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Local Breweries
updated: Oct 05, 2012, 10:19 AM

We have a ton of local breweries in the tri-county area, which local beer do you think is the best?

Places People Are Talking About:

Island Brewing

Surf Brewery

Telegraph California Ale

What People Are Saying:

COMMENT 328072	2012-10-05 10:22 AM
Figueroa Mountain, hands down. Telegraph is a close second.
SBSURFERLIFE	2012-10-05 10:27 AM
I agree with Fig Mountain, all of their beers are amazing! I disagree with Telegraph though, their belgian style isn't my favorite.
COMMENT 328076	2012-10-05 10:29 AM
Surf Brewery, hands down.
COMMENT 328077	2012-10-05 10:29 AM
I agree with Figueroa mountain too.
COMMENT 328080	2012-10-05 10:35 AM
Telegraph California Ale...the rest are ok, but the California just tastes like Santa Barbara to me.
COMMENT 328084	2012-10-05 10:39 AM
Telegraph, but drink with caution. It can sneak up on you.
COMMENT 328085	2012-10-05 10:40 AM
island brewing in carp! ok, i haven't tried every brewery around. i just had to give a shout-out to my carpas homies! i'm looking forward to trying their avocado honey ale this weekend at avofest! come on down, folks! :)
COMMENT 328087	2012-10-05 10:44 AM
I have had every local beer. I've also a bit more knowledge than the average bear. Island Brewing wins hands down. They are innovative. They are constantly pushing fresh ideas with extremely high quality products. Firestone has turned into the local industrial brewer. Figueroa is good but they do not have what Island has. Not by a long shot. Telegraph? Ugh. They need to change something. Many of their beers have an off flavor that is muddy. I suspect they're not using good water, and in fact that's what I prefer to believe because the other explanation is extremely unpalatable.
COMMENT 328088	2012-10-05 10:45 AM
We got a delicious keg from Telegraph weekend. Neat little bar area that I would like to hang out in someday.
COMMENT 328091	2012-10-05 10:49 AM
If you want to drive to Buellton, Figueroa Mountain Brewery is the only choice. Otherwise, Island Brewing in Carpinteria is an awesome second chioce. Their Blackbird Porter is a beer experience like no other. I have to say that Telegraph is the Budweiser of local breweries.
COMMENT 328100	2012-10-05 11:06 AM
HOLLISTER. Inventive, delicious, and tons more variety than you will find anywhere.
COMMENT 328109	2012-10-05 11:21 AM
I agree with @100 - Hollister has the greatest variety and consistently good beers all around. The higher-volume breweries have to produce the same stuff year-round, but Hollister Brewing Co feels far more local to me.
COMMENT 328110	2012-10-05 11:21 AM
Too all those interested in local microbrews, the Moorbark Beer Festival is this Saturday, check it out. My cousin's brewery, Phestival Barrel House, will be pouring and they are amazing. They haven't begun distribution yet, only participating in Beer Festivals & competitions, of which they've done quite well. If you're in the area, check it out.
COMMENT 328113	2012-10-05 11:24 AM
ISLAND!
COMMENT 328115	2012-10-05 11:27 AM
In the immediate area, Island. In a slightly expanded region, I enjoy some of the lesser known brews from Firestone.
COMMENT 328118	2012-10-05 11:31 AM
Brewhouse! Beer made by an ex-NASA rocket scientist! It's scientifically superior.
COMMENT 328141	2012-10-05 11:51 AM
Firestone by a mile.... love the consistency of the DBA. Hollister and SB Brewing also make good ambers but they consistently run out. :-(
COMMENT 328148	2012-10-05 12:01 PM
I'd like to add a plug for the adventurous beer tasters out there. Try the "Wookey Jack" from Firestone, it's got a wild combination of flavors I've almost never experienced before. It's made partly from rye and is IPA-like but very different. Loves it! Available at least at Lazy Acres in large bottles.
COMMENT 328152	2012-10-05 12:21 PM
Hollister Brew Co is the spot. You can't beat the Hippie Kicker beer with a side of Diablo chicken wings.
COMMENT 328156	2012-10-05 12:23 PM
No question, Brewhouse and Hollister are both great and have the largest style selections.
COMMENT 328159	2012-10-05 12:37 PM
I'm a fan of Hollister, as it's what got me to try some hoppier beers (I'm still no stout fan, but I can enjoy the Pope or Hippie Kicker now). I have to try some of the others mentioned here. I'll be going to Fig in the next week or so, but now I really want to try everything mentioned! Are Surf & ABC the only breweries in Ventura? I tried looking so friends don't always have to drive up here to go out, but it seems that's the only places I can find there (ABC wasn't our taste and Surf doesn't have food, so our DD might not be too keen on that place). Island is a good middle ground - thanks for the good ideas everyone!
COMMENT 328166	2012-10-05 12:52 PM
Island Brewerey in Carp is the absolute best...2nd place: Hollister
COMMENT 328266P	2012-10-05 04:22 PM
Check it all out for yourself at The craft beer Festival at Ellings Park on Sat. Oct.20th.
COMMENT 328323P	2012-10-05 07:15 PM
Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company in Buellton is by far the best brewery in the county. Period. If you like a lot of flavor & a non-Coors or Bud after taste, try their Hoppy Poppy!
COMMENT 328346	2012-10-05 08:21 PM
I'm drinking a County Line Rye from Surf Brewery as I write this. Good stuff.
COMMENT 328505	2012-10-06 09:24 AM
Carpinterias own Island Brewing. Jubilee, baby!!
COMMENT 328609P	2012-10-06 01:41 PM
fig mtn and hollister are leading the curve in our area but still leave a lot to be desired as far as california micro brews go. i've had soapy tap line issues with hollister several times but their hip hop ale and hippie kicker are pretty tasty so i haven't written them off completely. find yourself a bomber of drake's denogginizer or or lagunitas hop stoopid at bevmo and you'll understand. you can also find sixxers of lagunitas lil sumpin ale and lil sumpin wild from time to time at the mesa fuel depot in the beer cave.
COMMENT 328664	2012-10-06 03:42 PM
Island is great. Did not like (or finish) the Telegraph Brewery keg as it was off.
SPARKEY	2012-10-08 07:08 PM
For local beer, not from visiting the breweries, Fig Mountain and Surf Brewery are the best. The Double Deck IPA from Fig Mountain and the County Line Pale from Surf are my favorite beers.