The Hopland Brewery, Mendocino Brewing Co.

No Longer In Business

Stopped in here for a sampler on 8/6/10. What can I say? We hit 27 breweries and a couple of beer bars on the ultimate NorCal trip and this place was the worst. Keep in mind I’m mainly going on the beers since there wasn’t much in terms of ambiance and service and no food. The highest rating I gave out of the bunch was 3.2 and I’m a very generous rater compared to most. Not hating here, just not the kind of beers I want to drink. Would’ve killed for a Talon at this place, but apparently that’s only made on the East Coast.

Appreciate the lesson: Small brewery builds too much off-site capacity - small brewery is purchased by a bigger organization - on-site brewing ceases. We are just lucky this little historical ex-brewing jewel is still around. A reminder of how things used to be. Stop if you are going through. It’s not Yakima, but it’s still here to experience. This is where a big beer experience got started.

Kind of small and dark. Played some darts and had a couple beers from Mendocino Brewing. Just O.K. Good place to stop in if you are there, but not worth the trip if that is the destination

Heh, a town called "Hopland". Stopped by here while heading back from the Lagunitas brewery. It was a small pub with a gift shop (closed) and I did get to sample a few of their beers as well as bring a few back to New England with me. The place has a rustic look and feel to it, but don’t come here expecting to find a fun, happenin’ brewery.

Bah... not worth stopping for, but if you stop for the bakery or some other tourist trap, might as well grab a beer. Doesn’t offer anything special, just the regular Mendocino lineup, and the place itself is cramped, and looks like just the locals hang out there. NOT a brewpub, just a tap house for Mendocino, which is stupid because it still uses the name "Hopland Brewery". Whatever.