Rubicon Brewing Company

Rubicon Brewing Company is located in midtown Sacramento on Capitol Ave between 21st and 20th streets.

Rubicon, founded in 1989 by Ed Brown, is Sacramento's staple craft brewery. In 2005, Glynn Phillips who had managed the Marin Brewing Company bought Rubicon and kept on long time and award-winning brewmaster Scott Cramlet.

When the Great American Beer Festival created the category of American India Pale Ale in 1990, Rubicon and Cramlet won a gold medal that year and in 1991. Rubicon has been making great beers since the rise of of craft brewer in the mid to late 1980's.

Glynn has taken Rubicon to a different level by involving the brewery in community and philanthropic events. Glynn will also be expanding Rubicon's production capacity.

Rubicon is located in the heart of midtown Sacramento's nightlife. The place is usually busy with a lunch crowd, afternoon drinks crowd, happy hour crowd and night crowd. The place is on the smaller side and can be pretty cramped on any given night. During nice weather the patio relieves the crowds. However, the lack of music and TVs, makes Rubicon a fun, full community space to chat with friends. While in the middle of the nightlife, Rubicon keeps a very specific crowd who are there to enjoy craft brews.

The brew kettles are visible from the tap room through windows in a wall the separate the two rooms. You can get a better peak when you walk down the hall to the bathroom.The decor hasn't been updated in a long while, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying some brews.

Rubicon serves food, which I haven't had in a while, but there is a reason - it wasn't very good. However, it will do the job if you need to put something in your stomach.

However, the beer is really good. The craft beer industry in recent years has sped up - more breweries open every month and new styles pop up every week. While many long-time, solid breweries have been slow to keep up, Rubicon has pushed hard on the gas. There is usually a new style of theirs on tap when I go, and a special tap from another brewery. I appreciate the camaraderie.

I enjoy their Monkey Knife Fight, IPA, Rosebud, Capricorn Black IPA and recently tried and really enjoyed their Coffee IPA. The coffee IPA, made with local beans from Old Soul coffee, is the most assertive, enjoyable, but balanced coffee flavor I've had. You have to like coffee to really appreciate.

Overall, Rubicon is always a recommended visit. Whether its chatting with local beer geeks or trying a new brew, there will be something to enjoy.