The locally brewed craft beer revolution came late to Monterey County. There were, of course, bars dedicated to good beer in its variety. And brewpubs like Peter B’s in Monterey date back to 1996. Apart from the original Alvarado Street Brewery, Fieldwork and English Ales, however, the other establishments on this list opened their doors within the past six years. For craft beer aficionados, the phrase “better late than never” has real meaning. Alvarado Street Brewery Brewers of beers that are often given clever names. That’s the first impression. The second and even more important one is that the beers are even more intriguing when poured. The team experiments across genres with great success (expect crowds). A favorite is Monterey Beer, a revival of a local recipe from the 1930s. And while taps rotate, there’s always a core, such as Mai Tai P.A. Alvarado Street is consistently solid, so it’s all about the beer for aficionados. However, there are distinct fun vibes at each location, as well. Alvarado Street Brewery, 426 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 655-2337. Alvarado Street Brewery & Bistro, Carmel Plaza, Ocean and Mission, Carmel. (831) 293-8621. Alvarado on Main, 301 Main St., Salinas. Alvarado Street Taproom, 1315 Dayton St. #E, Salinas. (831) 800-3332. asb.beer Brew-N-Krew Ale House The festive, colorful space seems to have been designed with Instagram in mind. The beers are also made ready for social media in the form of cocktails. Where else can you get a beermosa? Or a beergarita? The first is with freshly squeezed orange juice. You can probably figure out the second. 155 Main St., Salinas. (831) 676-6533. 34 The Best of Monterey Bay ® EAT + DRINK 2023-2024 Playing Taps County breweries offer an ever-changing lineup of craft beers. By Dave Faries Peter B’s Brewpub Brew Crew Daniel Dreifuss
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