The American palate for beer has changed drastically over the last few decades. The market has moved toward microbrews, and picky drinkers are demanding more than what may have filled our parents’ fridges in the past. We love our craft-brewed suds and would love it even more if we could chat with the guy or gal who made them. Riverside may not be a beer lover’s pilgrimage yet, but we have our share of great people making great beer around town. All of these breweries and taprooms offer beer-to-go or for pick up. Picking up a local beer from the people who made it is a great way to support small local businesses.
Beer and Bite to Eat
If you’re staying downtown, Heroes Restaurant and Brewery is a great place to get a generous pour of locally-produced beer. Make sure to come hungry, as their portions are on the big side of generous. Heroes isn’t a quiet night out. It’s loud, lively, and a great place to go with a large group or family. Their Red Tractor Ale has been on tap since the doors opened and remains a popular choice to pair with the “salty friedness” of their menu.
One of the pioneers of the Inland Empire microbrew movement, Hangar 24, has been Riversider-owned since day one. It took them a while to get a hometown location, but now that it’s here, it has become the place to be. Tucked away in the quiet Canyon Crest Towne Center, Hangar offers excellent beers and food in a casual setting. It is a perfect spot for a meet-up with friends and a great place to catch live music on their in-house stage.
Thompson Brewing Company brewery and restaurant is in an industrial center on the west side of town. The curb appeal may not be there, but once you open the doors, you’ll find a warm welcome and a place where many patrons can stay for hours. Thompson Brewery is family-run and family-friendly. There is a lot of room for the kids to stretch out, and games are in the back lot to keep them busy for a while. The food is excellent! Their burgers are at the top of the list of many Riversiders, the tots are impossibly crispy, and anything with cheese sauce is an easy recommendation.
Out on the western border of Riverside is Route 30 Brewery. They also have a taproom downtown, but the brewing is done at their La Sierra location. They also have a kitchen at the Brewery location, and the food is great. They may be as far from downtown as you can be without leaving Riverside, but that might be part of the charm. They have a loyal crowd and a friendly vibe and host live music, art, and other weekend community events.
All About the Brew
Sometimes, it’s all about the beer. You may want to try something new, take something home, or be around other beer people doing beer things. Some of these breweries may have live music and food vendors on weekends, but the business is about the beers.
Make sure you check the hours before you head out to All Points Brewing Company. They have a small crew, and there is work to do other than sell the beer. They pack the back half of the week with pop-up food vendors, and their industrial park is nicely located between downtown and UC Riverside. They get a decent crowd on the weekends, and All Points has become a popular stop for the Riverside beer crowd.
Just across the street from All Points is Euryale, another craft microbrewery with a no-frills tasting room. On Tuesdays, Euryale hosts an open mic/karaoke and keeps it busy on the weekends with food vendors and live music. They have seasonal and rotating brews to complement their permanent menu. Euryale isn’t afraid to push the limits. A donut-flavored beer is among their most popular brews. They also serve slushies (8+abv) for the warm Riverside nights.
Tucked away near the Riverside Airport is Packinghouse Brewery. Brewing since 2010, it’s been around for quite a while, especially in beer years. They like to roll up the back door on weekends and host local music and food vendors in the back lot. It’s nothing fancy, but it doesn’t need to be. Packinghouse is an actual working brewery, and all the extras are…extra.
Brue Crue shares a wall with Route 30. It is more of a well-curated craft taproom than a brewery, and the smaller operation is more of a 21+ traditional bar experience. They have a to-go fridge if you want to pick up something good on the way home or on the way out. Brue Crue likes to remind their customers that they are open later than the place next door and is a great place to move the party when Route 30 shuts it down for the night.
Carbon Nation is a small craft microbrew and tasting room in an industrial park. Their location is convenient, close to the 91 freeway between the Van Buren and Tyler exits. Carbon Nation may pay a lot of attention to their can art, but just because they like to have fun doesn’t mean they don’t take the beer seriously. They are kid AND pet-friendly and host events and food vendors regularly.
