Love Your Local…Brewery! Featuring Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing

We love Santa Cruz and we love our favorite local hometown brewery, Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing. I couldn’t wait to give a shout out about them after Elizabeth and I were going on and on about all the great things Santa Cruz has to offer and how we want to focus this month on Local Living.(picture by Janet Allinger)

We know we are so lucky to have such a killer brewpub in our town. And why are we happy about that you ask? Well, these folks just don’t brew any random beer. This beer is made with the best ingredients including organic hops, barley, and malt, is locally and independently owned, and has a pint sized Tasting Room on the Westside of Santa Cruz that you can sip, toast and taste in 7 days a-week. Cheers!

Locals enjoy the outdoor  seating which is a favorite spot to hang after a swim, run, or ride. The taproom offers handcrafted flagship ale’s as well as specialty and seasonal brews that come inspired with slogans like Think Organic Drink Organic and Strong Women Drink Strong Beer. And any thirsty traveler or deserving local will attest to the message!

The brew crew is headed up by brewster, Emily Thomas, who is co-owner with husband, Chad Brill and brother, Nick Thomas. This crafty team and their posse came up with creations like Organic Olallieberry Cream Ale, Peoples Porter Infused Beer, Heferweizen called Wilder Wheat as well as awarding wining ales. This stuff is too good not to bring home so enjoy your favorites in take away bottles or in their refillable Growlers.

The local brewery is proud to tout a stout who’s label was created by celebrated local artist and Eco-Herbalista graphic designer, Janet Allinger. Janet created this deliciously deviant art based on her works from the Irreverent Nun series that inspired the title and label for the Devout Stout. To view more of her artwork check out her website, www.janetallinger.com.

Over the last decade, independently owned microbreweries started popping up everywhere around the country. The microbrew industry, featuring organic beer, has grown significantly. According to Nutrition Business Journal research, “U.S. consumer sales of organic beer grew 21% to $41 million in 2008.” So if you are so inclined to toss back a cold one, we encourage you to scout out your most local brewpub you can find. Or do what these folks did go as local as you can and start making it in your bathtub!

Who do you celebrate in your local community? What’s your favorite local indie bakery, natural pet store, eco-artist, yoga studio, market? Tell us about what is unique in your part of the woods. We want to hear about it!!

To get there and get tasting:

Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing

Organic Beer Tasting, open daily noon – 10pm

402 Ingalls Street-Swift Street Courtyard, Suite 27
Santa Cruz, CA, 95060
Phone: 831.425.4900