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The BIG Reason

Music, opinions, and portfolio of Mark Eagleton, musician and web developer in Northern CA.

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CA State Fair good beer map
A map of where to find the good beer. Don’t be fooled by the blues and brews beer garden. Heineken sponsors it now!

California State Fair Good Beer Map

Every year, my wife and I go to the California State Fair to drink craft beer and look at exhibits, and every year all of our friends ask us where the good beer garden is. Well, I made a map.

It’s a little hard to find. Most people are drawn to the blues and brews beer garden which used to be sponsored by Sierra Nevada (a landmark California craft brewing company), but is now sponsored by Heineken (a Dutch brewing company that is in a different hemisphere than California and makes a beer distinctly unlike those that are most popular in California).

There are technically two good beer gardens, and they are back to back. Both are nestled in a small nook between the county exhibit building and behind “Smokey’s Forest” (a forest fire safety demonstration area for kids), almost underneath the huge raised walkway that takes you to the upper level of the 3 main exhibit buildings.

The easiest way to access it from the main gate is to:

  1. make an immediate left upon entering the fairgrounds
  2. head down the hill passed the photo booths, toward the food vendors
  3. Just before you get to the covered part of the food vendor area, make a right and head towards the large,bluetan exhibit hall with the large letter “A” on it.
  4. Go to the left side of the hall, and go under the arch of beer signs.

Smokey’s Forest will be on your left. The larger craft beer garden will be to your left once you past the forest. They usually have about 10 drafts to choose from. In the past, this beer garden has had beers from Stone, Green Flash, Bear Republic, Deschutes and Drake’s.

If you keep going past this beer garden, make a left under the raised walkway around the Heineken pizza stand, then another immediate left and you will find the craft brew competition beer garden. This one usually has a more boutique selection. There will only be a few beers from the actual craft beer competition. It will have out of state, and usually a few Belgian beers as well. (Years ago, this beer garden was actually the first place I found Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA in California.)

Beers are available in 20 oz. glasses for $12 and 16 oz. glasses for … I don’t know, I only buy the 20 oz. glasses.

Here is the full resolution version of the map. Print one off and take it with you. I hope this helps you find the beer you crave. $12 for the 20 oz. glass is the best bang for your buck.

Happy hunting!

NOTE: My wife and I are going to the fair tomorrow. I will update this page if anything changes.

UPDATE: The blue building is now tan. I have also attached images of the 2014 beer lists. The Blues & Brews beer garden has Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Kellerweis, along with their usual imported lagers.