Best San Jose Breweries & Taprooms | San Jose Brew Bike

“MMMMM, beer” Iconic words spoken by Homer Simpson, the dimwitted, quick-tempered, genuine, lovable family man. Drinking his signature Duff Beer either on the couch watching TV or at his favorite tavern, Moe’s, Homer is someone who definitely cannot live without beer. What is it about beer that makes people so passionate about this frothy, beverage? Is it the taste? The way it makes you feel after downing your fourth or fifth? Is it the camaraderie of drinking with your friends at the local pub, cheering on the good times and reminiscing the old? Our guess is that it is a combination of all of these and San Jose has some of the best breweries to grab your favorite beer.

History of Breweries

Beer is one of the oldest alcoholic drinks and of course one of the most popular beverages in the world. With evidence of 13,000-year-old beer residues found at the Raqefet Cave in the Carmel Mountains in Israel. Beer has continued to be brewed throughout history spanning different locations and societies and has been recorded in the writings in ancient Egypt & Iraq. Workers were paid in beer during the building of the Pyramids and recipes were spread throughout Europe by Germanic & Celtic tribes. The Benedictine Weihenstephan brewery in Bavaria, Germany, can even be traced back to the year 768, making it the oldest working brewery in the world. (Thanks wikipedia)

Brewed in giant factories with recipes scientifically calculated and precisely tested to garages and basements where ingredients are thrown together more like a sorcerer creating a potion in their cauldron. An art that has been passed down for thousands of years, evolving and improving, while also fundamentally staying the same. While brewing beer may seem more like a science, creativity is a major factor in the process. With hundreds of different types of beer out there, breweries get a chance to standout and create their identity. In addition, they can really show off their beer knowledge and inventiveness. It’s what makes these craft breweries so special and why their patrons are so loyal. Above all, it’s right there in the name – craft. With every sip, we can taste the hard work and care that was put into each pint.

San Jose’s craft beer scene may be small compared to other cities but we’ve always been fan of quality over quantity. Therefore, below please find our favorite breweries of San Jose, CA (in no particular order).