Follow the Tri-Valley Beer Trail

Photo by Laura Ness

A century or so ago, the Tri-Valley area (Amador, Livermore, and San Ramon valleys) was home to one of the largest hops farms in the world. Today, it boasts a beer trail of dizzying proportions, with 16 local taprooms and microbreweries to visit.

Emmy Kasten, vice president of marketing for Visit Tri-Valley, says the idea began when she asked vice chair Andrew Ebel to teach her about tasting beer. “Our schedules were so crazy that when we finally set a date, we decided we should make something more of our time together. BOOM! The trail was born.”

Favorite tastes? Leigh Cranor, marketing assistant for Visit Tri-Valley, loves the Berry White from Altamont Beer Works and the BeSmoked Porter from Eight Bridges Brewing. Kristen Goodearly-Dobson at Tap 25 in Livermore (which has 25 rotating taps of only American craft beer) likes selections from Ale Industries in Concord and Schubros in San Ramon.

Other fun stops? Caps and Taps in Dublin is like an indoor beer garden with free samples. At Three Sheets Craft Beer Bar in Dublin you’ll find 27 taps of craft beer, while the Growler Pub in Danville offers 20 rotating taps plus gourmet burgers and Belgian fries. But it’s hard to top the Artistic Table in Livermore, which has 12+ craft beers on tap, 45+ cheeses, 100+ wines, and 99 bottles of beer on the wall.

Download the Tri-Valley Beer Trail passport from visittrivalley.com

—Laura Ness