For diners who have frequented Lagunitas Brewing Company, it is hard to give a rating of less than five stars. This Capri Creek area brewery is a popular hangout for the city's beer-loving locals, and it also offers a chance to see how one of the country's most popular beers is made.

Aside from the year-round handcrafted beer, the big draw at Lagunitas Brewing Company is the live music held in the taproom throughout the week. Check out brews with funny names like the Hot Stoopid, and be sure to try one of the toasty sandwiches with homemade sauce. The open patio “backyard” has plenty of picnic benches to gather around for grub and a beer or two, and it even makes a great place to top off the meal with a frothy imperial stout ice cream float.

Afterward, stop in for a free tasting room tour to see how Lagunitas beer is made. Samples change depending on what's in season, but beer lovers recommend trying the experimental brews when on site, as those are unique to the brewery.

Lagunitas Brewing Company
1280 North McDowell Boulevard
Petaluma, CA 94954
(707) 769-4495
lagunitas.com/taprooms/petaluma
www.yelp.com/biz/lagunitas-brewing-co-petaluma

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr quinn.anya