Breweries & Cideries of Paso Robles

Taste Craft Beer and Cider in Paso

Though travelers often know Paso for its wine, inspired cider producers, innovative distillers and influential brewers also operate here. For example, the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival sells out each spring, and the brand’s daily brewery tours draw beer lovers from around the world. BarrelHouse Brewing Co. and Tin City Cider Co. operate Tin City tasting rooms, while their talented peers pour new releases across the area. Sample the area’s best with this guide to cideries and breweries near Paso Robles.

Breweries

Beer Tasting in Downtown Paso

To sample brews by local brands and big California names, plan time for downtown beer tasting in Paso Robles. Several taprooms and craft beer bars are tucked within an easy walk, and you’ll also find restaurant and shopping options along the way. A few blocks south of Downtown City Park is the The Pour House, which focuses on local beer and cider and regularly hosts music and comedy acts. Streetside Ale House serves a wide-ranging food menu and a rotating list of tap beers adjacent to the park, while a few friends teamed up to open Hog Canyon Brewing north of downtown at Paso Market Walk. Whichever taproom you choose, you’ll find pints crafted by passionate locals ready to share their love of Paso.

Firestone Walker

Adam Firestone and David Walker established their brewery in 1996, guided by a simple mantra: Beer before glory. More than 25 years later, the Firestone Walker facility tops the list of must-visit breweries in Paso Robles CA. Brewhouse and barrel room tours meet at the visitor center, which has 14 different beers on tap, and slots fill fast – reservations are recommended. The local favorite also serves popular favorites and brewery-only releases in its taproom and restaurant. Don't miss the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Festival at the Paso fairgrounds, where about 50 of the world’s top brewers headline panels and pour more than 150 brews.

BarrelHouse Brewing Co.

Set in the Tin City complex, BarrelHouse Brewing Co. pours traditional ales and lagers along with sours, seltzers and special releases like mixed-fermentation mash-ups combining the best of beer and cider. This family-owned Paso Robles brewery also has a multi-acre beer garden where you might enjoy lawn games, food trucks, dance lessons and other exciting events, depending on the day. Bands perform live on two outdoor stages here, as well. Choose from Adirondack chairs, picnic tables or seating on the picnic-perfect lawn area.

California Coast Beer Company

California Coast Beer Co. established its 10-barrel brewhouse in a refurbished auto body shop that incorporates recycled materials. The downtown Paso Robles beer tasting venue serves ales, lagers and Belgian-style brews, and an on-site restaurant specializes in wood-smoked dishes for lunch and dinner. Swing by on Tuesdays between 4 and 8 p.m. for taco specials and beers that cost just $5 with the purchase of a pint night glass, or book a private event in special venues across the facility's campus.

Cideries

Do you like the bubbles of beer and the expressive flavors of wine? Get the best of both worlds and try a cider. Paso’s cider scene is growing and beginning to make a splash in the Paso Robles craft beverage offerings. Tin City Cider Co. is jumping in on the fun with the return of their pink canned cider, the Poly Dolly. Put cider and rosé together, and what do you get? A great time in Paso Robles. For those who can’t make up their mind between wine or cider, visit Lone Madrone where they always have Bristol’s cider on tap. Be sure to add these tasting rooms to your itinerary for your next journey through Paso Robles.

Tin City Cider Co.

Sans Liege winemaker Curt Schalchlin heads up Tin City Cider Co., where he crafts flavorful Paso Robles cider using California-grown apples from the Sierra Foothills. Schalchlin dry hops and barrel ferments his releases, and the can-conditioned versions are refreshingly crisp. Located in Tin City, near several other food and drink producers, the tasting room has a pet-friendly patio with outdoor games. The team here usually keeps about 10 options on tap. Look for seasonal pours and special surprises like Poly Dolly, a bright cider-rosé blend that’s dry-hopped with Citra and Cascade hops.

Bristols Cider

Paso’s evolving cider scene sometimes overlaps with wine, and that’s the case with the Bristols Cider brand. Lone Madrone winemaker Neil Collins crafted his first cider in 1994 because he missed the traditional drink of England’s West Country, where he was born and raised. From two old wine barrels and some local apples grew a wide selection of draft, canned and bottled favorites available at the Lone Madrone tasting room.