Ventura Has Great Craft Beer. ‘Nuff Said.

Keeping it short — because we know you’re already thirsty — Ventura has become a craft beer epicenter. Ventura plays a craft beer symphony, perfectly blended and played on your tongue, courtesy of local brewers who relish the words experiment, fun, and “what box?”. Perhaps for those right reasons alone Ventura’s brewers have created beers that have earned global recognition, though our brewers keep their global awards in their pockets.

That’s Ventura. We’re small town, big liquid. Home to hoppy innovation without haughty pretension. In Ventura, no one’s going to correct your beer choice or tell you everything you don’t need to know about beer.

They’re just going to tell you to enjoy.

And you face an enviable tasting situation. Because from — deep breath — MadeWest Brewery, to Poseidon Brewing Company, to Topa Topa Brewing Company, to Ventura Coast Brewing Company, to Transmission Brewing, to Rincon Brewery, to Leashless Brewing (strictly organic), to Seaward Brewing — it’s a win-win-win. And new breweries with bright new ideas are preparing to open as you read this (teaser). And no we’re not at all exclusive. We offer craft beer largesse from beyond Ventura’s borders, at happy watering holes like Fluid State Beer Garden (craft beer and pizza; the two most important food groups) and Barrelhouse 101. Yes, 101 beers on tap, from all over the world.

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Ventura approaches craft beer in the same way it approaches life; with an easygoing manner and a wildly-outside-the-box ingenuity. The beer is so good even the Germans fess up to liking it.

True, it’s now a craft beer world almost everywhere. So what makes Ventura different? Two words. Beachy ease. Where else can you sample a global prize-winning craft beer (MadeWest Brewery) on one of the longest piers in California, with a lovely view of blue-hummocked islands? Where else can you taste test craft beers by simply walking through a small-town downtown, and then, should the mood move you (and it should), continue walking right on down to the beach? Where else can you toast your friend’s wave of the day without fighting one iota of traffic to get to the toast (sorry San Diego)? Rack up your boards, slide down a few backstreets, and there you are sitting at a picnic table at Topa Topa’s sprawling outdoor area, likely with a food truck at hand, and possibly live music too. Or perhaps you’d prefer Transmission Brewing’s towering BrewDeck, with astonishing ocean and sunset views. And yep, you can sit outside as easily in January as you can in June. And January isn’t so bad for waves either.

The happiest alchemy of beaches, beverages, and laughs with friends. Life’s simple, not-so-simple pleasures.

Also true that Ventura’s brewers adorn their cans with Louvre-like art. Maybe rinse out a few empties and display them somewhere prominent.

Pleasant promise of future fun to come.

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