Lost Coast Brewery: Great Beer on the Lost Coast of California
On California's northern coastline, the mountains along the Pacific are so rugged and steep that Route 1 veers back inland in order to avoid the treachery. Along this stretch, known as the Lost Coast, the towns have names like Shelter Cove and Petrolia. Route 1 finally finds the ocean once again in Eureka – home of the Luxist-nominated Lost Coast Brewery.
The brew pub offers weary travelers a delicious break from the winding roads that likely conveyed them to Eureka. Proprietors Barbara Groom, a former pharmacist, and Wendy Pound, a former family counselor, gained their expertise by sampling pubs in the British Isles in the 1980s. They returned to the U.S. and purchased the Pythian Castle, a century-old edifice in Eureka, from the Fraternal Order of the Knights of Pythias and started Lost Coast Brewery in 1990.
Lost Coast's offerings include Alleycat Amber, a caramel-flavored ale with a dash of medium-bodied malts and hops; Downtown Brown, a nutty ale with a hint of hops and roasted malts; Great White, a citrusy beer with unmalted wheat, barley and a "secret blend" of herbs. For those more interested in solid nourishment, there's a wide selection of seafood, burgers, vegetarian fare and other victuals in Lost Coast's café.
Boosted by a banner year in 2005 that saw 24,000 barrels of beer produced, Lost Coast moved into an even larger building down the road. It's currently the 46th-largest brewery in the U.S., and distributes beer in 19 different states
Vote for the brew pub that you believe is the best of breed. The voting period runs through April 30 and winners will be announced on May 1.
Vote for the brew pub that you believe is the best of breed. The voting period runs through April 30 and winners will be announced on May 1.
