Wine may be what comes to mind when many people think of Sonoma County, but the region’s beer profile continues to rise to new heights. Santa Rosa was recently named the 10th best beer city in the United States by USA Today.
The top 10 list of best beer cities was selected by an expert panel and voted on by the publication’s readers. These cities, deemed to host the most outstanding beer scenes in the nation, had “stellar collections of established and up-and-coming breweries, beer bars, brewpubs, beer festivals and even thriving home brewing communities,” the newspaper explained.
Concurring with Santa Rosa’s description of itself as a place “where wine country meets beer city,” USA Today noted the city plays host to breweries, pubs and multiple beer festivals throughout the year. The publication made special mention of the month-long FeBREWary event.
Santa Rosa made the list alongside other US cities with storied beer brewing histories. Grand Rapids, Michigan came in at No. 1 on the list of best beer cities. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, home of baseball team the the Brewers and beer giant Miller Brewing, was number two on the list. Richmond, Virginia; Asheville, North Carolina: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania were among the other cities that made the top 10 list.
The acclaim for Santa Rosa’s beer scene has been brewing for several years. In 2017, the city was named the microbrew capital of the US.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Russian River Brewing Company’s Pliny the Younger, the triple India pale ale that brings thousands of beer aficionados to the company’s Santa Rosa and Windsor brewpubs. The next release is Friday, March 22, and, as is tradition, the coveted beer will only be available for a limited time.
Along with Russian River Brewing Company, Henhouse, Fogbelt, Cooperage, Moonlight, Shady Oak, Old Possum, and 3 Disciples Brewing are among Santa Rosa’s many breweries that have helped put the city on the national beer map.
One of the popular events that is part of the city’s annual monthlong FeBREWary is the Beer City festival, which kicked off this year with a half marathon followed by a tasting of beers produced by dozens of local breweries that took place in Old Courthouse Square.
