When it comes to California beer, Los Angeles probably has the best beers you can ask for. But not far away from it is Long Beach, and this city has some of the best watering spots in the state.
With several spots for craft beers and a variety of alcoholic drinks, everyone in town, whether surfers, those on vacations, or even locals, can have their fill at these places. They can also experience the process of brewing these drinks. This article discusses the best breweries in Long Beach.
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1. Ballast Point Brewing Long Beach
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This is one of the best contemporary breweries in the city. Its beers are acclaimed throughout Long Beach. There are over 60 beers to enjoy why you’re here, and they come in different categories such as crisp and bright, rich and malty, fruit & spice, etc. no matter your taste in beers, you’re going to find something that’s just perfect for you here.
For those who like their beer strong, barrel-aged beer is as strong as they come. Of course, you can try the local craft or go for something light like the Wee Gus or fruity like the grapefruit sculpin. Beyond beers, the brewery serves light food such as burgers and tacos. You can enjoy your beer with those. If you want a full brewery experience, you must come during the tasting room hours. Lest I forget, it’s right beside the water. So you can enjoy your beer while you watch surfers or boats.
2. Trademark Brewing | Brewery + Tap Room
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Whether you like sitting outdoors or indoors, Trademark Brewing has incredible space in both areas, and there are varieties of beer on tap. Overall, there are 30 taps offering beer, so you’ve got a lot of leeways and can mix things for yourself.
Even if you don’t want beer, there are also slushy drinks that include beer. However, the brewery itself doesn’t offer food, although there are food trucks that hang around here. If you’re an avid beer lover, then you should stop by. It’s also dog friendly, so you can enjoy original California craft beer while your four-legged friend is with you.
3. Long Beach Beer Lab
If you’re visiting a brewery, it’s likely because you want variety. The Long Beach Beer Lab lives up to that. There are plenty of beer options, such as the IPAs, ales, pastry stouts, sours, lagers, Saison, and more. It’s a gastropub, so there’s also pizza, baked goods, and pastries. The place even serves craft coffee and alcoholic slushies. The staff here are beer nerds if there’s anything like that. They know their stuff and will answer your questions about styles and freshness.
4. Belmont Brewing Co
There’s a nice selection of ales, such as light blonde, chocolate blonde, amber, and strawberry blonde. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can get a blend of the various ales or decide to go for the rotating tap. You can trust that any beer you get here won’t disappoint. But there’s not so much food here. They’ve got fish, chips, burgers, and other light dishes to compliment the beer. Belmont Brewing is one of the oldest in the county, and the quality remains.
5. Ambitious Ales
The brewery has very delicious beers available for everyone. If you’re looking for a place in Long Beach to try a variety of craft beers, Ambitious Ales will give you the experience to remember. The coffee blonde is quite popular among customers, but there are several others to try out, ranging from the Hefeweizens to the Gose. The overall atmosphere here is great and quite chill. In addition, there are games for customers to play.
6. Dutch’s Brewhouse
Learn how to brew your beer right at Dutch’s Brewhouse. The brewery adopts the brew-on-premises concept, allowing customers to create their own handcrafted beer and drink it. They provide you with all the recipes, ingredients, and expertise, leaving you to make some magic. The place is also kid-friendly, and children can try their hands at making sodas and root beers.
7. Ten Mile Brewing
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Smooth, rich, and strong beers, that’s what you get here. The beers are quite affordable, and don’t get me started on the quality. The tap room here is a delight; you can enjoy your beer while watching the game on the large TV or even play all sorts of board games.
If you’re unsure what to try, customers have spoken very well of the Dark Side of the Moo. Ten Mile Brewing makes the perfect dark beers, and there are other varieties too. The place also has food trucks that come over, ranging from BBQ to its pizza kitchen.
8. Portuguese Bend Distilling
Beer isn’t the only drink on offer. The distillery makes some of the finest gin and rum you’ve ever had. It distinguishes itself from other breweries in the city by offering quality spirits right there on site. If you think craft beer is great, wait till you try California craft spirit at Portuguese Bend. Some popular products are breakwater vodka, Donna Rosa’s gin, and Queen’s passage rum.
9. Congregation Ale House
Good beer is everything, and Congregation Ale House always delivers. The craft beer here is excellent and comes in as many varieties as you can imagine. Every day has different activities to keep patrons occupied while they enjoy their drinks. There’s Founder’s night, where you get some beers for free and trivia nights are also a delight. Choose from the various seltzer, stout, IPA, ale, DIPA, and more.
10. Long Beach Tap House
Cocktails and beers are the specialties here, and even the pickiest beer drinker will be wowed. There are over 30 craft beers on the menu, and the place has great food too. It’s got 30 beers and eight wines on tap, and you can try out the shakes here.
There’s happy hour, and you can enjoy some amazing beers and food at lower prices. Thirsty Thursdays are a good time to be at Long Beach Tap House if you’re there for the beer.
