Brewing up Fun in Buellton
Vineyards of green are turning gold, and the essence of fall is upon us. What better time than the return of sweater weather, football, and pumpkins to pay homage to Buellton’s second most popular export: local beer.
Buellton is home to two of California’s most popular craft breweries – Firestone Walker Brewing Company and Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. And it’s not just award winning brews you’ll experience when you plan your next visit; Buellton has plenty of things to see and explore for the craft beverages fan!
Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Firestone may have moved their core brewing operations up the coast as they’ve expanded, but did you know that their first brewery was located here in Buellton when their operations grew beyond what they could accomplish at the Firestone family vineyard? In addition to serving their award winning beers and delicious taproom fare; the Firestone Walker Buellton location is also the exclusive home to Barrelworks – their barrel-aged vintage and wild ales program.
Make Firestone Walker Brewing Co. part of your fall plans with a visit to the taproom – or placing an order online – for their latest Oaktoberfest release! “Oaktoberfest is a beer that has stood the test of time,” said Firestone Walker Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “In fact, I believe that more and more craft drinkers are yearning for beers like Oaktoberfest. There’s a certain nostalgia to the style—smooth, sessionable, flavorful and malt-forward. It’s the kind of beer that you naturally crave as summer turns to fall.”
Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.
No fall calendar can be complete without Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.’s annual Figtoberfest celebration! This year the festivities will take place at Fig Mtn Brew’s satellite tastings rooms in Los Olivos, Santa Barbara and Westlake Village on September 30th, but the big celebration takes place at their Buellton HQ – aka “The Mothership” – on October 7.
All Figtoberfest celebrations will include limited edition glassware, German food, games, contests for best dressed, and more!
Sideways Lounge at Sideways Inn
Everything on the menu from the Santa Ynez Sausage Co. is perfect with a pint! Located at Sideways Lounge, you’ll find the most delicious sausages and hand-cut Belgian fries being served from the most charming airstream around.
Along with creative sausage creations like the Buellton Tailgate and the Open Sesame, the menu also features shareables like SYV Wings and pretzel bites; alongside ample local and national brews, handcrafted cocktails, and local wines to choose from.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Looking for the perfect reason to plan a trip to these three iconic beer-lovers locations? Check out these upcoming events and plan a full weekend around Santa Ynez Valley’s finest culinary experiences!
Visit SYV’s Annual Taste of the Santa Ynez Valley
September 28 – October 1
Visit the Santa Ynez Valley with Sunset Magazine are delighted to be presenting a four-day, six town celebration of food, wine and all of the best experiences the Santa Ynez Valley has to offer!
With dozens of individual events to choose from over this multi-day event, you can curate your own perfect itinerary with special experiences not available anywhere else. Some of our Buellton favorites include special zipline experiences with Highline Adventures, the “Create Your Own Chato Wine Tumbler” workshop with Community Clayworks, the Buellton Beer Focused Tasting at Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., and “An Iconic SYV Food & Wine Experience” at Hitching Post 2!
The 39th Annual Vintners Festival at Vega Vineyard & Farm
October 14 | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Heralded as the “Original Santa Barbara Wine Festival” and hosted each year by the Santa Barbara County Vintners Association, the 39th Annual Vintners Festival will feature more than 50+ local wineries and dozens of regional restaurants for the penultimate Santa Barbara Wine Country experience.
Engage directly with the winemakers, owners, chefs and more throughout the spacious grounds of Buellton’s newest winery, Vega Vineyard and Farm, for an unforgettable day in wine country.
