California Craft beer

[Reviled]

Hey guys

Keen to collate some advice on where the best places to go to drink and buy craft beer are in the places im going to in California...

So far im planning on going to the following places (and the following bars/breweries)

LA - The Yardhouse - Staying in Santa Monica and Anaheim
San Francisco - Rogue Taphouse
Las Vegas - ???
San Diego - Stone Brewing

I know a few of you have been to some awesome places over there, can I buy craft beer as soon as I step off the plane in LA? lol

Cheers for any help/tips/advice :o)

[Reviled]

Oh yeah, ill be going to Aruba, Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica and Mexico but just sorta assumed i would have no hope in hell of getting any decent beers there?? Quality cigars are a different story tho lol... But if anyone knows otherwise please share!!

[Mike Neilson]

Lots of Charlie in Columbia, hot birds in Costa Rica (opps will be married so only window shopping) Watch out for the beer served with salt and lime in Mexico its gross,

[Soren]

stick to the margaritas in central america would be my advice...
I'm going to the west coast in june and instead of getting a lonely planet I got CAMRAs guide to beer tourism on the west coast. "good beer guide west coast" I think its called, just arrived from amazon yesterday. has a small chapter on vegas as well, I'll keep you updated when if I read something interesting about california, and I'm sure I will! but in san diego and san fran it's probably going to be pretty easy to find great beer...

[Reviled]

lol, charlie and hot birds you say? Im starting to wish this wasnt a honeymoon :oP lolz

I wont have much time in central america as we are doing it on a cruise ship, so pretty jam packed days with activities, but I know ill be hanging out for a decent beer!! Im hoping the boat has a semi-decent selection other than budweiser or millers *spew*

Cheers for the info so far guys, keep it coming :o)

[Mike Neilson]

Bevmo it and bring your own!!

[Reviled]

Bevmo??

[Mike Neilson]

Booze store

[Alasdair]

I never found anything resembling craft beer in Central America, Lots of flavourless or nasty pale lagers, with the odd dark lager, which at least had some flavour.

But Costa Rica's a great place. I recommend Tortuguero on the Caribbean Coast if you want to get away from it all.

[Dominic Kelly]

In San Diego, Stone is a bit of a trek but worth going to. Pizzaport up the coast is kind of cool and is connected to Lost Abbey. For craft beer bars, I strongly recommend Hamilton's in central SD - great range, helpful staff and hop shoot sausages. I never made it to O'Brien's but it's supposed to be the original SD craft beer bar. The Yardhouse felt like a branch of a franchise (which it presumably is).

In San Francisco, Toronados is legendary for its range of beer and unenthusiastic service.

[Brian Thiel]

I am from San Diego and you should definitely try the SD Brewing co. and Callahan's. Keep your eye's open for Green Flash beers...mmm mmm

[JoKing]

How dare you say San Francisco and not say Russian River in the same sentance!

[Dominic Kelly]

That will be some taxi ride back to the hotel.