I had a good feeling about this place as soon as I walked in. Imperial Coffee and Cigarettes ($6) == 5 stars. This one's so dark and smokey. The bartender told us to finish with this, and I'm glad we did. My buddy said this is probably his favorite beer of all time, and now I see why. It's such a different kind of beer. I've never had anything like this before, and the smokiness is done very well. It's unique, striking, and activates your taste buds in so many ways. Other drinks: The Pretty Bird ($6) is a citrus-y, fresh, and floral pale ale. Very refreshing. 4 stars. We also got something not on the menu -- I forget the name -- it was a stout that was aged in bourbon and vermouth. It seemed like a red wine + Manhattan + stout all in one, which was also excellent. 5 stars for this one too. All good things must come to an end, but Cellarmaker ends too soon: Closing time is 11 pm, because only a limited number of bars can be open past a certain time. Cellarmaker wasn't able to get the license to stay open. read more

Fantastic service and delicious brews! Try the illuminaetron and the brohemian rhapsody. Delicious. Oh and the best, manhattan vastness of space manhattan barrel. So good. So the place, limited seating and not much parking so be prepared to look for parking and a place to park yourself :) you can try a flight which is 2.50-3$ per 5 oz pours. Treat yo self! read more

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There is a variety of beers here at this brewing company, but the choices that was provided on this day was okay. Small spot with a few people inside, and found a seat pretty quick. Good for small crowds! read more

Cellarmaker Brewing Company - Breweries Near Me - Berkeley, California

These guys make excellent beer. The bartenders are nice and very knowledgeable. I loved the Party Drank double IPA and the Maple Bourbon Barrel Evil Spread 15% abv stout. read more

Overview: Cellarmaker is a microbrewery here in San Francisco that prides itself on unique flavors, cutting edge zymurgy, and tap rather than bottled beer. The Beer: This is hard to describe because Cellarmaker constantly rotates the type of beers that they sell. No matter what you choose there's always a special twist that makes each beer unique. For example one beer that I tried was named "When Doves Cryo" that was made using hops submerged in liquid nitrogen and had a strong bitter flavor that (while not super pleasant) was fun to sample. One of my favorites, "Juice Gymnastics" was beer infused with pineapple juice. It was superb. If you're a first timer, just order a tasting menu of all their beers! The Atmosphere: It's located next to Vive La Tarte, my favorite bakery in SoMa, and labeled only with a small nondescript sign. It's loud, crowded, and minimalist. If you're a single person in a small group, you'll love this place. On bottle-release days there's always a line :-P. Lots of people will bring a growler to fill up with their favorite beer on tap. Conclusions: Top-notch brewers that make some of the most unique flavored beers in the city. Expensive but well worth the visit. read more

Came on a Saturday afternoon and it was fairly empty although the place started getting crowded soon after. Our vaccination cards and IDs were checked at the front. When we were debating which drinks to get the server offered us samples. Had a great time - chill vibes, good beer. We even came back after hitting up another brewery to purchase some cans and t-shirts! read more

Cellarmaker was a favorite stop for us during our trip to San Francisco. It was a really fun atmosphere and the beers were delicious. It did get really crowded around 10:30 on a Friday night so keep that in mind when you're headed out. I would recommend any of the IPA's they had on tap for sure! read more

Great beers, but incredibly snobby. I went there to get a growler fill, I was told that there policy was to not fill the growler type I had (Growlerwerks). When I asked why I was just told, "it's policy". Pretty lame if you ask me. My advice is to head to Fieldworks instead, better brews and much more laid back! read more

By far our favorite brewery in the city. Love how the beers change frequently, but your favorites make regular appearances. I'm talking about you, Coffee & Cigarettes! They make a bunch of awesome hoppy IPAs. Yum! And no review for Cellarmaker should omit a shout out to the amazing beertenders here. They are all sooooo friendly. read more

If you're a beer lover, you'd be an insane person if you haven't heard of Cellarmaker by now. These peeps have been brewing insanely delicious beer for a while and it's slowly gained quite the following in San Francisco. The tap room/brewery is always packed so, you know they are doing something right! Pro tip: get there early as it fills up quick. I was biking home from work the other day and thought to myself...boy, a beer sounds good right about now. So naturally, I rode straight to Cellarmaker :) Cellarmaker generally has about a dozen beers on tap at any given time and they are all pretty small production batches too. This allows them to continue to experiment with new beers and have a steady rotation of unique, exciting beers. My favorite part about this place is the sample boards where you can taste as many beers as you want in 5 oz increments. I sampled four of them and they were all delicious! My favorite were the IPA and Pale Ale they had rolling (and I can't remember the names for the life of me...must have been the beer ;) Check this place out ASAP if you're a beer head! The service is great, and beers are even better. They don't serve any food :( So if you're hungry, just know this place isn't a "brew pub", just a place where you can relax with some cold suds in your hand. read more

Cellarmaker Brewing Company - The sampler! - Breweries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The best beer made in history. Sorry other brewers for the past 15,000 +_ 5k years. These folks nailed it! Fresh springy and what beer should taste like. You can bring in food. Go early place fills up. Get the Killed by Death and the Lost Wisdom (bottles to go, only while they last). Go! read more

On a recent trip to San Francisco with the boo thang, after a pretty disappointing stop at the Mikkeller Bar, where we were psychically assaulted by the negative energy coming from one seemingly overburdened and unfriendly douchebag staff member (and also where we paid $26 for two beers, one of which was pretty mediocre), a stroll to Cellarmaker was undertaken. A pre-dinner trip, which, by the way, was exceedingly unwise, but I digress. Walking from Mikkeller to Cellarmaker, we were a little surprised by how desolate the streets seemed, but we came upon the brewery and went inside and it was small, cozy, cool and very relaxed. Additionally, in sharp contrast to the DB server frowning all over Mikkeller, the beertender at Cellarmaker was friendly and helpful. The boo got a glass of the Walker, SoMa Ranger stout and I got a flight of everything else (Questionable Origins #3 pale ale, Daphne blonde, Little Lies English Bitter, Smell the Colors IPA, and the Rodney Dankerfield imperial IPA). All of the beers were really solid and tasty, even the ones that are not of my preferred style (not much of a fan of blonde ales, for example), and it's always nice to support local breweries. I enjoyed the beer so much, in fact, that after I finished my flight, I ordered a pint of Walker, SoMa Ranger. And then another. Did I mention that it's not wise to do this without eating dinner? I enjoy beer, but I'm a long way from an expert, so I can't discuss the various hop varieties used or all of the intricacies of flavor in the beers. What I can say, however, is that after feeling like a bit of a burden at Mikkeller (to someone who, by the way, wasn't even waiting on us!), it was really nice to walk over to Cellarmaker and get friendly service and enjoyable beer in an environment that was less obnoxiously busy. Stopping here was a good idea. The last two beers I drank, however, were not. read more

Cellarmaker Brewing Company - Breweries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Beer is awesome. Space and crowd not so much. Overpriced beers at around $8. Not gonna lie they have some of the best local IPAs but is it worth it? Last week I was around the area and hoped to have one even at the premium they charged. Walked it and there was not once spot to put down a beer, loaded with techies and I walked out the door and had a Racer 5 for $5 and was quite happy. So if you want to deal with a tight space and paying a little more for a good beer go here. If not there are plenty of places that have great IPAs and more affordable and in a comfortable space. read more

This place gets crowded on the weekends. Don't forget to wear your flannel and part your hair or tie it up in a top-knot. Beards are also necessary. Unlike other breweries I have been to, this one does not allow kids. Bummer, but that means come back without kids and get wasted. On the First Tuesday of every month is a special Bottle release, so expect to see a line almost around the block before 2pm on that 1st Tuesday. read more

A very nice place, though I wonder if there's ever a time when they're not crowded! Based on the reviews I've read, it's probably rare. I came here with a group, so we got to sample several of their beers. Coffee & Cigarettes porter was very nice. Just a touch of smokiness, where other smoked beers sometimes go a little overboard. I loved the Coquette, which is a variety of beer I've never heard of before (Grisette), but I will look for it in the future. It had a light, easy-on-the hops flavor that I really enjoyed. My sister had the Jagged Little Pale Ale, but PA is just not to my liking. The staff here were very friendly and able to serve everyone quickly, even though we could barely belly up to the bar to place an order. It was standing room only on this particular Sunday afternoon. You can get a peek at their brewing facilities in the back of the building, which is always cool. I hope to try the "Taco Hands" whenever it's ready. It sounds kind of awful, yet intriguing! The folks at Cellarmaker are doing some really innovating brews. I will definitely return. read more

Really cool brewery with a fantastic bar setup and great craft beers! What else could you possibly ask for? Growler fills? They have that too! This is my new favorite spot. The people here are super friendly and the place itself just has an awesome vibe. They're constantly experimenting with cool beer projects so they'll have something for the adventurous while still having some solid beers as well. What's great is that they have a cool menu on the wall with what's on tap. They also have a very detailed menu at the bar as well which even lists growler prices, super helpful. Can't wait to come back again! Cantaloupe Island: Really refreshing IPA, I honestly couldn't taste too much of the Cantaloupe, but it was an amazing IPA. Soma Vice #4: I had a glass of this here and got this in a growler to go! Really great it you're feeling adventurous. The watermelon and cucumber go great together. The watermelon also doesn't feel too overpowering here like other breweries. Nor does it have an artificial taste like some other breweries make it. Cellarmaker, thank you for this one! Flesh Tones #2: This one was probably my favorite. Unfortunately, can't take a growler of this baby home. But if they have it when you visit, give it a try! read more

You'll wanna sing "Roll out the Barrel" once you start drinking their beer! Be advised however, to sing it under your breath. Or just hum softly so people don't start moving away from you. With micro-breweries popping up faster than bitcoin millionaires, Cellarmaker Brewing Company brings cellar-aged craft style brewing to a less-trendy corner of the SoMa (can't we think up a better moniker for this district?). Open more days than many breweries, Cellarmaker sports a tavern-style sign beckoning you to come in, sit down and pore over a few pours. The brewery occupies one of the two building bays, with taproom occupying the other. Brews are listed on a blackboard which includes ABV, IBU and tasting notes for each. I'm finding the IBU rating really handy since I like ales in the 45-100 range. Cellarmaker seems to have a wide range of lower ABV (under 5%) beers, as well as some sour beers that, well, just taste sour to me. Food truck schedule is posted on the website; if you're bringing an appetite you may want to check ahead! Or bring your own pasty like the Cornish miners did when they drank here. We liked the place! We'll be back to see how their brew selection develops (word is there's an Imperial stout and a couple new IPAs on their way. read more

Yum. Beer. From one of the wizards formerly of City Beer Store comes Cellarmaker Brewing Company, a great new beer spot in SoMa featuring amazing house-brewed cellar-aged beer. The tasting room is gorgeous, full of natural light and wood tones. I could see myself spending all day here. Each of their beers were great, including the sour and a very toasty porter. My favorite, however, was the Hop Slangin' IPA. I almost always drink IPAs, and their variation ranks up there with some of my favorites. Yum. Beer. read more

Cellarmaker has quickly become my favorite brewery in San Francisco. There are a combination of factors, but most obviously it comes down to the beer. I am primarily a pale ale, and IPA focused guy and Cellarmaker always has tons of hoppy beers on the list! I was recently sipping on 5 oz tasters at the bar and counted 4 standard pales, 3 IPAs and a couple double IPAs on tap, and this is pretty standard at Cellarmaker. I also frequently step outside my typical beer tasting comfort zone, because I know that anything that comes out of the brewery's doors is going to be delicious. The taps rotate frequently, so you will always find something new and surprising on the list. The staff is also amazing. Chris is constantly rocking out behind the bar, keeping the atmosphere cheerful and probably not wearing a shirt with any sleeves. Elie and Brenna or "B" are also super friendly and efficient, even when dealing with a massive after-work crowd. Great beer, great people. I will continue coming here regularly. read more

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BLAMMO! Congratulations, you've found your way to the Yelp! page for my favorite San Francisco brewery. This place is the real deal, folks. Tucked away in the middle of the vast expanse known as SOMA, Cellarmaker has been serving up delicious brews for as long as I've been in the city (which is about two months). I've been here several times and the other big names in SF don't have anything on this place. The ambiance is good and the bartenders are friendly. Tasters and full pours are all reasonably price (I think $1.50 for a taster and maybe $6 for a full pour). I've been there a few Sundays and on one weekday night and it's been pretty crowded every time; only got a seat once. Take a page out of my playbook and take a spot next to the big barrel near the door...which is a great place to rest your beer! Now, the important stuff: the beer. Cellarmaker has a great selection of high-quality brews to please your palate. They even have some IPAs that a non-IPA-drinking man like myself appreciates: the "No Nelson Left Behind" really is a fantastic beer. Their stouts are also great: I'm a fan of both "Coffee and Cigarettes" and "Blammo!". The selection seems to rotate pretty often as well, so you can usually try something new. I haven't been disappointed yet. Have a Blammo!. Don't mind the haters, it's not too boozy, it's just right. Pros: - great selection of high quality beers - great stouts and porters - shows football on Sundays Cons: - every time I go and hope to get a taste of the infamous "Taco Hands", it's not being served that day - usually pretty crowded, difficult to find a seat - somewhat small and cramped read more

Really, really liked this place. Located in SoMa and close to the Civic Center Bart/Muni Station, it is not hard to find. We came here after work in the Middle of the week and it was already pretty packed. They brew their beer in the back but the bar is in the front. Some seats and some standing room. Not sure how packed it would be on Friday but I think it is safe to assume it will be pretty jammed. They have a variety of different beers with amazing names. I am not a cider drinker but a friend of mine is and wish they had another cider option. Besides that, I cannot wait to come back soon! Good beer, good prices (6-7 a pint), good atmosphere. read more

Delicious beer in a strange and cute hot spot - and I do mean hot!! A bunch of CMs came here early on a Sunday evening for a drink before doing some work stuff. When we arrived the place was humming - half with CMs, half regular patrons. There's decent-ish seating with a few high tables, and plenty of shelves around the outside wall for standing folk to put their beer down. The space has an odd feeling of mimicking a garage, with pallet walls, and light coming in only from high windows (I think? Like I said, this place has delicious, delicious beer.) The beer selection is large and impressive, and certainly has something for everyone. I tried a delightful beer that impressed me enough that I would come back: the Contains Nuts #1 - a pecan beer which had some good flavour, and I could have drunk a lot more of that! See you again soon, Cellarmaker! read more

By far my favorite brewery in the city. Bartenders are super friendly, and the beers are even better. My recommendations are: Coffee and Cigarettes Dank Statement Highway to the Danker Zone! read more

Location: A nondescript front on a skeezy looking street with only a sign on the sidewalk pointing to it (I know, that can describe ~90% of breweries). This one has the added benefit of being a short walk from BART. Atmosphere: Spare with wooden communal tables, so basically modern-day hipster. I often seen people here sporting gear from other local breweries. Beer: This is the highlight, as it should be with any brewery. They specialize in hoppy aromatic IPAs and pales between 5-7% and a couple of double IPAs which are like the singles on steroids, but usually have somewhat experimental darks on tap at slightly higher ABVs which I prefer even more, such as Coffee and Cigarettes. Price: $6/Pint or $4.50/Half Pint for most. The pint is the better deal. For higher ABV beers (usually above 8%) it's $6/12 oz. For Saisons $7/12 oz. While I think they could stand to knock off a buck (as it's cheaper to sell on premises than distribution), the price isn't out of line with other breweries. And, these beers are worth it. Growler Policy: They will fill other companies' growlers that they have size approval for (32 and 64 oz, or 1 and 2 L) as long as per state law the logos are covered up. They also supply their own for a mere $6. Verdict: Not only makes great beer, but makes great beer accessible. I very much appreciate that by filling others and selling their own for that low, they're not trying to nickel and dime customers on growlers. As they mention on their website, the point of growlers is to carry beer home to enjoy rather than have 10 different empty ones from 10 different breweries. read more

Great selection, reasonable pricing, nice atmosphere and crowd. If you want to drink great beer in a fun spot to hang out with a group, you can't beat this. Little downside, food selection is extremely limited (beef jerky). Only plus is you can bring in. On the big downside, I don't understand why they can't serve at least a limited selection of wine. This has been a problem both times I've been there with a group. Some people do not drink beer (myself not included in this). This means that if you meet people here you need to exclude anyone who wants wine? read more

You do not tell a person of color-with an accent-this is not how we do things in America and expect me to not think you are RACIST! Your bouncer reminded me of a mean teenager: condescending tone of voice, rolling his eyes at us like he is God's gift to earth because he is a bouncer at a "hip" place and he gets to tell us NO. The place was at capacity when we arrived but while I was waiting for pizza, I saw multiple people allowed in. At one point I caught him pointing and looking at my friend and I as if we were weird creatures in National Geographic. Too bad because we had just left a law school final and were ready to spend considerable $$$$ on drinks. Unfortunately, we were not hipster or American (white) enough for you. read more

This is the most AMAZING brewery I have been to in my life. Not exaggerating at all. The stouts and porters are high ABV and so delicious. We visited last weekend for our 4 year anniversary and it did not disappoint at all! We got a chance to meet the brewmaster as well and he must be a brilliant guy because that place was packed to the brim. As packed as it was, I never felt uncomfortable and everybody was very homey and welcoming as well. As soon as we get a babysitter, we'll be back back sooner than you think!! Also, if you visit soon, dont sleep on the Blammi. At 13.5 ABV, that coconut imperial stout will blow your MIND! read more

Cellarmaker Brewing Company - Brewery List - Breweries Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I recently moved to San Francisco from Washington, DC. Before that I lived in Missoula, MT which is an unabashed beer-haven for anybody who has had the good fortune of traveling through. This information may seem irrelevant, but something tells me it's a misguided attempt at proving I have some sort of authority when it comes to microbreweries based on the places I have spent a lengthy period of time and the golden liquids I have procured and proceeded to pour down my throat in said places. I digress. This is all a big build-up to telling you that I went to Cellar Maker based on a recommendation from a co-worker and I was not dissapointed. The beer selection is very good, not too many selections, but enough to keep you interested past a single visit. It would appear that they have a healthy amount of rotation happening on their lines as well, and the three beers I did have were of a good-quality. Tasty, complex, and the perfect amount of cold. The ambiance of the place is great, including the occasional cloud of marijuana smoke pouring in from Howell, but that type of distraction is near-impossible to avoid in this wonderful city of San Francisco. Bravo Cellar Maker. Onward! read more

I planned a small surprise party here for my b/f's 30th on Sat 12/7, about 12 of us. The place is not huge, I think it holds just under 70 pp. I worked with Connor on the phone to set up a cake delivery and he said he'd let Kelly the day manager know also. He recommended coming on the earlier side in order to secure a table. The tables are not huge - 6 pp can comfortably sit and drink, maybe 8. They have three tables, the rest is bar seating & a small wall shelf. Turned out it was busier that Sat around 5:30 than later around 7, but it worked out fine for us to take over the front part of the bar. Connor also graciously gave a tour of the brewery that night, since my b/f loves beer and has been making it at home. Thank you Connor! Thank you Kelly! Thank you Steven! All for a great experience. Pros: - Great staff, very friendly and helpful - Great beer (I think their Sour is a good start for people, like me, who don't like Sours). All good. Good variety. I'm looking forward to going back. I think I heard they won't be repeating any of their recipes - I hope that works out. - Only a few packaged snacks for sale, but allowed us to bring in several pizzas Cons: - I can't really think of anything other than it being on the small side - Oh, if you get cold ask to shut the door or turn on the heat read more

I enjoyed their flight on opening night, and liked their sour beer the most, it reminded me of Kombucha in a great way. I'm excited that SOMA has a brewery that can stand on its own. They do close rather abruptly, even if you're mid-beer -- I'd like to see them extend their license 15 to 30 minutes just so that people could linger while cleaning up. Hopefully business pushes them to stay open to midnight, it makes Howard Street feel a lot safer and much more alive, even when open by itself. And it will bring food and other businesses along as it succeeds. read more

Second time visiting this brewery and seating is always a challenge here. I love how they let customers bring outside food as well but finding a place to seat or stand has not been so easy! However, I love their collection of beer so probably comeback another time read more

Love this place! I'm pretty picky when it comes to beer, and the beer here never disappoints. I love the stout that I got, dark & full of flavor . The best part is that they're always making new stuff instead of cycling thru the same tap lists. The only downside of this place is the size of sitting area. It's hard to find a spot to sit if you go during the busy time of weekend, but finding parking isn't too bad around this area. read more

Cellarmaker Brewing Company - Breweries Near Me - Berkeley, California

Brewery in the back and bar in the front. Came here on an early Friday afternoon and it was filled already. We ordered our beers and found a party leaving and grabbed the table. It's a pretty chill spot with open seating in the front and half tables on the wall towards the brewery in the back. They have good prices ($6-7 a pint) too! read more

I've been gushing like a schoolgirl about this place, but don't have the patience to try to write clever yelp reviews anymore so here it is: This place will soon be at capacity every hour of operation. The beer is really strong, the space is how I like my beer drinking spaces, and the bartender truly went out of her way to be nice and give us fantastic service, even showing us the brewing equipment when we asked to see it. The Hop Slangin' IPA and wet-hopped Questionable Origins were my favorites, but the chick-friendly Coquette was also good enough that we bought a growler. Special award of awesomeness for their policy of filling any growler, hallelujah! Took a Magnolia and Russian River (tsk, tsk) there yesterday and they filled 'em with a smile. Thanks! read more

This place makes IPAs that are every bit the equal of Pliny The Elder or Alpine Hoppy Birthday. I'm sure their other beers are just as highly thought of, but I'm really into hoppy west coast IPAs these days. The staff plays great music in the background too. They could stand to open up more floor space, or else expand somehow in the future. The crowds in here are the main thing that prevent me from coming back more often. read more

This place is great when no one's here. When it gets crowded though, the staff don't really know how to handle everybody in a tiny space and it can get rude or annoying (or both), fast. The beer and general experience are pretty good, but not worth waiting for. Last time I went, there was a line outside and a bouncer. I waited for my friends to finish their drink and leave because the bouncer kept saying "it'll just be a few minutes" for 15 minutes. While waiting, I observed another person yelling at the bouncer for being really rude and not treating her respectfully, but I never observed the incident that lead to her yelling, so I can't comment on that. Nevertheless, if you can find a seat and you don't mind shelling out more $$ for less beer (their "pints" are not full pint glasses, but they do have even smaller glasses if you couldn't decide between a couple types), it's gonna be a good time. Rounding out to 3-stars/A-OK with the dependencies: worse when it's crowded, better when it's not. read more

Ellie and Steve were fantastic and sweet hosts. As always beer is exceptional and unlike many beer bars in the city, you can expect to be treated with respect here. Glad to be back at Cellarmaker--- I love this place! Currently enjoying a blend of the Weather Madness (winter spiced ale) with the Wagoner (porter) and I'm just missing a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Cheers, friends! read more

Coquette is a flirt, right? That naughty little gal. I saw her on the menu eyeing me intently, ever so suggestive with her saison name. I took the bait. I fell for her. And I fell in love. I know most will advocate for the IPA here, but that Coquette is a true gem. She's a real beauty. Also, if it's available, the Peach NIghtmare is a delight of a sour. Go with those two if you're tired of IPAs. I had a stout on my visit to and wasn't blown away, but the two mentioned above are real winners. As for the ambiance here, pretty lowkey and not particularly spacious, but that adds to the charm. read more

It's right next to my office/ next to offices of friends I was trying to meet for a drink.... hadnt been here before and thought, why not ask the crew to assemble here? absolutely the wrong call 1) way too limited seating with (2/3 of customers relegated to standing/leaning against brick wall). 2) pretentious bar tenders with egos acting like they're saving starving african children, instead of pouring microbrews. the bottom line...overpriced, overcrowded, and under served. this place essentially embodies everything crappy that the city has become. the only thing they're missing is the $4 artisan toast. i texted my friends letting them know that seats were few and far between, they suggested we meet at Mr. Smith's around the block from there. It was quaint, pleasant, found seats immediately, and they even had an awesome happy hour running till 8pm. can't wait for the 2nd tech bubble to burst so places like this go the way of the dodo. read more

I was incredibly impressed by them during their soft-opening; they were quite crowded, but dealing with the crowds well; service with a smile, and very easy to get another pint. All four beers they had on tap were solid, but my favorite was the seasonal fresh ("wet") hopped ale; they call it a pale ale, but it was closer to a traditional (not American) IPA. Their actual IPA was extremely good too; less bitter, more pine-y than usual, without being "too big" in ABV. The porter is very coffee-like, and feels like a session beer. The sour was a bit disappointing, but having talked to the brewer, that's because it hasn't really been aged yet, and will get much better with time. They don't serve food, but will let you bring in food from local places. read more