The Beer

Rhombi are our favorite quadrilaterals. It’s also the name of our Belgian Quad that spent 9 months aging in Bourbon and Maple Syrup barrels. This decadent garnet-hued beer has notes of maple, toffee, and chocolate with a smooth bourbon-y finish. Belgian yeast lends subtle notes of baking spices along with hints of cherry and plum.

Coconut Telegram doesn’t shout about coconut, but it clearly signals the news. Organic toasted Sri Lankan coconut adds tropical depth to this sunny IPA, while bright citrus and pineapple hop character enhances the message.

Hirschgarten, or “Deer Garden,” is named after the biggest beer garden in Munich. Imagine quaffing this Munich-style light lager in a leafy Bavarian park, in the company of deer! Deep golden and malt-forward, with underlying floral and spice hop notes, this beer is dry and rounded and oh-so-drinkable.

Castle Beach, crowning the Seabright neighborhood, is our “home beach,” ever-changing as decades go by. It inspired this extra hoppy, extra
fun, extra refreshing brew dry-hopped with Comet, Citra, and Strata. Notes of tangerine, strawberry, peach rings, and a hint of dank play on a base of light, bready malt. See you at the beach!

Capitola’s Opal Cliffs are not made of opals, but in the right light, you might see glints of opalescence. Likewise, this beer glows with gem-like pale golden light. In a kaleidoscope of lemony citrus, mango, passion fruit, and gooseberry, Motueka and Wakalu hops from New Zealand partner with American hops Sabro and Comet to produce a dazzling play of flavors.

We offer you a love story, brewed to honor and remember our loved ones felled by ALS and to raise funds for ALS research working toward a cure.

The beer’s multiple malts give it a rich, bready malt character with hints of chocolate and light caramel. Balanced by moderate bitterness, A Love Story is immensely drinkable and invites reminiscence and celebration.

The happy sight of an egret enjoying a ride on an abandoned board at the river mouth inspired the name for this double IPA. Dry-hopped with Citra, Eureka, and Strata, the beer is both dank and fruity, showing off flavors and aromas of citrus, tropical fruit, and pine. A base of light pilsner malt allows the hops to shine.

A long distance collaboration with Funkwerks in Colorado.

Our friend Scott, the head brewer at Funkwerks in Fort Collins, CO began his brewing career here at Discretion. We’ve been talking with him about Altbier. For this collaboration, we each came up with our own version of the traditional German style featuring malts from our own states. Brilliantly copper-colored and richly malty, our Altbier balances lightly toasted bread and caramel with a delicate bitterness leading to a long-lasting finish. We used predominantly local malts from Admiral Malting, with a tad of Colorado’s Proximity malt thrown in to tie the beer to its Colorado sibling.

Pineapple joins the Cruzer Weisse party! Cruzer Weisse is our Santa Cruz version of a Berliner Weisse, the sour wheat beer from Northern Germany. Pleasantly tart and effervescent, Cruzer Weisse is the perfect thirst quencher, bringing a refreshing zing to your warm weather fun. Plus, pineapple!

A well-crafted hazy is like stacks of stars in a glass. Dry-hopped with Strata, Zappa, and Comet, this hazy double IPA sparkles with aromas and flavors of citrus, sweet tropical fruit, and dank, resinous pine. Expand your horizons with its cosmic juiciness.

Brett, saison yeast, lactobacillus/-pedicoccus, and time worked their magic on this saison, resulting in a bright, citrusy beer with a dry finish. Notes of lemon, stone fruit, pepper, baking spices, and vanilla captivate the palate.

Our whiskey barrel-aged imperial stout is dark, rich, and authoritative. Aromas of roasted malt, whiskey, and oak capture your attention, while notes of deep caramel, toasted marshmallow, and fig enthrall your tastebuds. A lingering, roasty bitterness brings all of the elements into triumphant balance.

Lola was rescued from the streets of Baja and now frolics in the woods of Santa Cruz when she’s not hanging out at the brewery. We celebrate her arrival with this West Coast IPA that’s vibrant with pine and bursting with notes of grapefruit and pineapple. Exuberant Sultana and Chinook hops romp on a biscuity base of Admiral Maltings’ Maiden Voyage, resulting in a brew that will have you frolicking too.

We’re making a case for pillowy with this scrumptiously soft, double dry-hopped IPA. Fluffed up with pineapple and pine aromas, it relaxes on the palate in gentle clouds of tangerine and grapefruit.

The Lark, our Maibock brewed each spring to celebrate the season, spent a year in a bourbon barrel.  Then, a bit of The Lark from this spring was blended in to add body and sweetness.  Toffee and biscuit on the nose lead into toasted oak, the pleasing glow of bourbon, and a dry lager finish.  Do you get a hint of dried flowers that suggests an early summer stroll through a sun-warmed field?  Us too.

Stefano balances soft, sweet malt, light fruitiness, and floral and herbal Noble hops character.  Complex and delicate yet saturated with flavor, its strength is in its gentleness.  We namedt it in honor of Grandpa Stefano Genco, who immigrated from Bari, Italy in 1906, turned his Fresno yard into a vegetable garden, and hand-dug a cellar where he kept Italian cheese amid the garden bounty to share with his grandchildren.

Our version of Flanders Red, the famous Belgian Sour Red Ale, is fruity and reminiscent of red wine. A lemony nose leads into tart cherry character on a good malt backbone, with oak notes from the barrels mingling with a suggestion of almonds.

500ml bottle

Curl up with your favorite mug, and let the aromas of coffee and vanilla lull you into contentment. Oats lend a smooth and creamy mouthfeel, and soft malt flavors of chocolate and nutty caramel contribute to a full, round finish.

Thanks to our friends at Verve Coffee Roasters for the coffee!

This dazzling attention- grabber glows with the clean character and pleasing bitterness of your favorite German- style Pilsner. Its shimmer is amplified, yielding a golden, noble beer with richness and depth. Let Neon Shine illuminate your situation.

Your splendid tropical fruit and floral aromas lead us eagerly into the opulence of you. Your golden hue promises a wealth of treasures, and you deliver such an abundance of bright and candy-like fruitiness. You whisper of green and resinous secrets, keeping us enthralled.

Parched? Quench your thirst with a glass of Margarita Road. We aged our Mexican-style amber lager in tequila barrels, then added sea salt and organic lime zest. The copper-hued malty lager has a bright and refreshing character that makes for easy drinking.

Our Contemplate beers showcase unique ingredients on a canvas of Belgian blonde ale aged for a year with Brettanomyces in American oak barrels.

Contemplate Grapes stars local, organic Chardonnay grapes. They give a vinous quality to the aroma, with notes of pear, mango, and citrus. Fermentation on the grape skins created moderate tannins which add heft and dryness. The grapes’ acidity lends balance and maintains the refreshing finish. With time, this variation may evolve more complex fermentation characteristics due to native yeasts on the grapes themselves.

Our Contemplate beers showcase unique ingredients on a canvas of Belgian blonde ale aged for a year with Brettanomyces in American oak barrels.

Contemplate Hops displays Jarrylo and Waimea hops. Jarrylo adds its own notes of banana and pear to those same fruit notes contributed by Brettanomyces. Waimea lends bright citrus and pine components that play well with the mild acidity. Together, the hop flavors mingled with Brett’s fruit esters present ripe stone fruit and a tropical touch of pineapple.

This Brett-ed wit with coriander, pink pepercorn, and chardonnay pomace was aged in a Windy Oaks pinot barrel for 18 months. The aroma is oaky, spicy, citrusy, and pear-like, with vanilla and some chardonnay notes. The light refreshing flavor starts with a kiss of tannin and gives way to a silky, oaky fullness.

We support the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, which works to preserve local lands and critters.

Is there anyone better to sit around a campfire with, telling stories, IPAs in hand? We think not. Cheers, Uncle Dave! This full-bodied, complex, dry-hopped India Pale Ale delivers fruity hop aromas supported by substantial maltiness and a hint of peppery rye.

Available in 12oz and 19.2oz cans.

Put away the flashlights. The darkness is friendly and brings into focus the night’s scents and sounds. In our Night Walk, a dry-hopped black ale, bold hops mingle with chocolaty roast malt. Can an IPA be the color of night?

Aged for over 15 months in French oak barrels, this old ale’s brettanomyces character expresses itself as fruity funk on the nose, with flavors of dried cherry leading to a dry finish.

Three Fawns is a Belgian-style tripel aged in American bourbon barrels. A boozy warmth redolent of vanilla, black pepper, and honey, along with soft berry notes, leads into a dry peppery finish influenced by oak.

Tens of millions of flowers were visited by local bees to make the honey that gives a taste of place and a dry finish to our Kolsch-style ale. Vinous esters mingle with a wisp of honey in the nose. The delicate malt flavor is gently accented with a touch of orange zest in this refreshing, food friendly beer.

RELEASED SAT. 10/8 AT NOON!

Play your part. Scan the code and use your voice. A diversity of American hops all get involved in this IPA, contributing tropical and citrus fruitiness along with a piney, earthy hint of dank.

This new-school hazy IPA is brimming with aromas of tropical fruits. Hops, hops, and more hops were added to this beer throughout the production process to create a distinctively succulent IPA with notes of pineapple and guava. You wouldn’t be blamed if you thought this was some sort of “new juice” rather than a hazy IPA.

Originally brewed for the Redwood Mountain Faire, this blonde ale is a favorite for sipping beneath our beloved, towering redwoods.  Delightfully bright and refreshing, its low bitterness and subtle malt expression will win you over.

Stone by tiny stone, a picture emerges…

In our Mosaic-hopped pale ale, shining facets of flavor and aroma build a beautiful beer. Breathe in papaya, guava, and freshly-bloomed blossoms, each scent an element of the Mosaic hops.

The Winter Circle is a huge, twinkling pattern of stars that dominates the winter sky. Our Winter Circle casts a prevailing glow that decorates any darkness.

This barrel-aged version of our American Barleywine (3 months in Colorado Whiskey barrels) is a big, complex, copper-hued beauty. The whiskey barrels in which it is aged add notes of vanilla and oak to this luscious, heady sipper.

Amazing panoramas await when you take the scenic route. Scenic Stout is a robust yet smooth stout with a rich aroma of bittersweet chocolate. Oats round out its roasty, deep, dark cocoa flavor. Scenic Stout is the way to go.

“This is divinely delicious. Its effervescence makes me want to celebrate something, but it’s so majestic that I almost want to be all alone with it, thinking big thoughts.”

They assumed she was paying attention only to the beer till she set her tiles down and said, “Triple word score.”

“Nice,” was all they could respond.

Everyone took another sip.

Our Belgian-Style Tripel is unfiltered and golden in color. The aroma is full of fruity esters with a bit of spicy/grassy hops in the background. The flavor begins with a malty sweetness, then finishes with some warming alcohol and a moderately dry hop bitterness.

Lars and Kathleen spent a week wandering around Dublin during a heatwave, and all the Dubliners were in the parks with their shirts off enjoying the feel of the sun on their skin. Day by day they walked through St. Stephens Green seeing redder and redder skin as everyone excitedly burned.  It was a sunburn celebration. This is a traditional Irish Red: malty with a wee bit ‘o hops for balance. Sláinte!

While we wait for the rains, foggy forest walks reassure us with green, misty promise. This IPA hints of forest pleasures with its dank, resinous, piney hop aroma.

Our old shepherd Faith would’ve made a great brewery dog, but she didn’t live quite long enough. (Dogs never do.) Here’s to her and to all the good dogs. Good Faith is a Strong Ale, with malt derived toffee and dried fruit notes.

Oh Black Lager, Keep on Rollin’… The sound of the black lager happily burbling in the brew house brought this song to mind. Similar in style to a German Schwarzbier, this lager is dark brown in color with a roasted malt aroma and a lingering finish.  Its flavor is malty and mellow with a slight roasty edge reminiscent of bitter chocolate.

She has a shimmery depth, like light on the fathomless sea. Our brewer’s wife, Eileen, inspired the name of this beer.  Shimmer Pils is a crisp and refreshing German-style Pilsner, a true lager with a balanced hoppiness.

Our old shepherd Faith would’ve made a great brewery dog, but she didn’t live quite long enough. (Dogs never do.) Here’s to her and to all the good dogs. Our award-winning Strong Ale balances sweet toffee and dried fruit with oaky bourbon and vanilla notes from bourbon barrels.