In the midst of north central California lies a lovely little town called Chico. Known as the “City of Trees” by the locals for its sprawling city park, packed with ancient Valley Oaks, Chico could also be known as the “City of Beer,” for it is where the 6th largest brewery in the United States resides: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is a story of hard work and diligence which has culminated in the American dream becoming a reality for its founder Ken Grossman. After studying physics and chemistry at California State University Chico, Grossman opened his own home brewing store in Chico. As the now famous beer recipes were continually perfected, Grossman, along with co-founder Paul Camusi were able to open the Sierra Nevada Brewery in 1980 and they never looked back. In 1989, the Sierra Nevada Brewery moved into its current location (1075 East 20th Street) in Chico and has continued to grow to the point where it produces 800,000 barrels of beer per year.
Unlike some breweries which are not very accessible to its fans, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has a multitude of great ways to experience their high quality product. First of all, you can take an in depth tour of the Sierra Nevada Brewery. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has free tours every day of the week. This 1 1/2 hour tour takes you through every step of the beer making process. You get to taste the different malts and barley’s that are used in the different beers, explore the hops room, peer into giant copper vats to watch the fermenting process take place, witness the controlled chaos of the bottling plant and much more. And of course, the tour would not be complete without my favorite part, the tasting room. At the end of the tour, Sierra Nevada generously invites all of the beer tourists, 21 and over, to partake in their finest beers such as the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Porter, Stout, IPA, Kellerweiss and any seasonal beers they may be offering. Tours are for people ages 12 and up and it is wheel chair accessible. If you are ever in Chico, Check the tour schedule for a time that works best for you.
After the tour, you can check out the gift shop where Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. features tons of great merchandise like hats, shirts, key chains, mustard’s, mugs and much more. And of course, no trip to the Sierra Nevada Brewery would be complete without having lunch or dinner at the Sierra Nevada Taproom and Restaurant where you can order any beer Sierra Nevada has on tap while enjoying delicious gourmet entrees from pizza to steak with all ingredients used from the Chico area. The restaurant makes you feel as if you were swept away to a bierhaus in Germany with its rustic but charming style. The Sierra Nevada brewery is definitely a can’t miss experience when you are visiting Chico California.
