Marin Brewing Company

Type:        Brewpub

Location: 1809 Larkspur Landing Circle

                 Larkspur, CA 94939

                 United States

                 Phone: (415) 461-4677

Website: www.marinbrewing.com

Cost: $14 for a Sampler of 8 Beers

Visit Date: 08/15/2010

Beers: Blueberry 5.6

Marin Weiss (filtered) 5.5

Tiburon Blonde 5.5

Mt. Tam Pale 5.5


E.S.Chi 5.4

IPA 6.8

San Quentins Breakout Stout 6.3

Starbrew 10.3

Nearby: Ferrry Terminal to San Francisco, Mt. Tamalpais, Muir Woods, Wine Country

Notes: I was in Marin visiting family, staying at the Marriot across the street.  One night on the way back to the hotel, I dragged my mom out to check out the Brewpub.  We’d had plenty to eat and drink all day, but my curiousity compelled me to visit.  We shared a sampler.

Beer with fruit added seems to be hit or miss, sometimes it works and sometimes not.  I’ve had some great blueberry ales but this blueberry was a touch too sweet for my liking.  The Tiburon Blonde was nice, but not outstanding.  The E.S.Chi was interesting.  It was a light ale with “a special blend of herbs added” It tasted like tea-beer.  I liked it, but it was a little too odd for my mom.  My mom preferred the IPA (which had a nice strong nose and well rounded flavor) while I preferred the Stout.  I’m usually not a fan of stouts with coffee or chocolate added, this one tasted like coffee had been added, but it worked.  It was very tasty.  The Starbrew was a “wheat-wine” which tasted like a lighter barleywine.  Alright, but still a bit too alcoholy for me.  I loved Barleywines and Belgians for awhile but I seem to have burned myself out on them and it’s rare that I come across one anymore that I can stand.  This was no exception.

It was fairly late when we stopped by, and we had a nice chat sitting at the bar, but according to my aunt who lives in Marin County, during busy times it is quite loud.  I didn’t mind that we weren’t hungry because the yelp reviews said that while the beer is very good, the food is underwhelming standard bar-fare.  I can’t speak from experience regarding the food.  But being as Marin Brewing is wedged between a Sushi restaurant and a Thai restaurant, if I were hungry, I’d be compelled to go nextdoor.  Which next door might be a dilemna, but next door definitely sounds more appetizing than standard bar fare.