Having just completed a California Coastal Cruise and being one who enjoys trying new brews WHENEVER possible, I complied a list of some of the breweries that are an easy reach of the ports visited on this cruise. Some I was fortunate to visit and others I wish I had enough time to visit. The cruise itinerary that this works with is a 7-day cruise round trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Ensenada. Currently Princess cruise lines offers this itinerary and they have three craft beers sold on board; Sea Witch IPA, Denali Red Ale, and a Blonde which are all three quite good.
Most breweries do not open until 11:00 AM which for most ports does not leave a lot of time to sample but then again, not enough time to get too blitzed. San Francisco the return to ship time is 10:30 PM, Santa Barbara and San Diego is 5:30 PM and Ensenada is 4:30 PM. If you get to the brewery at 11:00 you can sample the wares until at least 3:00 PM (Ensenada), 4:00 PM in Santa Barbara and San Diego, and 9:00 PM in San Francisco. In most ports there is enough time to kill a few flights and then to savor a few pints of the best offered.
In San Francisco the ship ports at pier 27. Directly in front of the cruise ship pier is a stop for the classic old street cars that run up and down the Embarcadero (F Line). Take the F Line south to the Embarcadero Station and transfer to the KT line. Take the KT line south to the stop at 20th and 3rd. About one block away is Triple VooDoo Taproom at 2245 3rd Street. The locals rate this place fairly high and note it as a good place to hit before Giant's games. Great food and they try not to repeat a flavor they have brewed before. Of course in San Francisco and only about six blocks from the VooDoo is the Anchor Brewing Company located at 1705 Mariposa St. for those who need something familiar.
Santa Barbara you will need to wear track shoes to get the most sampling completed. A reasonable one half mile walk east from the tender marina is Anacapa St., two blocks passed State Street. About one block north is the Brass Bear Brewing Company at 29 Anacapa St. After a flight from the Brass Bear, one block away at 137 Anacapa St is the Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company. That was an easy transition between those two breweries but now for the jogging shoes. From the Figeuroa Mountain Brewery go west on Yanonoli two blocks to State Street and then go north for three long blocks to the Santa Barbara Brewing Company at 501 State St. Phew! That flight probably tasted excellent after that walk. Now goone more blocknorth on State Street to Cota and then one half block east to 14 E Cota Street for the American Ale. Around 4:00 PM you should be heading back to the tender marina because the last tender back to the ship leaves the marina at 5:00 PM. It is only about a 2.5 mile walk but at this point a taxi my be worth it.
San Diego has two breweries relatively close to the pier. When you come out of the cruise terminal head one block south to Broadway. Go east about five blocks to Columbia and then one block north to 1157 Columbia Street for the Karl Strauss Brewing Company. Ok so it is a chain but still some good beers and walking distance from the cruise terminal. After a flight or two here, head west two blocks to the Santa Fe Station and take either the Green Line (south) or the Orange Line to the 12th and Imperial Station. Exit the station onto Imperial and head east one block to 14th Street and go north one block to L Street at 1441 L Street for the Mission Brewing Company.
Now, Ensenada has a gastropub in the central business zone called Wendlandt Cerviceria. From the cruise ship, for $2 each take the bus to the marina bus terminal at Federal Highway 1 (Boulevard Costero) and Macheros. Go one half block north on Boulevard Costero to number 248. Reviews are that this new place can compete with the micro breweries in San Diego. Don't stay too late though you need to be back on the ship by 4:00 PM.
Are you a member of a craft beer group or are interested in setting up a cruise just like this? Contact Chip.
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