer award you can win, garnered worldwide fame and sent beer lovers into a February frenzy for the past 20 years with limited-release Pliny the Younger.

While the brewery’s hoppy Plinys (Younger and Elder) are definitely worth a try, the less intense, well-balanced and flavorful Blind Pig IPA should also be included on your beer bucket list. An added, and sometimes overlooked, bonus is the family-friendly atmosphere at the brewery (including a kids menu). But leave junior at home for the annual Pliny pilgrimage, no kid (and few adults) want to wait in line for hours.

725 Fourth St., Santa Rosa; 700 Mitchell Lane, Windsor, 707-545-2337, russianriverbrewing.com

Iron Ox Brewing Company, Santa Rosa

Founder Kevin Robinson spent 10 years plowing through the beer and wine industry before he opened his own Santa Rosa brewery in 2015, originally called Plow Brewing Co. until changing the name to Iron Ox in 2020. While Iron Ox may not enjoy the kind of ballyhoo other breweries on this list do, that’s no loss to Robinson; as the brewery website states: “We are not ones to follow the trend or make beer for the masses. We make beer for us.”

Iron Ox brews without chemicals, extracts or finings (a compound agent added to beer to improve clarity or adjust flavor/aroma), making every beer vegan-friendly. The taproom is small and the intimate atmosphere makes this an ideal spot for escaping the crowds while relaxing with a cold one. Order the Sonoma Coast Pils and Steel Share IPA.

3334 Industrial Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-843-4583, ironoxbeer.com

Shady Oak Barrel House, Santa Rosa

Calling themselves the “The Shady Bunch,” the team at Shady Oak is committed to fostering a family-like vibe at its taproom and beer garden while supporting the community. The brewery plays host to a variety of North Bay vendors, musicians and artists in its large indoor venue. Find an assortment of changing brews on tap, from hard seltzers to classic West Coast IPAs.

420 First St., Santa Rosa, 707-575-7687, shadyoakbrewing.com

Old Possum Brewing Co., Santa Rosa

Old Possum sources hops from Sonoma County farmers, so guests know they’re supporting local when they dine on barbecue from the kitchen and wash the meal down with a crushable IPA. Standout beers include the Interstellar Stout, Disturbance Pale Ale and Fresh Sonoma IPA.

357 Sutton Place, Santa Rosa, 707-303-7177, oldpossumbrewing.com

Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma

A North Bay staple for the past three decades, Lagunitas continues to impress beer aficionados by producing one-of-a-kind, boundary-pushing interpretations of traditional brews with heavy hitting flavor. Flagship classics include Little Sumpin’, Lagunitas Pils, Aunt Sally, Hop Stoopid and Brown Shugga. Lagunitas’ Petaluma location provides one of the best atmospheres to enjoy a beer with a live music venue, inviting outdoor patio, full kitchen, photo booth and gift shop.

1280 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 707-284-1020, lagunitas.com

Old Caz Beer, Rohnert Park

Just four months after opening a new brewpub in Rohnert Park’s SOMO Village, Old Caz Beer’s One Way IPA took second place at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival. If that isn’t enough reason to visit Old Caz, then its rotating lineup of stellar food trucks are sure to entice. The food trucks that frequent the brewpub include the Japanese-style Shokakko, pizza pop-up Gabacool Provisions and local brothers-owned Galvan’s Eatery. There’s nothing quite like washing down birria tacos with a crisp IPA.

1500 Valley House Drive, Suite 110, Rohnert Park, 707-665-6668, oldcaz.com

Parliament Brewing Company, Rohnert Park

This family-owned brewery, with beer master Justin Bosch at the helm, has a healthy mix of drafts on tap to match any taste. Some favorites include the crisp Mexican-style lager “Los Tecolotes,” the hazy IPA “Kaleidoscope” and the fruity sour “Berry Pie.” Find coveted local food trucks parked at Parliament every day, such as Shokkako, API Hot Chicken and War Pigs Craft Kitchen.

5865 Labath Ave., Suite 9, Rohnert Park, 707-776-6779, parliamentbrewing.com

Barrel Brothers Brewing Company, Windsor

Barrel Brothers, like the name implies, is a family affair. The brewery was founded by brothers-in-law, Wesley Deal and Daniel Weber, and their father-in-law, Tom Sather in 2015. Considering themselves akin to alchemists, the family concocts magical potions from water, grain, hops and yeast. Their beers run the spectrum from light to dark. The “Blonde Voyage” Belgian ale makes for an ideal barbecue beverage, while the “Dark Sarcasm” porter is packed with chocolate, mocha and vanilla. Their “Naughty Hops” IPA is brewed with their revolutionary, ‘Hop Spanker’ technology. The Windsor tap room may be on the small side for some, but there are plenty of fresh beers on tap to enjoy.

9238 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 128, Windsor, barrelbrothersbrewing.com

CUVER Belgian Brewers, Windsor

Kids and pets are welcome at this Windsor brewery’s spacious patio while the adults sip citrusy lagers and rich ales. Among the top picks of brews here is the signature Pepperwood, a saison ale that won a gold medal in the 2024 California State Fair’s Commercial Craft Beer competition. Food trucks pull up to the taproom from 4-7 p.m. most Fridays.

7704 Bell Road, Suite A, Windsor, 707-687-0577, cuverbrewing.com

Crooked Goat Brewing, Sebastopol/Petaluma

If you like to wet your whistle with some wheat brew, then Crooked Goat is the place for you. This Sebastopol brewery crafts unique wheat ales infused with flavors from honey, blackberries, raspberries — even bubblegum (featured in the aptly named “Bazooka Joe”). Crooked Goat also boasts a selection of hoppy, high ABV percentage IPAs, such as the West Coast-style “Ibex” and the apricot- and vanilla-infused “Foggy Notion” DIPA. Brewmaster Will Erickson and crew took Crooked Goat from a garage to the 10-barrel system taproom at The Barlow, winning The People’s Choice Award at the Santa Rosa Battle of the Brews in 2015. Crooked Goat opened a second taproom in Petaluma in 2022. This summer through Sept. 13, the Sebastopol location is hosting a free summer concert series every Saturday.

120 Morris St., Suite 120, Sebastopol, 707-827-3893; 110 Howard St., Petaluma, 707-559-5691, crookedgoatbrewing.com

Sonoma Spring Brewing Company, Sonoma

At Sonoma Springs Brewing Company, the only brewery located in the city of Sonoma, there’s an expansive lineup of California and German-style beers. In keeping with the craft beer trend, all Sonoma Springs brews have fun, catchy names: “Pacific Coast Hopway,” “Dreaming Out Loud,” and “Subliminal Gold IPA” are a few examples. With over 20 fresh beers on tap, there’s plenty to choose from at the taproom.

19449 Riverside Drive, Suite 101, Sonoma, 707-938-7422, sonomaspringsbrewing.com

Maci Martell contributed to this article.

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Super Bowl LVIII, featuring the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, will commence at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11 at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. If you’re not prepared to shell out a lot of money to see the game in person (ticket prices this year are the highest on record, averaging $12,240 for a resale ticket), but still would like to watch these two teams battle it out for ultimate football glory, we’ve got plenty of exciting local sports bars that are sure to be buzzing on game day. Click through the gallery above for details and check out the schedule here: espn.com/nfl/schedule.

Do you know more local venues that are showing the Super Bowl? Send us an email.

Owen Ruderman contributed to this article. 

The post Where to Watch Super Bowl 2024 in Sonoma and Napa Counties appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

This Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles for Super Bowl LVII. If you want to pair the game (and the halftime show) with some socializing, snacks and brews, we’ve lined up the best Sonoma County sports bars and beer venues to watch the drama unfold — swipe through the slideshow above for all the details.

Did we miss one of your favorite sports bars? Let us know in the comments.

Lonnie Hayes contributed to this article. 

The post Where to Watch Super Bowl 2023 in Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Sonoma County’s health officer issued a new stay-home order on Thursday to counter the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in the county (the rate of new infections has nearly doubled in the past two weeks, causing concern among hospital workers about the potential for a surge in cases to overwhelm their resources). The new order will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, and is set to expire Jan. 9

The county’s new stay-home order will end indoor and outdoor dining at restaurants and service at breweries and wineries, halt nonessential hotel and vacation home stays and bar services like haircuts. Under the new order, retail operations are allowed to remain open at 20% of customer capacity, or 35% capacity for stand-alone grocery stores. (Learn more about the new stay-home order here).

Following the announcement of the new stay-home order, local businesses took to social media to let customers know how they will be affected by the shutdown, and how customers can continue to patronize these businesses through, for example, online shopping, takeout and curbside pickup, as well as by buying gift cards. Click through the above gallery to see some of the social media posts.

The post Sonoma County Businesses Respond to Stay-Home Order on Social Media appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Now that shelter in place orders have been implemented in Sonoma and Napa counties, local businesses like wineries, restaurants, and breweries are pivoting their operations to focus on to-go and delivery orders. 

(Here is a list of Sonoma County restaurants currently offering curbside pickup and delivery)

For those who would like to sip on a craft beer while supporting local businesses, orders can now be placed via email, phone or online and be picked up curbside at a number of breweries — listed in the above gallery.

While we will do our best to keep this article up-to-date, changes happen daily so please call in advance to make sure the brewery is open. Also make sure to wash and sanitize your hands before and after you pick up your order, and please refrain from going out if you are sick. 

Breweries that are temporarily closed: 

• Moonlight Brewing in Santa Rosa. Learn more on Facebook.
• GravSouth Brew Co. in Cotati. Learn more on Facebook. 
• Parliament Brewing Company in Rohnert Park. Learn more on Facebook. 
• Lagunitas Brewing Company in Petaluma. Learn more on Facebook.
• Stumptown Brewery in Guerneville. Learn more on Facebook.

The post These Sonoma County Breweries Are Offering Curbside Pickup and Delivery appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Summer is kicking into gear in Sonoma County. Time to sip on a cold one on a shaded patio or at a lively bar – we’ve lined up a few favorite beer venues for summer fun. Added bonus: we asked each spot for a summer brew recommendation. Click through the above gallery for details.

The post Russian River and More: Best Sonoma Breweries and Bars for a Sudsy Summer appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Since its start on November 8, the Camp Fire in Butte County has killed 77 people and destroyed over 11,000 homes, the majority in the town of Paradise.

In nearby Chico, the team at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company closed their brewery for health and safety reasons shortly after the fire started. Within days, they learned that many employees, friends and family members had been severely affected by the fire. They decided to do what they could to support their community.

As a first measure, Sierra Nevada opened their brewpub to serve first responders and evacuees, and donated clothing to those in need. As of Monday, the brewery had provided nearly 10,000 complimentary meals and donated over $200,000 in clothing.

On November 12, they launched a Camp Fire Relief Fund through the Golden Valley Bank Community Foundation. The brewery donated $100,000 to kick off the fundraising efforts. According to the Grossman family, who founded the brewery in 1980, “once the fire is out, we will distribute all donated money to partner organizations that are dedicated to rebuilding and supporting the communities that have been affected.”

A few days later, Sierra Nevada announced that they will brew a Resilience IPA, which will be available in January of next year with limited distribution in cans and on draught. 100 percent of the proceeds from the beer will benefit the brewery’s Camp Fire Relief Fund.

Now, Sonoma County brewers are joining the fundraising efforts, just as they did in the immediate aftermath of last year’s North Bay fires.

“Sierra Nevada helped us in our time of need…We are honored to do what little we can to help people in their community,” shared Russian River Brewing Company on Facebook last week.

Russian River is brewing twenty barrels of their own Resilience IPA to be served on tap at both their Santa Rosa (725 4th St.) and Windsor (700 Mitchell Ln.) locations, with 100 percent of proceeds benefiting the Camp Fire Relief Fund. (During last year’s fires, Russian River Brewery launched the charitable endeavor Sonoma Pride. The campaign has raised $1,122,116 for fire relief efforts.)

HenHouse Brewing Co. is also joining the relief efforts. “With the memory of last year’s fires in our backyard fresh in our minds, we knew we needed to help,” shared the brewery on Instagram. HenHouse is brewing their own batch of Resilience IPA to be served at their Petaluma (1333 N McDowell Blvd) and Santa Rosa (322 Bellevue Ave) locations, with 100 percent of proceeds also going to the Camp Fire Relief Fund.

Santa Rosa’s Cooperage Brewing Company (981 Airway Ct.) is also offering a Resilience IPA starting mid-December with all proceeds benefiting Sierra Nevada’s Camp Fire Relief Fund.

Bear Republic Brewing Co. has joined the relief efforts, too. They’ll be brewing Resilience IPA, and serving it at both their Healdsburg (345 Healdsburg Avenue) and Rohnert Park (5000 Roberts Lake Road) brewpubs will be serving the brew with proceeds benefiting the Camp Fire Relief Fund.

Windsor’s St. Florian’s Brewery, named after the patron saint of firefighters, continues to donate five percent of all beer sales to fire-related causes and right now they are collecting gift cards which will be donated to Camp Fire survivors. (Cards can be dropped off or mailed to St. Florian’s Brewery 7704A Bell Road Windsor CA 95492)

We’ll continue to update this list with other beer-focused opportunities to support fire relief efforts in Butte County. Stay tuned.

Is your restaurant, brewery, winery or distillery supporting Camp Fire relief efforts? Tell us about it in an email.

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What happens when a winemaker and a brewer walk into a bar? Well, here in Sonoma County, they come up with a plan to add hops to wine, and use wine barrels to make beer.

Sonoma County-based Murphy-Goode Winery and St. Florian’s Brewery recently unveiled a unique partnership, which has been more than a year in the making. Inspired by the deep agricultural roots of grape growing and hop cultivation in their home region of Sonoma County, winemaker David Ready Jr. and brewmaster Aron Levin have crafted a limited beer and wine duo consisting of a dry-hopped Sauvignon Blanc and a barrel-aged lager.

“Hops and grapes have coexisted in Sonoma County since the 1850s. It seems winemakers have always been big fans of beer, and vice versa, so we thought it would be really unique to combine those two areas of craftsmanship,” said Ready.

Murphy-Goode’s Dry-Hopped Sauvignon Blanc – a light, crisp wine with tropical fruit notes – features Citra hops, which add a new dimension to the wine as well as additional nuances of citrus aromas and fruit flavors. In a similar vein, St. Florian’s has brewed a light, crisp lager (also infused with Citra hops) that has aged just long enough in Murphy-Goode’s Sauvignon Blanc barrels to balance the oak and lingering, fresh, juicy fruit flavors with the Citra bite. 

“Dave and I both agreed that using Sauvignon Blanc as the base of the project made sense, since there are similar flavor profiles between the wine and Citra hops, which I love to use in my beer,” said Levin. “When we hit on the idea of aging a Citra-hopped lager in wine barrels, and then again implementing Citra hops by dry-hopping a wine, we thought it would work well.”

The end result of the collaboration is a wine and beer duo that can appeal to both beer and wine fans. The Murphy-Goode Dry-Hopped Sauvignon Blanc and St. Florian’s Brewery Barrel-Aged Lager is available for a limited time at select Bay Area retailers, including Penngrove Market, Molsberry Market in Santa Rosa, and Oliver’s Market in Windsor, Santa Rosa, and Cotati. A celebration where guests can try the beer and the wine will be held at the Oliver’s Market taproom in Windsor on September 28th, 2018 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

If you are visiting Sonoma County with both beer and wine lovers, make sure to check out these 5 Sonoma Breweries Wine Lovers Should Visit.

The post Beer-Infused Wine and Wine-Infused Beer, It’s Coming to Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

by Michael Barnes

Whether you call them your buds, your posse, your bromosapiens or just “the guys”, every dude needs a little down time with the testosterone tribe. And while your man cave in the garage is cool and all, sometimes it’s nice to drink beer, talk sports and get your man-tastic voyage on without dogs, babies and your wife interrupting.

With that in mind, we present a handful of spots where wiping the foam off your beard with your sleeve is completely acceptable, television trumps real conversation and burgers, pizza and hot dogs are always on the menu.*

*We of course realize that this is a ridiculous generalization of the complexity of male bonding, and many women also enjoy drinking beer and watching sports, but sweeping statements are far more hilarious.

The post The Best Bro Bars in Sonoma appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

For the past two weeks, Santa Rosa streets have been lined with Pliny pilgrims eagerly awaiting a sip on Russian River’s most coveted brew. While this February frenzy has become a cherished annual event for many, standing in line for five plus hours is not for everyone. If you lack the patience necessary to taste Pliny the Younger or didn’t get a chance to try the famous beer this year, we have picked out five Sonoma County brews you may not have heard (as much) about but that are just as good and definitely worth seeking out. Click through the gallery above for all the details.

The post Missed Pliny? Here Are 5 Sonoma County Beers That Are Just as Good (Or Better) appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.