Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/759555
december 2016 / the tasting panel / 1 1 1 Brant Myers runs Hop On Beer Tours and is also a radio show host and beer aficionado. Libertine Brewing Company is one of the most progres- sive breweries, with sour beers, wild yeast "terroir" fermentation and barrel aging. W ith its tree-lined streets, its pristine beaches and its proximity to the Central Coast's two hottest wine regions—Edna Valley and Paso Robles—the fact that San Luis Obispo (SLO) is producing some of the country's most delicious and innovative beer has, sadly, gotten short shrift. Enter this year's inaugural SLO Beer Week. Rightfully proud of its burgeoning beer scene, the city and the local chamber of commerce sponsored a seven-day beer bash, one that was chock-full of events, dinners with brew- ers, grand tastings and educational seminars (and the premiere of Craft: A California Beer Documentary), inviting the world to toast and drink up the high-quality suds that are pouring out of this sleepy and almost always- sunny city. We are pleased to report that despite already being fans of the city's prominent breweries, such as Libertine Brewing Co., we came away even more enlightened and are here to declare two musts: (1) Visit the stunner city soon and (2) when you do, you'd be remiss not to sip the brew there. The beer itself is worth the trip. One of the easiest ways to sample all the beer, learn pretty much everything you want to know about brewing in San Luis Obispo— and not drive—is to hitch a ride with Hop On Beer Tours (hoponbeertours.com). The drivers/ tour guides are certified Cicerones—beer sommeliers—who have the inside hook at every brewery and are just flat-out fun to hang out with for a few hours. But whether you Hop On or blaze your own SLO craft-beer trail, here are the must-hit breweries of San Luis Obispo.