Putting together an epic brewery tour

California’s full of beer cities—San Diego, for example, is one of the top microbrew destinations in the country, if not the world. But inland Northern California also has its share of epic small-town microbreweries to explore.
Grab a designated driver and start your tour in Mammoth Lakes with a flight at the Mammoth Brewing Company—their seasonal are always innovative, delicious, and sometimes super-strong (Bourbon Barrel Aged Blondibock, I’m looking at you). From there, head up to South Lake Tahoe to try Stateline Brewery‘s Acclimator West Coast IPA. On your way north, stop in Truckee at the Tahoe Mountain Brewing Co‘s tasting room. They’ve often got interesting saisons and barrel-aged sours flavoured with seasonal and locally produced ingredients, like their peach Récolte Du Bois. Also worth a stop in Truckee, the FiftyFifty Brewing Co has outstanding beers on tap, like their Eclipse Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout.

For something totally different, the Brewing Lair in Blairsden brews great beers in a setting that encourages you to basically stay forever. Drink while disc golfing, running around with your dog, picnicking, or curling up with a book under the trees. After a tour of the brewery and a pint of their Incognito Saison, head west to Chico to round the tour off with something completely expected—the Sierra Nevada brewery. Here, you can take a tour of their mega-operation, take a sniff inside their hop freezer, and even sneak a few tastes straight from the tank.