The Best Craft Breweries and Distilleries in Siskiyou County

The Best Craft Breweriesand Distilleries in Siskiyou County

Award-winning beer, Northern California's first craft distillery, and a few hidden gems — here's where to drink in the far north.

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Siskiyou County is not the first place most people thinkof when they think about craftbeer. It shouldbe. One of these breweries has been operatingsince 1872. Another brews with Sacramento River headwaters and puts out a Reuben that regularsdrive hours for. The county'sonly distillery is producing bourbon, rye, gin, and vodka behind plateglass walls in a restored 1880s brick building in a town most maps barelyacknowledge. Here's where to go.

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BREWERIES

Etna Brewing Company

131 CallahanSt, Etna · etnabrewing.com · (530) 467-5277

Brewpub · Award-winning · Outdoor seating · Food · Open dailyfrom noon · Taproom also in Yreka

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Founded in 1872, Etna Brewingis one of the oldest breweries on theWest Coast and consistently one of the most-loved in Northern California. Backunder local ownership after a rocky period, it's back to its former glory — reviewers describeit as 'as good as ever if not better.' The Blackberry Blonde is the flagshipand a genuine crowd favorite.The Heli-Hazy IPA, ClassicGold Ale, and seasonal Sno-Wooki stout (dark, roasted espressowith light carameltones) round out a tap list that earnsrespect from serious beer drinkers. They also brew their own root beer.

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The brewpub has a funky,welcoming character, outdoorseating looking toward theMarble Mountains, and the kind of staff who'll tell you everything worthknowing about Scott Valley over a pint. A second taproom in Yreka brings the beers to the county seat for visitorspassing through on the 5.

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Dunsmuir Brewery Works

5701 Dunsmuir Ave, Dunsmuir · dunsmuirbreweryworks.com · (530) 235-1900

Microbrewery & pub · In-house craft ales · Wed–Sun 12–8 p.m. (10 p.m. summers)

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Opened in 2009 in historic downtown Dunsmuir and brewed with what the owners call 'The Best Water on Earth' — the Sacramen to River headwaters that define this town. With nearly 500 Yelp reviewsand consistent four-plus stars, DBW is the most reviewed brewery in the county for good reason. The Rusty Spike Imperial Red is the flagship; the Good Boy Porter draws' perfection' from serious beer drinkers. The food program punches well above its weight — the clam chowder, mussels in pesto broth, and Wagyu burgers earn mentions alongside the beer, and reviewers have been known to tip the kitchen separately. The brewer sometimes comes out and sits with guests. Outdoor seating in summer. This is the kind ofbrewpub people discover once and build road trips around.

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Siskiyou Brew Works

110 Squaw Valley Rd, McCloud· No website — so small town they don't have one · (530) 925-5894

Nano-brewery & pizzeria · Veteran and family owned · Opendaily 4–8 p.m.

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A veteran and family-owned nano-brewery at the base of Mount Shastain McCloud, brewing European-style craft beers with pure glacier water from the mountain itself. The fact that they don't have a websiteis very much in keeping with the spirit of the place — which is to say, entirely genuine, entirely local, and entirely worth finding. Reviewers on TripAdvisor and Facebook give it 4.4 stars and a 96% recommendation rate. 'Pat brews the best beer in Siskiyou County,'writes one regular.

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The Tiki's ShadowPorter (rich, creamy,named for a beloved dog who passed away the month they opened) and the Mother McCloud Ale (crisp, smooth ,lightly hopped) are the standouts. The house-made pizza— beer in the sauce,generously topped, perfectly crisped — is as talked about as the beer. A hidden gem in the most literal sense.

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DISTILLERY

Denny Bar Company & Distillery 511 Main St,Etna ·dennybar.com

Northern California's firstcraft distillery · Full restaurant & bar · Wood-fired kitchen · Lunch & dinner

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Northern California's first craft distillery, operatingout of a beautifully restored 1880s two-story brick building in downtown Etna. The custom-built 300-gallon copper pot still sits behind plate glass walls — you can watch your drink being made while you eat. The spirits portfolio is serious: Hearts Creed Bourbon,Roosevelt Rye Whiskey, Boulder Peak Vodka, Laust Sparrow Gin, BlackberryGin, Barrel-Aged Gin, and Zen de la CrèmeChocolate Liqueur, with limited-edition releasesyear-round.

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The food comesout of a Mugnaini wood-fired oven imported from Italy — hand-tossed pizzas,seasonal salads, locally sourced entrees. TripAdvisor reviewerscall it 'hard to find fine food and drink in remote rural communities, but

Denny Bar Company has succeeded with distinction — it outshines the rest of the restaurants in Siskiyou County and beyond.' Distillery tours available.

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NOTABLE TAPROOMS

Two Mount Shasta City spots deserve mention for how well they curate the county's craftbeverage scene. PipelineCraft Taps &Kitchen is the county's most celebrated multi-tap gastropub — a rotating draft list of local and regionalcraft beers alongside duck fat fries,lamb burgers, and ahitacos, with a patio that looks at the mountain.Garden Tap is anoutdoor wood-fired pizza and beer garden pouring Etna Brewing, Dunsmuir BreweryWorks, and others on tap, plus Alua Kombuchabrewed locally in Mount Shasta.Neapolitan-style pizza cookedin front of you.One of the best summerevenings in Northern California.

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The Taste of Siskiyou

Mount Shasta Escapesruns a guided weekend escape built around the best of what you've just read — the Tasteof Siskiyou tour. We depart on the second Saturday of the month, arriving in Dunsmuir in time to settlein before the Second Saturday art walk kicks off in the evening: galleries opening new shows, restaurants running special menus, and live music filling the Sacramento River canyon. Sunday the coach heads west over Highway 3 into Scott Valley— a day in Etna sampling the Blackberry Blonde and Classic Gold at Etna Brewing, then crossing the street to Denny Bar Company to work through the bourbon and rye list at Northern California's firstcraft distillery. Sunday evening the coach returns to Mount Shasta City for the free outdoor summer concert series at Shastice Park — live music at6:30 p.m., the mountain lit up behind the stage. We head home Monday morning. No car, no logistics, no designated driver.

mountshastaescapes.com · The road north is calling.‍