California's 5 Favorite Beer Brands Announced On National Beer Day: Do You Agree?

CALIFORNIA, CA — National Beer Day, celebrated every year on April 7, is Thursday. It marks the anniversary of congressional passage in 1933 of the Cullen-Harrison Act, which eased Prohibition-era restrictions and permitted the manufacture of low-alcohol beer and wines. Nine months later, on Dec. 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition altogether.

Craft breweries in the United States date back to the late 1970s, the first opening shortly after President Jimmy Carter signed legislation that made home-brewing legal in 1978.

In recent decades, craft beer has become a popular choice for Californians.

Although craft beer's presence continues to grow, it still hasn't quite cracked the top five in popularity. According to a survey by the marketing and analytics company Top Agency, large brands like Budweiser and Heineken still remain the most popular choices among beer aficionados.

Top Agency surveys showed the most popular beer in California is Budweiser in this top 5 list, however Patch aims to show you the top 60 craft beer brewers across the golden state, below.

Top 5 Most Popular Beers In California

1. Budweiser
2. Bud Light
3. Heineken
4. Guinness
5. Sierra Nevada

What Are California's Favorite Craft Beer Labels?

Though the Golden State is known for its wine and wineries, craft brewing is on the upswing from the verdant fields of Napa to the sprawling Temecula Valley.

In Northern California, Davis area brewer Sudwerk Brewing Co. was named California's 2021 Champion Brewery of 2021, for large craft brewing of over 5,001 barrels a year. The more intimate establishment, Anaheim's Radiant Beer Company, also earned top nods for brewers between 0 and 250 barrels.

In the same vein, Southern California's regional craft brewing award winners included Temecula Valley's Refuge Brewery. The small craft brewer earned top honors in Temecula, winning the 2021 Golden Tap Brewery of the Year award, Visit Temecula Valley reports.

Refuge Brewery offers a unique Blood Orange Wit. This is an easy-drinking Belgian ale that uses Riverside County-grown blood oranges in each batch to create an "explosive flavor" that is well balanced sweet and tart blend that is highly drinkable.

If you're looking for a new, fun beer-tasting experience, we suggest hopping over to Orange County's Disney California Adventure for a sampling of Pym Test Kitchen Ale.

Across California, local craft breweries took home 60 medals at the 2021 Great American Beer Festival awards, the largest competition to date, as reported by California Craft Brewing Association.

The California craft breweries which received top honors in 2021 include:

• Almanac Beer Co.
• Arts District Brewing Co.
• Barebottle Brewing Co.
• Beachwood Blendery
• Bearded Tang Brewing
• Belching Beaver Brewery – Tavern & Grill
• Berryessa Brewing Co.
• Claremont Craft Ales
• Coronado Brewing Co. – Production Facility
• Corralitos Brewing Co.
• Deft Brewing
• Eel River Brewing Co.
• Eppig Brewing
• Escape Craft Brewery
• Fall River Brewing Co.
• Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
• Ghost Town Brewing
• HenHouse Brewing Co.
• Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown
• Hop Dogma Brewing Co.
• Karl Strauss Brewing Co. – Anaheim
• Kilowatt Brewing
• Liquid Gravity Brewing Co.
• Morgan Territory Brewing
• Mountain Rambler Brewery
• North Park Beer Co.
• Original Pattern Brewing Co.
• Radiant Beer Co.
• Redwood Curtain Brewing Co.
• Riip Beer Co.
• Rouleur Brewing Co.
• Seismic Brewing Co.
• Stereo Brewing Co.
• Strike Brewing Co.
• Sudwerk Brewing Co.
• TapRoom Beer Co.
• The Bruery
• The Rare Barrel
• Third Street Aleworks
• Third Window Brewing Co.
• Two Roots Brewing Co.
• Unsung Brewing Co. – Taproom
• WestBrew
• Wild Barrel Brewing Co.
• Wild Fields Brewhouse

Search for a craft brewer near you on the full California Craft Brewer's Association map of members across California.