Beer in Napa Valley
You’re thirsty for a beer, and you find yourself in the heart of Napa Valley wine country. Don’t despair—there are many in Downtown Napa, and others sprinkled throughout the valley. Napa is famous for wine, but drinking culture loves variety, and you won’t have to go far to find exactly what you need. Great breweries and bars are strewn throughout the downtown area. Here are some of the best:
Breweries in Downtown Napa
Trade Brewing: In a little house near the Oxbow Market this little Brewery cranks out some wonderful beers. Sit inside or out in the shade by the train tracks.
Fieldwork Brewing: Has its own shaded biergarten on the outside of the Oxbow Market with a swanky modern indoor area. A very long beer list including stuff similar to your favorites and lots of other inventive stuff you probably haven’t had before. They have nice snackable plates to go with it.
Napa Palisades Saloon: The largest location on our list. Palisades has expanded over the years due to high popularity. They pour their own house-made beers and a well-curated list of taps from around the area. It feels like a neighborhood pub in wine country with friendly beer enthusiasts and a cool, casual atmosphere. They feature a full menu of delicious, elevated pub food.
Napa Barrel Project: A long rotating list of tasty beers and delicious pizza with a wide selection of sour beers. The front wall rolls up and creates an open air feel. It’s lacking in aesthetic appeal, but it’s spacious, and a large screen feature whatever game is on. It shares a patio with Housley wine, so if your group is divided wine and beer—meet at the patio and everyone wins!
Up Valley Breweries
St. Helena
Mad Fritz: This is a true Napa Valley grown brewery—harnessing the spirit of terroir and a meticulous attention to the growing and processing of ingredients, Mad Fritz crafts unique lagers and ales. Locally grown barley, traditional malting techniques, and barrel aging makes Mad Fritz a fun spot to geek out about beer.
Erosion Tap House: Wine and ice cream shop on one half of Erosion, and small batch beer and sports screens on the other—Erosion is one of the few places that stays open late evenings on Main Street St. Helena. They are also an equally nice place for a pint or a scoop of ice cream when shopping the boutiques and galleries of historic St. Helena.
Calistoga
Calistoga Inn Restaurant & Brewery: With a wonderful outdoor patio, this is a fabulous place to enjoy lunch or dinner and a wide selection of pints, cocktails, or wines. There is something for everyone.