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Alosta Brewing Company The beer is great. The location is large. The staff is fun. This is a go to spot for one of my venue's crews because it is close by. They have grown since they opened and by that, I mean in flavor. Their cherry sour is to die for. Their downfall is in communication. I have tried contacting them five times on behalf of a wedding client and they have never responded.
Ballast Point (Temecula) It's important to note that I am reviewing the Temecula location specifically. Now I have never been horribly impressed by their beers because I think they are a little too big for their britches and quality suffered but I still wanted to hit up the tasting room. I stood under the "Order Here" sign at the bar in the crowded restaurant. There were three servers behind the small bar. In the 10 minutes I stood there, not one of them acknowledged me. We left. I tweeted about the experience after the fact and the company didn't acknowledge me. They have lost me for life.
Big Bear Lake Brewing Company The place was crowded but oh wow was it worth the short wait. The food and view is amazing. The staff is very friendly. The beer is spot on. If you're up the mountain anyway, stop here for lunch.
Black Market Brewing This place is huge. They were building an onsite pizza kitchen last time I was there and I think it opened. They have more beers than you can possibly taste in one visit. The sours are good. The staff was indifferent. The free games make it a must stop in Temecula.
Brew Crew, Inc. is a strange little co-op brewery in Riverside. It's super small but really friendly and the variety of beer is welcome. I would stop if you're in the area but don't make a special trip.
Brew Rebellion is one of my favorite breweries. I had gone to the Yucaipa location once and thought little of it and the beer. They expanded to a second location in San Bernardino and it is a regular stop for me. The beers are great, especially the breakfast cereal blends. The real winner for me is the PB & J Stout. It's phenomenal. Try it. Staff is friendly and the outdoor patio is awesome.
Catalina Island Brew House They are a coffee and beer brewery. The beers are tasty and the free bread that comes with your flight will leave you wanting to live there. Grab your flight and enjoy it on the small patio that overlooks Avalon. This is a required stop on Catalina Island.
ChuckAlek A small brewery in Ramona serves some run of the mill beers with a couple notable exceptions. It is tiny so don't think your large group function would work there.
Claremont Craft Ales This place rocks. They have some great beers on their massive menu and regularly rotate food vendors. They are at every brew festival and really seem to enjoy their products. You could spend all day here.
Congregation Ale House I have only been to the Azusa location but I assume the quality is the same. The beers are okay. They are not my favorite. I go here for the food and the atmosphere.
Desert Barn Brewery We stopped here on the way back from a Calico wedding and I am so glad we did. This is what a tasting room should be. The food is great but the beers are quite tasty as well. Friendly service and they deserve your business in the high desert.
Escape Craft Brewery This is my favorite local brewery in Redlands, CA. Alyssa and I met Melissa before they opened and could see the passion in her eyes. We later met her husband, Josh at another event and spent an hour or so drinking and chatting with him. We most often see Melissa out at special events but we love going to their tasting room. The travel themed room offers everything a brewery should including some of the best beer I have consumed. The Cherry Blossom is my current favorite but I am hard-pressed to find a beer they make that I don't like.
Hamilton Family Brewery This is a cute little brewery in Rancho Cucamonga. The beer is good but the people are great. It does tend to get very loud in there so be prepared.
Hangar 24 This was my first Craft beer I think but since that day, I have grown to dislike them. They have gotten way too big for their own good and the beer doesn't taste the same anymore. On top of that, the staff at the Redlands tasting room is terrible. They are rude beyond rude for a "local brewery". They have lost their way and I no longer partake in their product.
I and I Brewing This is probably the most skippable location in this list. The beer is meh and what brewer doesn't want you to enjoy his beer any way you can? They will not do blends here.
Inland Empire Brewing Company If you're looking for great beer in a friendly locale, this is where you want to be. The beer is tasty and the brewery offers a small tour. The staff is super friendly here.
La Verne Brewing Co This brewery offers a fine selection of tasty beers. There are few that I don't enjoy. The staff is friendly and chatty, in a good way and this is a true craft brewery.
Last Name Brewing Ah, Dale Brothers. They're located down the street from my parents so this is a must stop. They are good beer and friendly people but I fear as they continue to grow that quality will suffer.
Old Stump This is a newer brewery located in La Verne (technically Pomona, but only in name) and their tasting room is so large and trendy. The ceiling heaters will amaze you. The beer here is delicious and you could spend the afternoon playing games, enjoying food from a vendor, and getting educated by the staff on their products.
Pacific Plate Brewery This place offers an amazing selection of beer in a disturbingly small tasting room. The food vendors are adequate and the staff is friendly. The artwork around the room is for sale from local artists. Grab a beer and enjoy a conversation.
Ritual Considered the Godfather of craft brewing since the brew master educated many of the local brewers, this place is gigantic. The tours here are very educational. The beers are okay but they tend to be hoppier than I like.
Rock Bottom I went here late one night after a show in Long Beach and enjoyed good greasy bar food and a flight of tasty beers. This place is more along the lines of BJ's than a craft brewery, but it makes for a tasty stop if you're in town.
Rok House Another of my favorites is located in Upland. The family dynamic here is what sells me on the place but the beer is great drinking. Talk with the staff here. They are happy to do that. Many a growler fill has come from here.
Wick's This place is a brewery and a restaurant and an amazing place in Riverside. We found it via Groupon and have gone back several times. The food is so much more than you think it will be. I am positive they have a professional, 5-star chef back there. The Paladin Beer Clams are my favorite. The beers are great, the staff is friendly, and yes, you can brew your own here. It does get crowded and loud.
Wild Donkey One of my favorite brewers has retired from the business but in it's heyday, this place was great. It is closed now.
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