If you haven't been here for the blueberry muffin sour then you have been missing out! But aside from this stand-out sour, it's one of the best breweries in the east bay. The place is a good size with a small outdoor patio, usually a 2 table set up out there. It's very close to the bustling 4th street area and you can bring food in. read more

This place had a lot of interesting and different beer choices. I tasted a couple of the sweeter ones and while good, they were a little too sweet for me. I ended up with a lighter beer, which was nice. I wish they had some bar bite type foods. Not much of a vibe in this place, but it was also a Sunday night. It's more like a have one beer and out type place. The server was nice and let us taste a couple beers, but the service wasn't anything special. read more

We had a great time watching the world cup here with the curly haired bartender! He was very knowledgeable and inviting. I recommend stopping by for a pint, unless you're an Arsenal fan. read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Fantastic Sours and fruit flavored beers. Dog friendly. Got a flight as I wanted to try as much as possible. Didn't like the key lime one but everything else was spot on. read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Flight!!!! Come here for the fruit sours. I'm an IPA man but hey... do you goto a steak house for salad? - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Always a lovely selection of brews here. Honestly, they don't seem to make good IPAs here, but I do enjoy their fruity and sour beers very much. They had a lot of new brews this visit so ended up getting a sampler to try out the new beers. It's a small location so it can get pretty crowded, especially on the weekends, but well worth it for fruity and sour beers. read more

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This brewery is tucked away in a really cute and safe part of Berkeley, with plenty of street parking available on a Sunday--super convenient. The beers were above average, though I wish they had more sour options. A nice bonus is that a select few of their beers are on happy hour all day Sunday at just $5 a pint, which is such a great deal. Service was excellent. Our beertender came over to check on us, offered tasters, and even shared recommendations for other breweries in the area and in Seattle, where he's from. Really appreciated the personal touch. I was a bit surprised it wasn't busier for a Sunday, but it made for a relaxed atmosphere. All in all, a solid spot to enjoy some good beers and chill out. read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Luckily found out this place existed since I was in Oakland looking for nearby breweries....so sad it took me this long to find it! Loved the brew since I found it in Portland, so glad they are here in the bay area! Came in for some quick to go beers, got great service and will definitely be back! read more

I love smoothie beers and was so thrilled to find a yummy one here! The place is on the smaller side, but a great place to grab a drink with some friends! read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Smoothie! - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Their smoothie style ales are so delicious! Perfect blend of lightly sweet with just the right level of tart that my partner, who finds sours to be too tart, and I (a sour beer lover) both enjoy. Today we had the POG (passionfruit, orange, guava) and the Monkey (lime sherbet, banana, pineapple, mango). We also like their dark beers, like BBA French Toast stout. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable and I liked being there in the relaxed ambiance on a quiet Saturday afternoon. read more

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Probably the most uncomfortable and worst bar experience I have ever had. I'll start off and say that I'm a bartender myself and would never treat guests how the bartender did. My friends and I met this girl who was a local. The next day she suggested we checkout this brewery that's in her area because we love beer. We arrived. Grabbed a beer. The girl then walked inside, sat down, and we were casually chatting for maybe 2 minutes when the bartender told us that we all had to leave and that we are not welcome. There was maybe one other person in the bar during the daytime so we were confused. Turns out it was some personal issue the bartender had against the girl. Which is none of my business and I shouldn't be kicked out of a bar after I paid for my drinks, tipped the bartender, and was just sitting there. I literally had to chug my beer and leave. At the minimum, which is still uncomfortable, tell the girl to leave. Not us. Based on the unprofessionalism and rudeness, I would not recommend this bar. read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Bar didn't provide the cupcake, "bought" it for a donation for a school event - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Came into the told them my name and got my beers and I was out. Nice place will be back to hang out the very friendly . Thanks Doza read more

Great Notion Brewery is one of the best around with there amazing stouts and fun tart ales the beer itself is amazing. The service was fast and to the point and the inside of the place is clean with a huge beer fridge stacked with delicious brews. I will be back. read more

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Great taproom in west Berkeley, in the former Sierra Nevada space. First visit with the new proprietor, so had to get a flight. Everything was solid, and would visit again, but I can't remember any of the names of the beers, if that tells you anything. Rotating food vendors pop up here, but not sure if all days or just some. read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

We went on TRIVIA night and had an absolute blast. I got a flight of their sours, and each one was a delightful burst of flavor. I found out they have happy hour at the taprooms from Monday to Friday, 2pm-5pm, which is an amazing deal. The host was incredibly chill, making the night even more enjoyable. Plus, if you win the trivia, you get to take a celebratory shot of beer with the staff crew! read more

Dominic and Ian have their hands full. It busy in this upscale neighborhood. This is the place to be. Great beer, food out the back door in the patio, and a clean comfortable interior. The tunes were a nice added bonus. Enjoy people watching or take a selfie with Sasquatch (you need to see to understand this) LOL. I ordered a colorful tasty flight and a Blackberry Cream Soda for my wife. There are wonderful options to non-alcoholic drinks here, Also, I see children, and pets. How cool is that? Then I set out my pic of my 2 buddies lost in war for this Memorial Day. I remember them on Veterans day too. Heroes all. Its a tradition with me. I always spill a little for the guys and remember them in story. Ian and Dominic were very understanding and totally supported this. I am a Vietnam Vet, Sgt USAF so their sacrifice is real. TY gentleman. This is why the community embraces this place. Like an English Pub, this serves the locals like an extension of their Livingroom. I recommend it. Parking around the side, great and safe place to bring a date, and the locals are friendly. See you soon That Strawberry Ale caught me off guard. Delish guys. read more

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Fruity brews, lazy Sunday afternoon, and fries (from Asian hot dog truck in front)...nice way to end a weekend! Dog friendly patio is a plus! read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Flight n fries! - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

They are so incredibly rude and uninviting here. Why bother! Beer is good but there are so many choices with good beer and friendly staff. Cellarmaker, Fieldwork, Ghosttown...I could go on. Such a shame. Wish the owners/managers would step in a make some changes. Would love to frequent this place but after multiple tries, hoping I just caught them on a bad day, I give up! read more

Great Notion makes great beer. This satellite shop has a good selection of GN's beers and merch. The service is very good, although not the warm and fuzzy vibe that I had experienced at the Mother Ship in Portland. read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Stumbled into Great Notion in Berkeley and instantly loved the vibe -- colorful, laid-back, and just a fun spot to hang. The beer lineup is wild in the best way -- hazy IPAs, fruity sours, pastry stouts... they're not afraid to get weird, and it works. Tried a flight and every pour was a surprise in a good way. Bonus points for the staff being super cool and happy to chat about the beers without any beer-snob energy. If you like your craft beer with personality and want a chill place to sip and vibe, this is it. read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Was so excited to check out this spot considering I've been to the Portland location numerous times. Dope spot, good beer, shitty bartender. Guy with the sad bun on his head was rude from the start. No greetings. Just got dead silence as we entered. After closing our tab I thanked him, and even a smile in return would've been nice but couldn't even get that. Def will not be coming back when he's there, he totally ruined the vibes. read more

This is probably my favorite brewery in East Bay to go to after finding out about it at a Yelp Elite event. They have so many fun options, especially if you enjoy sours. I also randomly came here on a Tuesday night and learned that they host Trivia Tuesday as a fun option! I got a 5 x 5 oz flight ($19) with Passionfruit Mochi IPA, Blueberry Muffin Sour, Fruit Monster Sour, Vanillazilla, and Strawberry & Kiwi Seltzer. My favorites were the blueberry muffin sour (it actually tastes like blueberry muffin!) and the vanillazilla. They were out of the Big Papaya sour, so that will definitely be on my order when I go next time! read more

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This place is so much fun! More importantly the beers and sours are delicious. The service is excellent and the bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable. It's great looking inside as well. They have great flights as well for trying multiple offerings. Can't wait to go back! read more

I love a popular out of town brewery make the Bay a home. Portland's Great Notion is here to stay, and they're a winner. PARKING Pro Tip: They're actually located pretty close from the walkway from Cesar Chavez Park, so a good idea could be to park there and walk over to save yourself some trouble with street or paid parking. I think most people who were enjoying brews in the store were local, so they didn't have to deal with parking. It's a great cozy unassuming spot for groups, dates, or catching up on some work. They have strong wifi, clean restrooms, and are dog-friendly. I love that they have treats too for doggos. They do offer flights, and y'all know I had to go for a flight of their IPA's and some of their delicious fruited sours. I gotta say, it's a rare thing when I like all of my tasters, but in this case Great Notion definitely delivered. Their sours were accurately named, all of their beers are! So props to the team that does that. My faves were def: POG IPA (so juicy), Seedless Watermelon (perf for a hot sunny day), and Ripe IPA (so tasty). The Blueberry Muffin Sour was indeed, just like it's namesake, not my cup of tea but accurately named. Synesthesia was also the taptender's rec as it is a popular IPA, I can see why. I enjoyed my time there on my weekday off, although music choice was interesting...the entire Taylor Swift album. And it was off-putting that there were a bunch of flies buzzing around the large tables. Regardless, they have a fantastic to-go selection. It's insanely beautiful, but they have SO many 4-packs and canned goodies for those who are interested in taking some brews to go, or if you particularly love any of the beers you've had while visiting. Saw lots of people come through just for their pickup orders. read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Flight of 5 - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

This place is super chill. They offer a wide variety of beers as close as something for everyone as you're likely to find anywhere. I did a flight a while back and more recently I just pick something that suits my mood. Bar keep has poured me a taste of anything that interested me in the past. This week's visit was time for something with Mosaic and Citra. Superglow delivered. Delicious brew, great service, and on Tuesdays, a pizza truck right outside -- Uncle Cheezy's. read more

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Great Notion is originally from Portland, Oregon and can't believe they made it down for the Bay! Love their beers but please note that this brewery is extremely tiny and packed. We came here on a Sunday and weren't even able to get a table or a bench of any sort. We just had our beer standing up and left after. read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Togo beer as of 7/30/23 - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Tried the "Munchies" stout (from tap) $8 on the recommendation of another guest at the bar when I ordered, and it did not disappoint. I could smell and taste the different notes (cacao, caramel, peanut butter, graham cracker) in the aroma and flavor. It was an unexpected surprise. Beer has come a long way in the past 20+ years - I am amazed at how breweries infuse all this flavor and interesting profile combinations into the barley and hops. More than glad and happy to try all these different approaches and techniques employed by our own breweries. I think the Bay area is at the level to give Portland a run for their money. Next time I return I want to try their flight of 5 beers ($19) and nosh on whichever food truck happens to be parked and featured during happy hours. Note: this place has no food of their own. Only beer on tap or poured from the can. read more

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4++ there was a time I used to trade for their beer pretty often especially since it was pretty hard to obtain in California when they were just located in Portland. I've been a fan of their beer for a pretty long time so it was cool to hear that they opened a spot in Berkeley. The place is located kind of in a trendy area, or at least shopping area on Fourth Street in Berkeley. I'm actually from Southern California and not too familiar with the Berkeley area so that's what it felt like. The space itself is nice, clean and pretty big. My brothers family and I came in to try some tasters because we were in the area and I asked if we could make a stop. I ordered two full tasters so we covered a pretty good part of the menu for that day. We got some sours, stouts, and some IPAs. They had both the blueberry muffin and the double stack on top that day. I think those are the two that they were most known for especially to people outside of the area. The person at the counter or beertender was super friendly and helpful. I just picked a bunch of different ones I wanted to taste, and he wrote them all down and it was easy as that. It feels like there's plenty of seating as well. I'm really glad they have a spot relatively close to where I can access. Especially when I'm visiting family. Will definitely come back. read more

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Once again we enjoyed ourselves. Great atmosphere and great drinks! I know beer coneseryers don't seem to like "Sours", but I really like them. While Blueberry Muffin Sour probably makes real beer drinkers cringe, it includes me know I like a brewery now too! Thanks again Dom for your hospitality! And thank you Great Notions for Blueberry Muffin Sour! read more

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It's been a while since I walked down Fourth Street but to my surprise I found out that Great Notion has taken over a favorite beer location! I've tried Great Notion in Oregon and in Sacramento so I was ecstatic to find them in Berkeley. If you're a sour beer lover as I am, you'll be sure to find some pretty awesome pours here. The layout is the same as their previous owners so the vibe is totally there. Sometimes they'll have food catered in to order at the bar and for the month of February they have a rotating weekly special. You'll for sure find me here! read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm not going to lie, Great Notion is one of my favorite breweries. The beers they have on tap are excellent, and I'm a massive fan of their sours. I've been to this taproom several times, and most have been positive experiences. However last time I went, it was a Friday evening that wasn't really busy and the bartender was basically on his phone the whole time and made me wait before serving me twice, which kind of irked me. At any rate, I still love Great Notion beers, but hopefully they can improve on their service read more

Great way to get together with some of my best dad friends and our kids! Great Notion is one of the best in the business with hazy IPAs and sours. I have visited them now in all 3 of the mainland Pacific states. The Berkeley brewery is a good size with some outdoor seating. It gets a bit crammed in there but that's breweries in the Bay Area for you. Good music plays but it's bar service for drinks and food trucks for food. Every beer in my flight was delicious and I ended up going back for the Blueberry Muffin and the Raspberry Shake. The Triple Dank Shark and Super Over Ripe were also standouts for hazies! All so good! read more

I spent an evening in Portland many years ago and had the opportunity to visit Great Notion while I was there. The gentleman that was helping us was super cool and super welcoming despite it being a Sunday night about an hour before closing. I never had the chance to return, however the beers I had while I was there remain fresh on my mind. I have since used those memories as a standard to determine how good other beers are. There are only a few breweries with beer that I have liked as much. So I was thrilled to find out that Great Notion has come to the Bay Area. I finally got to visit last weekend and was so happy to enjoy a fresh pour of my all time favorite, Juice Jr.! Still as delicious as my first sip back in Portland. If you find yourself thirsty and happen to be in Berkeley, then definitely stop by this brewery and satisfy your thirst. Cheers! Had to give 4 stars due to lack of seating and staff was nice but not so attentive. For the beers it gets 10 stars! I will still return even if I have to stand while enjoying my juice! read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Juice Jr. - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Omgeee these beers, I think about them all the time. It's so yummy not basic at all they are thoughtful well made and full of flavor. If you haven't had an opportunity to grab q beer here run don't walk. read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Slushie - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

I was visiting the Bay Area for a short weekend and chanced upon Great Notion's Mango Coconut Mochi beer at Caps & Taps in Dublin. I loved it! We've never heard of Great Notion until that night so my husband starts googling them. Great Notion is from Oregon and it looks like they specialize in IPAs, tarts, and sour-smoothies. My husband found this location during one of his searches and we just knew we had to come. We came at around 1-2PMish on a Saturday and it was busy! They were new too! I think one of the guys there said they opened 6 weeks ago! They had a good selection of beer on tap and they're pretty reasonably priced. You could get a flight too! For a flight, you can choose 5 different beers at 5oz each pour. My husband and I decided to share a flight with: Orange Creamsicle Fruit in a Can (sour-smoothie) Blueberry Muffin (sour) Blueberry Cobbler Muffin (sour) PB&Jammy Pants (Raspberry) (sour) Mango Fluff (sour) I'm not a huge fan of sours as many that I've tried made me pucker. However, Great Notion's versions are actually pretty decent. While it still holds that tart element, they don't overdo it to where I look like I ate a warhead. I especially really liked the Orange Creamsicle -- I actually got a 13.5oz draft ($9.50) of it after we went through the flight. It was a tart orange juice with a vanilla cream finish. The Blueberry Muffin smelled and tasted like blueberry muffin. If you like blueberry muffins, blueberry scones, or blueberry cake, this is the one for you. The Blueberry Cobbler Muffin was more tart than the Blueberry Muffin, most likely due to the cobbler. I wasn't a huge fan of this one but that is probably because I'm not a fan of cobbler. PB&Jammy Pants tasted and smelled exactly like how a PB&J sandwich would taste like but with a tart raspberry jam. Not my favorite flavor but definitely impressed with the product. Mango Fluff was also a favorite and with a 8.4% ABV, it can definitely get dangerous. It tasted like semi-tart mango but you can also taste that it is stronger than the rest of the flavors. They also had 4-pack of cans for you to purchase if you choose to. As an FYI, the sour-smoothie types need to be kept in the fridge to keep the fruit from fermenting. Once the fruit ferments, there is a chance that the original taste of the beer will differ. The prices are a tad high for a 4-pack but seeing as they're specialized, it isn't so bad. They actually had cans of the Mellifluous, which is a blend of apricot, peach, banana, passionfruit, and tangerine. It's unfortunate that they did not have it on tap to be sampled but it's OK, I purchased it anyways. What is unfortunate is that they were out of the 4-packs of the Mango Coconut Mochi. That beer tasted exactly like the Chinese dessert with mango sago with tapioca. They only release the batches twice a year or so from what we were told so hopefully we'll be able to catch it when it comes back. While we were there, there was a pop-up going on with Rucolina. Since the brewery didn't really have food options (you could buy some bags of chips), we decided to get a Hanger Steak Sandwich, which comes with wild arugula, parm, calabrian chili aioli, and herbed focaccia. The sandwich was absolutely delicious. The steak was tender and flavorful, the arugula provided a freshness to the sandwich, the parm added some salty element, the aioli went great with the steak, and the focaccia was crispy! Even though I was full from half of the sandwich and beer, I wanted more! But they ran out so we couldn't go for seconds :( Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the beer and the food from the pop up. Definitely recommend them! If you like sours/IPAs, definitely a plus! If you don't, this may not be the place for you. I can't wait to visit again when I'm in the area again! read more

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Hidden gem in the West Berkeley area. Feels more like an hipster brunch spot than a traditional "bar", but it is very clean and well maintained. The staff was very kind. There is also some outdoor seating. Got to sample three of their craft beers-- blueberry muffin, ripe, and double stack. All of which had well rounded flavor profiles and really followed their themed flavor accenting. There's a wide variety of other drinks that I'm sure follow the same quality. Would definitely come back if I were in the area! read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Came here on a Monday night when Diggy Dogs was there serving food. I got a michelada which was very good - the glass just got messy so I wish it came with a napkin. There were a lot of people there already, but was able to get a seat by the window. Some people were playing super smash brothers at the bar so the energy inside was lively. There are two bathrooms inside and you can park on the street or inside the lot which are both metered, but free after 6pm. Diggy Dogs - We tried their pork sliders, the chili hot dog nachos, and the 2am dog (not pictured). Everything was delicious!! The pork was sweet and smokey and the coleslaw paired with it perfectly along with the potato chips for the crunch. I'm a big fan of nachos so these were my favorite. The chili had cut up pieces of hot dog, there was nacho cheese, sour cream, jalapeños and green onions - yummmmmmy! The 2am dog had bacon and onions on top and was so good that we didn't get a picture because it was eaten already. All in all - nice spot in Berkeley to get a drink and try out other food trucks that come on different days! read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Michelada on the right - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

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It's all about the hazy life at this new Portland based brewery on 4th street. A little away from the main drag on 4th street it has plenty of parking on the street and adjoining lot. Interior decor is interesting with some psychedelic brew label art adorning the walls. They have the most wide collection of hazy ipas and sours. The tasting flights are a great option to try before you decide. The merry dankster half a Plato were our favorites. They have a rotating tap of several good options though and a freezer full of to go beers. They also had a pop up burger spot for food. A good brewery with some delicious brews - a must try in Berkeley. read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Menu - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

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A great tasting room a small walk away from the bustling 4th St area in Berkeley. Fair bit of seating to be had with freshies in the fridge and friendly service by the beertenders. It's been a while so I don't remember the exact name of what I had, but it was a delicious clear fruited sour in a gorgeous red color (which got a lot of comments from the passerby!). When I was there they had a great selection of all kinds of beer, and I always have a huge soft spot for breweries that do fruited/smoothie sours so this place was a huge win for me. I picked up some more fruited freshies for home and they were just as delicious as the pour I had. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Berkeley! read more

My girlfriend and I were looking for good beer around Fourth Street -- and we found it! It's not the biggest place; it feels more like the size of a standard bar. But they optimized the space with bar seating all around, tables filling up the center, and a bit of outdoor seating (but not much). They have big TVs and nice decor. It seemed like a neighborhood favorite, as it was crowded the whole time we were there. Granted, it was the Niners playoff game, so that not sure if it'll be that busy otherwise. But we did see plenty of people popping in just to grab beers to go. That's a good sign! So, we were both not a fan of sours, but sours were obviously highlighted on their menu. The bartender told me it's their specialty, so we decided we had to try it. And, boy, the beers we got were yummy! I got the Blueberry Muffin and she got the Orange Creamsicle. They were both tasty. The Blueberry Muffin is one of the best sours I've had. Smells just like its namesake, and the taste is perfect. The bartender mentioned it's their most popular one, and it's sometimes sold out. They make great beer here, and it makes sense why so many folks grab it to go! Staff was friendly, on point, and knowledgeable. Highly recommended, and definitely want to try more sours here when we return. read more

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I love love love Great Notion in Portland. I am so happy they're here now in Berkeley!!! I have been before the grand opening for their soft opening and a few times since. Unfortunately, the beer is good and people know about it. The inside space is pretty small. I wish it was bigger but hopefully they can expand in the future. You might find yourself hovering around people to get a table. I wouldn't take a large group here, not more than 4 people. The employees are always really nice. The bathroom situation isn't that great since there's only two stalls. They do sell take away beer, and some merchandise in a small section. I've had so many of their beers I can't keep track, but they are all good. I am amazed at how they can have such a high ABV beer and make it so tasty. I love all of their sours and hazy's. They're stouts are also ridiculous. There is a great depth of flavor in these beers that you don't find at other breweries. You can really tell that their beers have been brewed with so many amazing ingredients. I just had their strawberry cheesecake beer and 14.8% stout this past weekend and it was epic. They always have classics on the menu and new experiences so you really can't go wrong. Get yourself a flight of the beers you fancy! read more

Great Notion - Berkeley - Brewpubs Near Me - Berkeley, California