The Beer

A cloud is weightier than its fluffiness suggests. This hazy IPA presents substantial hop flavors and aromas with each soft sip. It’s loaded with generous bursts of citrus and tropical fruits layered with notes of melon, berry, and pine.

Since May 17, 1924, the Giant Dipper roller coaster, complete with its landmark red and white structure, spectacular view of the Monterey Bay, and speedy successive dips and fan curves, has kept new and old generations coming back for more. This is an easy-drinking golden ale with bright citrus and floral hop character and a bready malt finish. Full-flavored and refreshing, this is the perfect beer for celebrating a century of Giant Dipper thrills!

Wilder Ridge pours a copper color similar to Uncle Dave’s IPA. This nice malty beer incorporates Pils, Vienna, and Munich malts, with some rye for added earthy complexity. Bitterness and overall hop character are medium/low from Perle and Liberty hops in the boil and whirlpool.

Lighthouse Point is Santa Cruz’s living room, where waves, open space, and views from the cliffs draw us together. Our new West Coast IPA, with notes of pine, grapefruit, orange peel, pineapple, and fruit loops, invites a communal “Cheers!” to all the delight we find here.

After nine months in neutral David Bruce wine barrels and an additional 13 months of conditioning in stainless steel, this beer features bright acidity with notes of Meyer lemon accented by a light brininess. Mixed fermentation contributed a moderate barnyard funk. The beer finishes dry, with each crisp, refreshing sip inviting another.

The Woodland Critters® series supports the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, which works to preserve local lands and critters.

Trees are great company. Colorado spruce tips join fruity and foresty hops on an Admiral Pils malt base for this crisp, clear IPA. A pleasing, moderate bitterness is accented by hints of stone fruit, citrus zest, resinous pine, and a vital whiff of wilderness.

The stories deepen and extend past twilight, moonrise, midnight. It’s hard to tear oneself away when chocolate is involved. Cacao nibs from Ecuador, roasted malts, and Belgian yeast make for an engaging conversation. The aroma hints at dark chocolate, the flavor is rich and satisfying, and the surprisingly clean finish leaves you wanting more.

Ten Trick Pony shows off with aromas of grapefruit, pineapple, orange, and pine. Like an experienced performer, it balances just enough sweetness to encourage hints of passionfruit and guava on the palate. For its big finish, moderate bitterness lends balance and quaffable drinkability to this hop forward pale ale.

This clear, golden Double IPA packs a classic left coast hoppy punch. Thanks to generous dry-hopping, enjoy twice the piney pleasure and twice the citrusy, tropical fruit-filled fun.

Pull up a campfire, gather your favorite storytellers, and enjoy this special Double Dry Hopped edition of Uncle Dave’s IPA. There’s more fruity, herbal, citrus, floral, and pine hop goodness in every sip!

Listen for the ghostly, glamorous sounds of big bands and laughter wafting through the fog onto Seacliff Beach and raise a glass to the Cement Ship. This hazy IPA seduces with scents of citrus, pineapple, and guava, and floods the tastebuds with over-the-top waves of tropical fruits in each sip.

Our local lion is cool and assured, confidently offering bursts of pine and citrus in each bright and irresistible sip.

Orange notes mingle with sweet vanilla to create a juicy nose that is decadent and nostalgic. The sweet aroma is balanced by a bright acidity that lends drinkability and a vibrant finish.

Here’s to California’s edge, where sea meets shore. Each sip of Hugging The Coast is a journey, revealing new perspectives of citrus, stone fruits, tropical fruits, honeysuckle, and pine.

Feel Free! This celebratory beer lets soooo many hops dance together, including a new experimental hop, HBC 586. A brew bursting with sweet stone fruit, berries, citrus, tropical fruits, and some spicy, woody pine is the delicious result.

Eureka! Here’s a clean, crisp lager with both fizz and flavor, immensely drinkable and featuring California-grown malt from Admiral Maltings.

Let the refreshingly tart tropical flavor of passionfruit take you on a little holiday with each sip. The fruit’s citrus-like notes add tangy delight and a vacation vibe to this dry and juicy brew.

This modern west coast ipa was not created lackadaisically! Our brewers used their usual care and enthusiasm to craft a beautifully clear ipa bursting with grapefruit, orange, tropical fruit, and resinous pine hop aromas and flavors. Revel in the lack of haze – it’s Lackahazical!

Coconut Telegram doesn’t shout about coconut, but it clearly signals the news. Organic toasted Sri Lankan coconut adds tropical depth to this sunny IPA, while bright citrus and pineapple hop character enhances the message.

Castle Beach, crowning the Seabright neighborhood, is our “home beach,” ever-changing as decades go by. It inspired this extra hoppy, extra fun, extra refreshing brew dry-hopped with Comet, Citra, and Strata. Notes of tangerine, strawberry, peach rings, and a hint of dank play on a base of light, bready malt. See you at the beach!

Capitola’s Opal Cliffs are not made of opals, but in the right light, you might see glints of opalescence. Likewise, this beer glows with gem-like pale golden light. In a kaleidoscope of lemony citrus, mango, passion fruit, and gooseberry, Motueka and Wakalu hops from New Zealand partner with American hops Sabro and Comet to produce a dazzling play of flavors.

We offer you a love story, brewed to honor and remember our loved ones felled by ALS and to raise funds for ALS research working toward a cure.

The beer’s multiple malts give it a rich, bready malt character with hints of chocolate and light caramel. Balanced by moderate bitterness, A Love Story is immensely drinkable and invites reminiscence and celebration.

Helles means “bright,” and this brilliant beer lives up to its name. An elegant golden lager with bready malt sweetness and very mild hoppiness, Soquel Helles is subtle, crisp, clean, and so refreshing.

Sunny Cove, named after one of our favorite local beaches, is a refreshing, dry-hopped West Coast Pilsner with notes of tangerine, apricot, strawberries, and a hint of dank.  Delicate bitterness and a clean, bready malt presence from Admiral Pilsner malt make this lager both full-flavored and light on the palate.

A well-crafted hazy is like stacks of stars in a glass. Dry-hopped with Strata, Zappa, and Comet, this hazy double IPA sparkles with aromas and flavors of citrus, sweet tropical fruit, and dank, resinous pine. Expand your horizons with its cosmic juiciness.

Pogonip Pale is named in honor of the meadows, forests, and creeks of one of Santa Cruz’s greenbelts. Fresh grapefruit zest enhances the citrus character of cascade and chinook hops. Just as a hike in Pogonip refreshes the soul, Pogonip Pale refreshes the palate with zings of lemon and grapefruit on a delicate malt background.

Our whiskey barrel-aged imperial stout is dark, rich, and authoritative. Aromas of roasted malt, whiskey, and oak capture your attention, while notes of deep caramel, toasted marshmallow, and fig enthrall your tastebuds. A lingering, roasty bitterness brings all of the elements into triumphant balance.

Lola was rescued from the streets of Baja and now frolics in the woods of Santa Cruz when she’s not hanging out at the brewery. We celebrate her arrival with this West Coast IPA that’s vibrant with pine and bursting with notes of grapefruit and pineapple. Exuberant Sultana and Chinook hops romp on a biscuity base of Admiral Maltings’ Maiden Voyage, resulting in a brew that will have you frolicking too.

I drank the IPA
that was in
the icebox.
You were probably saving it
for after work.
Sorry!
It was great,
so crisp
and so cold.

Sultana, Simcoe, and Idaho 7 hops are showcased in this IPA brewed and fermented to emphasize a crisp, clean finish.

The Lark, our Maibock brewed each spring to celebrate the season, spent a year in a bourbon barrel.  Then, a bit of The Lark from this spring was blended in to add body and sweetness.  Toffee and biscuit on the nose lead into toasted oak, the pleasing glow of bourbon, and a dry lager finish.  Do you get a hint of dried flowers that suggests an early summer stroll through a sun-warmed field?  Us too.

Stefano balances soft, sweet malt, light fruitiness, and floral and herbal Noble hops character. Complex and delicate yet saturated with flavor, it’s strength is in its gentleness. We named it in honor of Grandpa Stefano Genco, who immigrated from Bari, Italy in 1906.

Our version of Flanders Red, the famous Belgian Sour Red Ale, is fruity and reminiscent of red wine. A lemony nose leads into tart cherry character on a good malt backbone, with oak notes from the barrels mingling with a suggestion of almonds.

500ml bottle

Let me be clear. I’m a West Coast IPA emphasizing hop character over bitterness. With classic Cascade hops contributing their unique citrus and floral notes, and Azacca and El Dorado offering tropical and stone fruits, bright aromas and flavors come shining through.

Curl up with your favorite mug, and let the aromas of coffee and vanilla lull you into contentment. Oats lend a smooth and creamy mouthfeel, and soft malt flavors of chocolate and nutty caramel contribute to a full, round finish.

Thanks to our friends at Verve Coffee Roasters for the coffee!

Raspberries and hibiscus bring happy pink flavors and fruity aromas to this tart and refreshing beer. It tastes like a smile.

Her Majesty’s Suitcase is a beer fit for royalty. Packed with rich aromas of coconut, vanilla, and chocolate, the sweet nose belies the beer’s strength. One sip reveals a velvety smoothness with notes of graham cracker and molasses.  Meticulous blending of choice beers from our barrel-aging program created an Imperial Porter elegant and powerful enough to please both the queen and her porter.

When hops and yeast play together under the right conditions, hop components are transformed, and previously hidden aromas are unlocked.
On a resinous background, this full-bodied IPA reveals delectable aromas and flavors of lemon, tropical fruits, and green melon with a squeeze of lime.

Your splendid tropical fruit and floral aromas lead us eagerly into the opulence of you. Your golden hue promises a wealth of treasures, and you deliver such an abundance of bright and candy-like fruitiness. You whisper of green and resinous secrets, keeping us enthralled.

Our Contemplate beers showcase unique ingredients on a canvas of Belgian blonde ale aged for a year with Brettanomyces in American oak barrels.

Contemplate Hops displays Jarrylo and Waimea hops. Jarrylo adds its own notes of banana and pear to those same fruit notes contributed by Brettanomyces. Waimea lends bright citrus and pine components that play well with the mild acidity. Together, the hop flavors mingled with Brett’s fruit esters present ripe stone fruit and a tropical touch of pineapple.

The Bay/Porter exit off Hwy. 1  brings you into Soquel Village, our brewery’s neighborhood. It needed to have this beer named after it.

Aromas of deeply roasted chocolate mingle with notes of toasted black bread. Smooth caramel on the tongue transitions to bittersweet chocolate and roasted malt flavors with a pleasingly bitter finish.

This Brett-ed wit with coriander, pink pepercorn, and chardonnay pomace was aged in a Windy Oaks pinot barrel for 18 months. The aroma is oaky, spicy, citrusy, and pear-like, with vanilla and some chardonnay notes. The light refreshing flavor starts with a kiss of tannin and gives way to a silky, oaky fullness.

We support the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, which works to preserve local lands and critters.

Hi Citra! We will never get tired of hanging out with you. Your exceptional aromas and flavors of orange, guava, melon, and green pine are so alluring. You make such a sweet first impression, and then you continue to entice and refresh us. You can come over any time.

Is there anyone better to sit around a campfire with, telling stories, IPAs in hand? We think not. Cheers, Uncle Dave! This full-bodied, complex, dry-hopped India Pale Ale delivers fruity hop aromas supported by substantial maltiness and a hint of peppery rye.

Available in 12oz and 19.2oz cans.

We all live by the Submarine Canyon, a Grand-Canyon-sized marvel beneath our Monterey Bay. The canyon walls descend into cold darkness, but weird and wonderful life abounds. In this IPA, fruity hop notes swim with whispers of Meyer lemon and sea salt. Every Submarine Canyon IPA sold supports the work of Save Our Shores.

“Follow the Creek” is always good advice, whether you’re seeking adventure upstream or finding your way home. This IPA will refresh you wherever you end up. Aromas of pine and citrus lead to lemon drops on the palate, enhanced by the sweet, grassy character of California grown and malted pilsner malt.

Three Fawns is a Belgian-style tripel aged in American bourbon barrels. A boozy warmth redolent of vanilla, black pepper, and honey, along with soft berry notes, leads into a dry peppery finish influenced by oak.

Tens of millions of flowers were visited by local bees to make the honey that gives a taste of place and a dry finish to our Kolsch-style ale. Vinous esters mingle with a wisp of honey in the nose. The delicate malt flavor is gently accented with a touch of orange zest in this refreshing, food friendly beer.

This new-school hazy IPA is brimming with aromas of tropical fruits. Hops, hops, and more hops were added to this beer throughout the production process to create a distinctively succulent IPA with notes of pineapple and guava. You wouldn’t be blamed if you thought this was some sort of “new juice” rather than a hazy IPA.

This blonde ale is a favorite for summer sipping beneath our beloved, towering redwoods. Delightfully bright and refreshing, its low bitterness and subtle malt expression will win you over.

The Winter Circle is a huge, twinkling pattern of stars that dominates the winter sky. Our Winter Circle casts a prevailing glow that decorates any darkness.

This barrel-aged version of our American Barleywine (3 months in Colorado Whiskey barrels) is a big, complex, copper-hued beauty. The whiskey barrels in which it is aged add notes of vanilla and oak to this luscious, heady sipper.

“What are you drinking?”

That first conversation between new-found friends has to start somewhere.

Our Conversation Series, a line of Belgian-inspired beers, begins with this versatile saison. Malted barley, rye, and wheat are fermented with a farmhouse yeast strain that contributes fruity, citrusy, spicy notes.

Amazing panoramas await when you take the scenic route. Scenic Stout is a robust yet smooth stout with a rich aroma of bittersweet chocolate. Oats round out its roasty, deep, dark cocoa flavor. Scenic Stout is the way to go.

We spent a week wandering around Dublin during a heatwave, and all the Dubliners were in the parks with their shirts off enjoying the feel of the sun on their skin. Day by day they walked through St. Stephens Green seeing redder and redder skin as everyone excitedly burned.  It was a sunburn celebration. This is a traditional Irish Red: malty with a wee bit ‘o hops for balance. Sláinte!

While we wait for the rains, foggy forest walks reassure us with green, misty promise. This IPA hints of forest pleasures with its dank, resinous, piney hop aroma.

Our old shepherd Faith would’ve made a great brewery dog, but she didn’t live quite long enough. (Dogs never do.) Here’s to her and to all the good dogs. Good Faith is a Strong Ale, with malt derived toffee and dried fruit notes.

Oh Black Lager, Keep on Rollin’… The sound of the black lager happily burbling in the brew house brought this song to mind. Similar in style to a German Schwarzbier, this lager is dark brown in color with a roasted malt aroma and a lingering finish.  Its flavor is malty and mellow with a slight roasty edge reminiscent of bitter chocolate.

Mickie Malone’s Irish eyes were usually smiling. She had a kind heart and a smile that beamed. I miss you Mom; this one’s for you.
Love, Michael

Irish-Style Dry Stout served on Nitro

She has a shimmery depth, like light on the fathomless sea. Our brewer’s wife, Eileen, inspired the name of this beer.  Shimmer Pils is a crisp and refreshing German-style Pilsner, a true lager with a balanced hoppiness.

Our old shepherd Faith would’ve made a great brewery dog, but she didn’t live quite long enough. (Dogs never do.) Here’s to her and to all the good dogs. Our award-winning Strong Ale balances sweet toffee and dried fruit with oaky bourbon and vanilla notes from bourbon barrels.