To paraphrase Drew Magary, many people are fans of IPAs. Probably even more people are not fans of IPAs. This brewery guide is for the latter group.
Without getting too deeply into the weeds of why IPAs were originally invented (it involves British naval voyages to India) and why they became so popular among craft brewers in the early 21st century (some combination of a hop-breeding renaissance, craft brewers trying to differentiate themselves from macrobrewers, and the ease of brewing them), suffice it to say, IPAs are floral, hop-heavy beers that became super trendy 10 or 15 years ago. Even down from their peak popularity, they still feature prominently on most craft brew menus.
Which can be a problem for people looking…for something else. Hopefully, I speak for at least a handful of people here when I say that I enjoy a craft beer, but rarely order an IPA. I prefer something less piney, more refreshing, and possibly maltier. There are just so many other styles out there more interesting (to me) that don’t get nearly as much love – helles, dunkel, bock, marzen, red ale, red lager, black lager, vienna lager, Belgian…the list goes on.
Bad news for sour beer guys: I’m not really a sour beer guy, either. Those are intentionally tart or acidic beers often brewed with wild yeast as opposed to commercial yeast, for the uninitiated. Anecdotally speaking, it seems like only one or two out of 10 beer guys are into sour beers, but those one or two guys are really into sour beers. For the rest of us, sour beers are fine, but not really the flavor picture we have in our heads when we think “beer.”
To make a long intro slightly shorter, we wanted to create a brewery guide to showcase the many great brewers of Fresno (and Clovis). But I could only really do that honestly from the perspective of someone who doesn’t order IPAs.
Methodology
There’s no true “fair” in a subjective ranking, but it’s a goal nonetheless. To get as close as we could, I did it this way: I went into each brewery and ordered a flight of beer (smaller tasting glasses of three or four beers). I included all of the beers that sounded good to me – occasionally having to leave off a beer or two that sounded good, or having to include one that didn’t, depending on the selection. Then I tasted, noted, and generally tried to experience the brewery as it was intended.
Vibes matter
Unspoken in this broader discussion of beer styles is a simple brewery truism: the vibes matter more than the beer. Think about your favorite haunts. Was it the quality of the drinks themselves that drew you there? Probably not.
I go to a brewery rather than a dive bar for better beer, sure, but the truth is, I’d rather drink OK beer in a great place than fantastic beer in an uncomfortable one. I imagine this is broadly true for most people.
Of course, vibes are a lot more ethereal and tough to assign a value than specific beers. Generally speaking though, here are some things I look for in a brewery.
- Inviting atmosphere
- A comfortable place to hang out
- A community of regulars
- Decent place to watch a sporting event.
- Can you bring a kid or a dog? Will they be happy there?
- Are there food options, but the food isn’t the main focus?
Basically, in my mind, a brewery is not a restaurant, a dive bar, a cocktail lounge, or a nightclub, it fills a niche that’s similar to but distinct from all of them. In short, it’s a nice place for a cold drink on a sunny day, where you would feel comfortable hanging out for an extended period of time (longer than it would take you to just eat a meal and leave, say). A great brewery is a place to marinate and mingle, a place that makes you feel relaxed and carefree.
13. Sequoia Brewing Company
1188 E. Champlain, Woodward Park
777 E. Olive, Tower District
Trying to trace chains of ownership is one of my least favorite things to do when I’m drinking beer, but, as briefly as possible: Sequoia Brewing Company, with locations on Champlain in north Fresno, Olive in the Tower District, and Main Street in Visalia, is entirely separate from Tioga-Sequoia in downtown Fresno. However, Tioga-Sequoia was founded by Kevin Cox, the late brewmaster of Sequoia Brewing, back when it was still called Butterfield Brewing.
Sequoia Brewing was sold to new owners late last year, but maintained much of its management and staff. We visited the location on Champlain in north Fresno, which certainly affected the ranking. The Champlain location vibe and the Tower location vibe are very different, with no real way to reconcile them in a ranked list.
The beers
A relatively small menu with a handful of straightforward styles.
Above-average non-IPAs: Two, plus three others that weren’t bad.
The vibe
In a word? Terrible. The interior is weird and dark even on a sunny day. It’s not jam-packed when I visit, but seems to have plenty of regulars. Mostly an older golf-type crowd, universally male. I sort of feel like I’m being judged, despite looking like I too could’ve just come from the course. It’s spacious enough, and yet I wouldn’t call it welcoming. The ceilings are low and the decor I don’t really understand. It feels like it’s going for aprés ski in a very hot strip mall – more out of place and confused than escapist. I can’t entirely blame the business itself. It might just be the location (and I say this as someone who lives fairly close by). Most of the restaurants in the Champlain/Perrin corridor have incredibly weird vibes, and I don’t entirely know why. (The Mug is still cool though).
Beers Sampled: Peak Pilsner, Thunderhead Amber, Del Oro Mexican-Style Cerveza, Blossom Trail Honey Wheat, Black Oak Porter.
Best Non-IPA Beer Sampled: Peak Pilsner, Thunderhead Amber.
Assorted tasting notes
Peak Pilsner: Crystal clear yellow, with some lacy head. A little lemon on the nose, with a hint of malt funk (smells more like a Bohemian pils than a German one). On the palate, sweet and crisp. Actually, that’s a great pils.
Thunderhead Amber: Light brown amber in color, with lacy head. Smells dark, malty, sweet. Has a little of that basement syrupy funk on the nose. On the palate, leans much more crunchy biscuity than syrupy/raisin, as some ambers can. I actually like this a lot. Very solid amber ale.
The verdict
The beers were better than I expected, with a decent non-IPA selection. Yet, at a basic level it’s just not a place I wanted to hang out. I kind of wanted to leave the minute I walked in. Your mileage may vary, but vibes are like that sometimes.
12. BarrelHouse Brewing
145 E Paseo Del Centro in River Park
BarrelHouse is a chain with four locations in Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield, and Paso Robles. The Fresno location is next to Spicy J’s across from the theater in River Park.
The beers
Unfortunately for this ranking, a very IPA-centric selection. Above average non-IPAs? Zero, plus two that are fine.
The vibe
It sort of meets the basic requirements for a brewery – wide open, TVs, a small patio, kind of a surfer vibe – but feels touristy in some way and a little soulless. That could just be the fact that it’s in River Park. The music isn’t great when I visit either, mopey mid-tempo indie rock sludge. Bonus points for one dog.
Beers Sampled: Standard Lager, Sunny Daze Citrus Blonde, Cold Brew Nitro Blonde Stout, Paso Pale, BarrelHouse Black Nitro.
Assorted tasting notes
Sunny Daze Citrus Blonde
Yellow and slightly cloudy. No visible head. Lemon and wheat (?) on the nose. Much more lemon on the palate. Too fruity for me, but it’s plenty drinkable. Leans more sweet than crisp.
Cold Brew Nitro Blonde Stout
Medium orangey amber with lacy nitrogen head. Smells like coffee, not shockingly, which is very pleasant. On the palate I get coffee and cream and not much else. It’s a little too sweet/syrupy, with not enough crispness. Regular carbonation might’ve been a better choice than nitro? It definitely tastes like coffee and cream, but in a way that’s barely beer. (Blue Moon makes a coffee blonde that I love, so I do appreciate the style).
The verdict
This feels like potentially a vessel for a decent crowd, but there doesn’t seem to be that yet, and being in River Park might make attracting locals difficult. Beer-wise, it doesn’t hold much interest for a non-IPA lover. Hard to imagine going out of my way to drink a citrus blonde or a light American lager. It feels like a place to draw out-of-towners, but lacks much in the way of identity or local appeal.
11. Reborn Brewing Company
1018 San Jose Ave #101, Clovis
Reborn Brewing is a tiny operation in a warehouse-type space that is currently very unfinished but has grand plans to one day be an “old world cafe,” which you can see visualized in a big poster near the bar, or hear about from the loquacious beertender. There are lots of boxes, a big swamp cooler, and they’re generous with snack mix.
The beers
There are many non-IPA options here, and almost all of them are very strange. Pretty much nothing tastes like what I imagine they’re going to based on the name and style. Above-average non-IPAs? Let’s say 1.5.
The vibe
Unfinished and funky, like your kookiest buddy’s bachelor pad or a friend’s living room after he’s just moved in.
Beers Sampled: Wendigo West Coast Pils, Runeborn Kolsch, Lorelei’s Kellerbier, Gingersquatch Red, Babadook Belgian Single.
Best Non-IPA Beers Sampled: Lorelei’s Kellerbier, Babadook Belgian Single.
Assorted tasting notes
Lorelei’s Kellerbier
Light yellow brown. I don’t know how to describe this flavor, but it’s odd and I like it. Sweet and vague funk? Almost a tobacco flavor? Sweet and thick bodied.
Runeborn Kolsch
Hazy pear in color. Very funky and yeasty on the nose. Tastes like raw bread dough to me. No thanks. Wow, that is a tremendously bad beer. This is either very good for my gut biome or very bad.
Wendigo West Coast Pils
Orange-ish clear with fine, lacy head. Hoppy on the nose, with some notes of orange. On the palate, a little hoppy, but nicely sweet and crisp. Feels more like a mild west coast IPA to me, but decent.
The verdict
This place is clearly in a temporarily unfinished state, and the beers range from “weird in a good way” to “weird in a bad way.”
Are you tired of normal beer and desire adventure? This is the place for you. I find the funkiness of it very charming. If you could only visit one brewery in the area I certainly wouldn’t suggest this one, but if you’re doing any kind of brewery crawl it’s a must-visit, if that makes any sense. Keep breweries weird.
10. Pine and Palm Brewing
352 W. Bedford Ave, Pinedale
The vibe
Tucked into an even more anodyne warehouse district than Crow and Wolf and Machine Head, I almost forgot Pine and Palm existed until the last minute, and their general vibe feels a bit like the neglected stepchild. There’s a nice outdoor space where a band was setting up when I visited, and a funky, smallish interior area that feels very mancave-ish. There’s a raccoon theme. It feels unfinished and sort of charming, like there isn’t really a scene here yet but there exists the potential for one.
The beer
A smallish menu with four IPAs and five non-IPAs.
Above-average non-IPAs: One, but it’s a very good one.
Beers Sampled: Midnight Bandit (black lager), Krispie Boi (pilsner), Pacific Coast (porter).
Best Non-IPA: Midnight Bandit.
Assorted tasting notes
Midnight Bandit
Darkest amber. Ring of lacy head. Sort of sweet char, brown bread on the nose. On the palate, not very charred at all, more sweet and very well balanced by the crisp. I love a black lager. More of these please.
Krispie Boi
Sort of a pale pear color but clear. Hoppy citra on the nose. This tastes much more like a pale ale to me, but it’s a good one. Hops nicely balanced by sweetness. Leans too hoppy for me but very refreshing. An IPA I would drink, basically.
The verdict
They have a friendly vibe, one great non-IPA, and the space has potential. But it feels pretty dead. The area might be tough. If one good crew of locals adopted it, I could see it changing everything.
9. Summer Fox Brewing
2700 Clovis Ave in Clovis
1426 N. Van Ness in Tower District
6585 N. Santa Fe near Herndon/Milburn
Summer Fox, which used to be called Amalgamation until 2022, has three locations — in Clovis, the Tower District, and on Santa Fe in northwest Fresno. The vibe at the Clovis and Tower locations are very different (more on that in a second), and the northwest Fresno location I didn’t know existed until I started this ranking. The Tower location is the newest, opening in the former location of Audie’s Olympic about a year ago.
The beers
A decent selection of non-IPA options, but unfortunately no real standouts.
The vibe (Clovis location)
The interior is open and comfortable, but the location is in a sort of strip mall on a dusty strip of Clovis off the main drag. Older crowd, big belt buckles, no dogs, or outdoor space. There’s a menu with lighter bites like nachos and pizza.
The Tower location, by contrast, feels like a nice mix of local watering hole and brewery. There’s a live music space and an outdoor patio – it feels very inviting and like a nice neighborhood hangout overall.
Beers Sampled: Viva La Lager Loca, Santa Fe Amber ESB, Luna Rojas Red, Astro Jett Pils, What We Do In The Shadows Dark Kolsch.
Best Non-IPA Option Sampled: What We Do In The Shadows Dark Kolsch.
Assorted tasting notes
What We Do In The Shadows Dark Kolsch
Dark, malty nose. Nicely crisp on the palate, which is a surprise. Slightly smoky but not too smoky. Overall pretty decent.
Astro Jett Pils
Pale yellow with a lacy head. Hoppy nose. On the palate, fairly hoppy and floral for a pils. Probably a good pils for someone who loves IPAs. It’s fine.
The verdict
This is a tough one to rank, considering it has a nice neighborhood bar in the Tower and a sort of end-of-the-road location in Clovis. Had I been to the Tower location most recently, it’d probably be three or four slots higher. Either way it’s lacking a standout beer.
8. Second Son Brews
37167 Ave 12, Madera Ranchos
Troy Norman started a brewery on his own property in the Madera Ranchos before opening this expanded taproom on Avenue 12. It was still a relatively low-key family affair when we visited, with his wife serving tacos out back.
The beers
Second Son leans more English and Irish than hoppy, which is a plus for non-IPA fans (though they do have a couple of those as well, plus hard seltzer). They also do barrel-aged versions of their standard beers and black-and-tan-style blends, which is a fun idea.
Above average non-IPAs: Let’s call it 2.5.
The vibe
Low key, wide open, comfortable. The staff are all very nice, and seem like either family or extended family. It’s very much a family atmosphere, where even though it’s no longer on the brewer’s property it still feels like being in someone’s house. One dog here. Taco truck out back. They do have what sounds like some impossible-to-ignore melodramatic Christian praise music playing when I’m there, which is, ah, not my favorite brewery music.
Beers Sampled: Red Planet (an Irish red), Big Nut (strong brown ale), Midnight in Dublin (dark Irish style), Good Morning Blondie (a German blonde brewed with coffee), and Strawberry Blonde.
Best Non-IPA Options Sampled: Good Morning Blondie, Midnight in Dublin.
Assorted tasting notes
Midnight in Dublin
Opaque and dark brown with lots of lacy head. Interestingly, quite yeasty on the nose which you don’t expect from beers this color. On the palate, it’s very mild and drinkable – not quite as sweet as Murphy’s or as dry as Guiness, and not charry like a porter either. I like that a lot.
Good Morning Blondie
Cloudy orange in color with a creamier head. Chocolate coffee on the nose, a nice surprise. Tastes much the same: like a coffee-flavored milkshake, but with enough crispness that it still feels like beer. Very good.
The verdict
I don’t know that there’s one single standout beer here, but there are two very good ones (above) and lots of decent ones. The vibe is endearingly wholesome, bordering on too wholesome. I’m probably not going to drive to Madera for it, but if I lived in the neighborhood I’d be there all the time. It feels like your sweet uncle and auntie’s brewery.
7. Burning Sun Brewing Company
1131 Railroad Ave, Clovis
Burning Sun opened just off of the main drags in Old Town Clovis in 2024 after being available on tap at other places nearby – House of JuJu, Blast & Brew – before that.
The beer
They have seven IPA varieties currently on the menu, but a decent selection of other stuff too. The overall quality is pretty good. A high floor.
Above-average non-IPAs: Let’s say 2.5.
The vibe
Wood paneling. Pebble floors. Rectangular tables and high backed stools. Extremely Clovis in a way that mixes the dowdy and the charming (the beertender even has croakies) with the odd and eccentric. It’s a little bit country, a little bit country club, a little bit hotel conference center. It feels a little like being in a school cafeteria for grownups.
Beers Sampled: Los Bomberos (Mexican lager), Sunrise Red Ale, Ain’t Mowin’ My Lawn (kölsch), Pray For Rain (pilsner), Antique Roadshow Brown.
Best Non-IPA Options Sampled: Antique Roadshow Brown, Los Bomberos, Ain’t Mowin’ My Lawn.
Assorted tasting notes
Ain’t Mowing My Lawn (kölsch)
Pale to the point it barely looks like beer. Light, lacy head. Smells like… light beer, not much on the nose. Very mild flavor, and sweeter than most kölsch. I’ve rarely had a kölsch that I’ve loved or hated, but this one I would order again. It doesn’t taste much like a kölsch to me (complimentary).
Antique Roadshow Brown
(Not in my original flight, but I sampled a friend’s). Dark brown in color, not quite as opaque as a stout. Nutty on the nose, but mildly so. Very sweet on the palate (normal for a brown), but with enough crisp bite to balance it. It has the dark malt you expect from a brown, but still feels refreshing. Yes, that is quite excellent, probably the best beer here.
The verdict
Burning Sun is all about the beer, and there’s nothing wrong with that. In terms of overall beer quality, it’s near the top. The taproom itself is fairly utilitarian, but it’s just right for drinking a couple good beers in a low-key space if you’re in Clovis.
6. Machinehead Brewing Co.
52 W Palo Alto, Clovis (near Herndon and 168)
The beer
Machinehead is indisputably the place to be for sour and fruity beer lovers in Fresno County. Their extensive tap list skews sour, though they also have a few IPAs, seltzers, a hard tea, and plenty of off-the-wall selections like a pickle pilsner and a “Paloma Sunrise” brewed with agave.
Above average non-IPAs: 0/0.5. Machinehead has a lot of beers that make me say “interesting” but none that I especially love. It makes me wish I enjoyed sours more. A nicer way to put it is that they make the best sour beers that I’ve had.
The vibe
Tucked into the same industrial warehouse-type area as Crow and Wolf, Machinehead has similarly done a wonderful job taking a non-descript, anodyne building in a mostly characterless area and turning it into an inviting and comfortable brewery space. They have an outdoor patio with fireplace spots and sunshades, a beautiful bar with their handsome logo on white subway tiles, and even a “Dankness Lounge” with leather couches and a framed Ferris Bueller quote on the wall (sort of a tacky man cave vibe).
Beers sampled: Static Pils (a hoppy pilsner), Sweet Emotions (witbier brewed with coriander and Meyer lemon), Rooney (red plum sour), Punk Fuzz (peach and prickly pear sour).
Best non-IPAs sampled: Punk Fuzz.
Assorted tasting notes
Sweet Emotions
Looks orange and vaguely cloudy, with a tiny amount of lacy head. Orange and yeasty on the nose, and maybe slightly briny. Salty, yeasty, and citrusy on the palate, with a sort of an orange soda flavor. It’s… fine.
Static Pils
Medium orange in color, sort of fruity:hoppy on the nose (obviously). Looks totally flat. In taste, it’s somewhere between blonde ale and a pale ale. It’s drinkable, but needs more malt. And head.
The verdict
I like the vibe here – which hits on basically everything that a brewery should, as a chill, sunny place for a relaxed hang, with lots of space that seems comfortable for all ages – enough to overlook not really enjoying the beer. They clearly know how to brew a beer, it’s just their preferred styles aren’t really my speed. I think the biggest knock on it for me is that they’re doing all of the things that Crow and Wolf is doing, just not quite as well.
5. Mad Duck
1974 E. Copper in north Fresno
765 Herndon in west Clovis
7050 N. Marks near Herndon/Marks
3085 E. Campus Pointe Dr near Fresno State
Concourse A at Fresno Yosemite International Airport
If you live in Fresno, you almost certainly know about Mad Duck. It’s everywhere now, and for good reason. Consistent food and beer and a decent place to hang. It’s a great family restaurant (especially the Campus Pointe location).
The beer
A fairly even mix of IPAs and non-IPAs, with a moderate selection that offers a solid cross-section of styles that never gets too experimental or obscure.
Above-average non-IPAs: 2.5, including two that I’d consider standouts. High ceiling, high floor.
The vibe
Solid. I’ve been to all of them, but the Campus Pointe location and the new one in northwest Fresno are the best vibe. It’s sort of a classic brewpub, sort of a family restaurant meets a sports bar that also brews beer. Usually lots of families hanging out and people watching sports at the bar, with, at least at the Campus Pointe location, a patio and a nice grassy quad area. The northwest Fresno location has outdoor seating as well.
Beers Sampled: El Pato Loco (Mexican lager), El Pato Amber (Mexican amber lager), Pub Ale (amber ale), Almond Brown (brown ale).
Assorted tasting notes
Pub Ale
Orangish amber. Some nice biscuity malt on the nose. On the palate it’s medium sweet and nicely malty, slightly “chewy” but not syrupy at all, cut by just enough bitterness to give it a crisp bite. Excellent beer.
El Pato Loco Golden
Rich straw yellow color with streams of carbonation trailing up the sides. The only thing on the nose is lime because they put a lime on it (controversial but correct take: a good Mexican lager doesn’t need a lime). On the palate, it’s crispy-forward, grainy, with just enough sweetness to balance it and no bitterness. Pretty much the beau ideal of Mexican lager.
The verdict
I went back and forth by far the most with this ranking. At one point I had it as high as number two or three. The beer is excellent. It’s a very comfortable place to have dinner with the family and watch the game. I’ve gone there with groups of friends for a bite and a few drinks while the kids can run around on the grass countless times (Campus Pointe location). It’s a go-to spot for a casual dinner, even though the food itself is mostly above-average at best. Great vibes. In the end, I had to drop it a few spots though, because at its heart it’s much more a restaurant than a brewery. Do they brew great beer? Yes, but you can’t really just go there and hang out for a nice afternoon. Because… well, it’s a restaurant. I think you could maybe bring a dog on the patio, but it’s not really that kind of place. Great restaurant/brewery.
4. House of Pendragon
760 Pollasky Ave, Clovis
849 Industrial Way, Sanger
House of Pendragon (HOP, for short) began in Sanger, and had a location on Willow and Nees in west Clovis from 2014-2022, before opening the new location in Old Town Clovis late last year.
The beer
An extensive selection that includes lots of most things, especially IPAs and seltzers.
Above-average non-IPAs: Two.
The vibe
As someone who remembers their previous Clovis location fondly, the new place is much less funky. Much more like a restaurant (BBQ-focused) than a brewery. Probably not a place to bring the kids, definitely not a place to bike with your dog. They say they want to add outdoor space but that the city hasn’t approved it yet. It’s also in old town Clovis, which… eh.
Beers Sampled: Hop-toberfest, Sir Bors (brown ale), Munich helles, Hop Vida (Mexican amber).
Assorted tasting notes
Munich Helles
Nice straw yellow and ever so slightly cloudy. On the nose… maize? I’m compelled to say “maize” for reasons I can’t explain. On the palate… oh, that is a very refreshing beer. Crisp, every so slightly lemony, and you can taste the grain but it doesn’t have that bitter/uriney quality of a German pils. This is an ideal hot day beer.
Sir Bors
Very dark, opaque, almost black with a light, lacy head. Coffee and toffee notes on the nose. More nutty and almondy on the palate. Pretty solid, not too heavy/syrupy for a brown. I’d order this. Very good.
The verdict
The staff seem cool, and it has potential, but definitely leans more restauranty. The vibe has a ways to go (the Medieval knight vibe also means it’s kind of dark inside), but the beer selection is great and there are always new beers to try.
3. Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company
745 Fulton St., Downtown
The commercial anchor of the “Brewery District” downtown, Tioga-Sequoia has been operating for almost 20 years and expanded into their current space, with beer gardens and a live music venue, 10 years ago.
The beer
It would be hard to live in Fresno without having seen General Sherman IPA or Half Dome Peach Wheat around town. Beyond that, they have a medium-sized menu that sticks mostly to a narrow swath of American craft styles.
Above average non-IPAs: one.
The vibe
Excellent. The indoor space is comfortable, wide open and airy, and there’s plenty of outdoor seating and beer gardens to hang out in. It’s maybe not quite as kid friendly as some other breweries, but is certainly a great place to bring a dog. There’s an ineffable community vibe here.
Beers Sampled: Tioga Mountain Lager, Red Wave (American lager), Bridalveil Lager, 99 Golden Ale.
Assorted tasting notes
Tioga Mountain Lager
Light golden/orange amber in color, a little darker than I was expecting which is a pleasant surprise. Smells nice, very malty/biscuity on the nose. On the palate, the same vibes – light, but maltier than most lagers, and plenty crisp. Actually that’s a damned fine beer, that. Excellent balance between crackery, crisp, and sweet.
Red Wave
Nicely crisp lager, light straw color. Refreshing, not too bitter, though a little watery-uriney. When breweries serve an “American lager” I always wonder if their heart is in it or if it’s more of an apology beer for people who only drink Coors Light and don’t really want to be at a brewery — like when a Chinese restaurant has a hamburger on the menu. Is this one good in its own right or an apology beer? I’m split 50/50. I’d drink it, probably wouldn’t order it.
The verdict
Tioga is a wonderful space with a great vibe, which I doubt many people would argue with. Beer-wise, I’ve always thought of them as a bit boring. Their flagships (Sherman, Half Dome, 99 Golden Ale) never did much for me and feel kind of outdated (who gets excited about a golden ale?). Beer-wise, I’m not sure what their identity is. That being said, Tioga Mountain Lager was very good, much better than I remembered.
2. South of Shaw Beer Company
755 Broadway St., Downtown
The beer
They keep it simple with about six taps hitting a variety of styles, including a fruity saison and a foamy English cask style.
Above average non-IPAs: None.
The vibe
In a “local brewery” category that includes a lot of places that are essentially empty warehouse spaces kitted out with everything a brewery needs, South of Shaw is an outlier in being thoroughly handsome, with exposed brick, an Art Deco bar, and plenty of retro and vintage fixtures (fitting for the Mural District). It’s very casual and Bohemian, very sunny inside (outdoor space is limited), and the pizza ovens make the whole place smell great. Oh yeah, they’re also a pizza joint, specializing in Neopolitan-style pizza. It definitely leans towards restaurant, but still manages a solid brewery vibe. You wouldn’t feel bad for just hanging and drinking.
Beers Sampled: God Save the King (English Ale served in traditional hand pump), Blondes Have More Fun (Belgian Blonde), Smoke on the Water (smoked porter), The Flying Chancla (Mexican cerveza).
Assorted tasting notes
God Save the King
Creamy nitro head and orangeish color like a Boddingtons. Mild nothing on the nose. Definitely tastes like an English… a bit too sweet, not enough carbonated bite, I wish it was colder. I appreciate what they’re going for (a retro style in a retro space), but I probably wouldn’t order this.
The Flying Chancla
Light, cloudy yellow in color. The cloudiness is a little confusing, given the style. I smell lime on the nose, probably because they serve it with lime. On the palate, too sweet and too limey for me, not enough crispness. Tastes more like a hazy than a Mexican beer to me. Hard to tell what it’s giving flavor-wise beyond lime. Great name though.
The verdict
The beer isn’t that great, in my opinion, but the vibe is fantastic. It’s an easy, enjoyable place to hang out, and feels historical in a way that none of the other places really do. I didn’t try the pizza when I visited but it looks and smells wonderful. It’s easier to improve the beer than it is to improve the vibe.
1. Crow and Wolf Brewing Co. Taproom
526 Spruce Ave, Clovis
The beer
C & W helpfully breaks up their menu into sections “I Like Hops” (the IPA lovers section), “Beer-Flavored Beer” (most of the beers I like), “Pucker Up Buttercup” (sours), “The Dark Side” (stouts, browns, barleywine, barrel-aged), and Seltzers. The sections are mostly evenly split, though these days, interestingly, the Seltzer section is the most extensive. They also have a few wines.
Above average non-IPAs: one, but it’s a really good one.
The vibe
Pretty much the beau ideal of a brewery for me. There’s patio seating, food trucks out front, space for kids to play, dog-friendly, and a spacious interior where you can watch sports and hang out. There are two separate spaces that can function as beer gardens (insofar as asphalt can be a garden). Very comfortable in pretty much all of the ways. It can be a sports bar if you want it to. Enjoyable alone or with a big group. The food does vary greatly depending on which food trucks are there that day.
Beers Sampled: Quarter-Mile Kölsch, Nova (blonde ale with vanilla), Pollasky (American lager), Gold Wolf Valley Pilsner.
Assorted tasting notes
Quarter-Mile Kolsch
Vibrant yellow in color, with a rim of nice lacy head. Straw on the nose, with some crispy malt. On the palate, very crispy and refreshing, slightly sour, vaguely crackery with a nice bite. Not really sweet or bitter. It’s a strong Kolsch, though I’ve never had a Kolsch that was very bad or very good. This one is within that range, on the above-average side. Solid and drinkable, not especially memorable. Would I drink it? Absolutely. Would I order it? Probably not.
Gold Wolf Valley Pils
Looks very similar to the kolsch, maybe ever so slightly more towards orange, but very hard to tell apart. Maybe a little more corn and floral notes on the nose to go with the straw, but not super strong. On the palate, it comes on sweet, but lands with a bite. Definitely tastes more like a Czech pils than a German (more sweet/malty than hoppy/bitter). Solid pils, not spectacular, but eminently drinkable. A little better than the Kolsch.
Pollasky Lager
The palest of the group, lighter yellow approaching pear compared to the Kolsch and Pils. On the nose… nothing? On the palate, this one is kind of sour-fizzy, almost like soda. Basically craft Bud/Miller Lite. Tastes like a frat party. Fine. This is for people who like light beers. You do you. I’d never order this over the others.
Lobo
Although they’re all very similar looking, this one has a distinctly more amber shade of yellow. On the nose, it’s clean and grainy. I don’t entirely know what that means but it feels right. This one has a beautiful balance of sweet, grain, and crispness, with just a hint of crackery malt. Reminds me of… a helles? I think? This is a very excellent beer. It’s lighter than my usual beers of choice (Marzens, Vienna lagers, red lagers, amber Mexican lagers), but I would order this pretty much every time. It’s not gimmicky at all, the only real “noteworthy” thing about it is that all the good beer flavors are perfectly balanced. Do you really like IPAs? Drink this and tell me it’s not better with a straight face.
Nova
OK, I’d probably never order a vanilla blonde if I didn’t have a fifth choice in my flight, but it was there. Very pretty though, vibrant, clear yellow that almost glows, with a lacy head and carbonation trails from bottom to top. On the nose… a vanilla bomb, not surprisingly. Is there an almost coffee-esque backbone I’m getting there? Could just be the vanilla. On the palate, not bad, though, yes, it does taste like melted ice cream a bit. Could use a little more backbone and bite. Breakfast beer?
The verdict
A lot of this list was difficult and kind of tedious to write, but the top choice was easy.
Crow and Wolf just sort of has everything you could want in a brewery. It’s a great place to just hang out, a great place to bring your kid and/or a dog, a great place to watch a sporting event. There’s comfortable outdoor and indoor space. Usually there’s a food truck or two out front for bites, but it’s very clearly a brewery and not a restaurant.
Could they have more decent non-IPAs? Yes, and every Oktoberfest they prove it, brewing three or four other great German lagers better than any of their other beers that I wish they had all year long. Disappointing! Someone should write a strongly-worded letter! This is my McRib. The rest of the year, the only one I care about there is Lobo, towering above all the others in my mind. Luckily it’s legit great, and I’m a firm believer that having one home run beer is better than having three pretty good ones.
