Ever since the movie Sideways hit the theaters, Californians have been flocking to Santa Barbara for Sideways influenced wine tasting tours.
Of course, the wineries were around long before the movie was made and were frequently enjoyed by Californians in the know. But now with the success of Sideways, Santa Barbara is practically synonymous with wine tasting.
According to a recent LA Times article, however, there is another refreshing adult beverage produced in Santa Barbara which is sadly overlooked and greatly overshadowed by the wine phenomenon: beer.
Santa Barbara is becoming a Mecca for craft brewers, boasting at least seven well-established local breweries artfully mixing hops and barley in a variety of exciting flavors and styles.
The LA Times article by Charles Perry reviews the very best breweries and their very best products–all carefully crafted in small quantities by brewmeisters who know and love their trade.
So, the next time the girlfriend wants to go sip zinfandel in Santa Barbara, be sure to bargain in some time for yourself at the breweries. Enjoy them now before Hollywood makes a movie about them.