Your Guide to Craft Beer on the Contra Costa County Beer Trail
Cooling off with a frosted mug and drinking an ice-cold craft brew has become one of the best ways to get out and enjoy Spring in Contra Costa County.
Craft Breweries are all the rage with ever-changing taps and steady ABV percentages, so hop off the Contra Costa County Beer Trail, and don’t forget to check in to each location along the way to earn your exclusive Contra Costa County Beer Trail Mug!
Canyon Club Brewery
Start your Saturday afternoon off right at Canyon Club Brewery in Moraga, CA. This fun, family-friendly brewery serves Beerunch (Brunch) Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM – 2 PM creating a fusion of dishes like chicken and waffles, a southern benedict, or ahi tacos. Pair your tasty choice with one of their many house-brewed beers created by Master Brewer, Christian Kasakoff.
Our Suggestion: Try the Mysterious Ways Peach & Strawberry Wheal Ale and Beta Tested Pilsner. We tried both and the Mysterious Ways was by far the favorite- with fresh crisp peach notes and the smell of strawberry! This style will be back in the summer. The perfect combo for this beer would be with their waffle and fresh fruit. The Pilsner had a creamy mouthful with high carbonation, great to go along with their Great Gatsby burger.
Mike Hess Brewing
Next, make your way to Mike Hess Brewing, not in relation to Hess Wines but certainly making a name for themselves in the beer community! Although their flagship location is in San Diego, their Walnut Creek location is tucked into the Orchard Shopping Center with a great dog-friendly outdoor patio with cornhole and indoor tables and chairs.
Our Suggestion: Grab a Flight – choose from their full lineup of beers, hard seltzers, and hard kombuchas. When you order the flight, your beer is served along with a Mike Hess Poker chip. Turn that chip back into the bartender and earn your free can-styled beer glass that guarantees you $5 beers Monday – Thursday when you bring the glass back.
Lunch Stop! From Concord Taco Trail's Mercado Del Sol
On the way to your next location, make sure to stop for lunch at a participating Concord Taco Trail local Taqueria. Mercado Del Sol, in the Monument District of Concord is a family-owned and operated store front where the owner herself will likely take your order.
Our Suggestion: This Taqueria features vegetarian friendly potato tacos or try one of our personal favorites which is the Quessabirra Tacos. Served up with a smile, you cannot go wrong with this hidden gem.
Concord Visitor Center
Your next stop on the trail checks you into the Concord Visitor Center. Stop in and present your pass to a staff member to receive an official Visit Concord Beer Trail Red Solo Cup along with earning another check-in on the trail to win prizes. Grab your Beer Trail Merch or an I Heart Concord T-shirt and show off your Concord pride.
Epidemic Ales
Epidemic Ales is a true local favorite! Epidemic Ales was founded by 3 couples with a dream and a love of craft beer. Head Brewer, Shawn Hammer continues to bring home gold medals for the brewery for their award winning Lager at World’s End along with other creations.
Epidemic Ales continues to spice things up on their menu with flavors that are not like other beers. New to their beer selection are Beer Slushies, created with some of their creative flavors like Pineapple Upside Down and Lime!
Epidemic Ales has a consistent Food Truck schedule and community events going through out the year. From their menu, try their OG "Los Originales" Tacos, featuring their Quissabirra Tacos called the “The OGs at the Birria Thing” or the Micheladas with homemade chamoy sauce. Check out their food truck schedule here.
Our Suggestion: Some of our recommendations would be their Marilyn Monroast – a golden coffee ale. Another is the Chemical Warfare Hazy IPA - a golden wheat with soft flavors of peach, apricot, & melon. You also wouldn't want to miss their Lager at Worlds End – a traditional pale lager.
You can also join the Epidemic Ales Mug Club:
ANNUAL
One year membership valid starting the day of purchase
$175 (tax included)
- 1 pour per day in a special Epidemic Ales logo mug!
- 10% discount on merchandise, crowler, and growler fills
- Annual gift of $15+ value, available for pickup starting Anniversary Party
LIFETIME
Lifetime Membership
$1,000 (limited quantity, tax included)
- 1 pour per day in a special Epidemic Ales logo mug!
- 10% discount on merchandise, Crowler, and growler fills
- Annual gift of $15+ value, available for pickup starting Anniversary Party
- Additional annual gift, available for pickup starting Summer Skullfest
More information HERE
Del Cielo Brewing Co.
Del Cielo, meaning sent from Heaven, is a Latina/Latino Family-owned brewery and taproom located in the heart of Downtown Martinez. Known for their flavorful creations and fruity beers, they consistently have about 20 taps ranging from light blonde ales and pilsners to dark stouts and hoppy IPAs as well as sours and specialty beers.
Our Suggestion: Try a glass of the Orale, their traditional Mexican lager, its crisp and refreshing and pairs with any food choice! Another suggestion would be their Sours. Del Cielo has taken several awards home for their fruity inventions.
Armistice Brewing Company
Last on the list is Armistice Brewing Company, a sibling-owned and operated brewery specializing in Hazy IPAs. When you visit the taproom near the water in Richmond, CA, you’ll notice it’s charm and outdoor area with a side ordering window for those who just want to walk up and order a beer without going inside.
Our Suggestion: Because this Brewery specializes in Hazy IPAs that is a majority of their menu, but you can try one or two other options such as their Kolsch or at the time, they had a great Blackberry Blue Berry Smoothie Sour Ale, thick in consistency but reminded us of a blueberry cobbler. If you are a Hazy IPA fan, we recommend the WortArt, a very hazy in sight, aromatic beer with a hoppy finish.
What is your favorite location on the Contra Costa County Beer Trail? We would love to hear from you on any recommendations that we should try! Let us know your thoughts at info@visitconcordca.com or reach out at our Contact Us Page here.