Absolutely amazing brewery! The English Rose is the best beer! This is the second time I've been here. The first night had an amazing musician that entertained and delighted. Dogs are not only accepted but extalted. In fact this is the place for all pups to meet and greet. Dog water bowls are plentyful FOR ALL BREEDS! A great place to chill and have a wonder brew! read more

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Went to see Brotherhood of Freaks at this establishment Definitely a great place for a venue the outside area was easy to maneuver around with a cane and actually very manageable for us that are physically challenged so no Worries there Staff was on cue and eager to please Finally an establishment who knows how to run a business And has those with physical challenges covered I'll Definitely be back Thanks for the great service Maybe next time allow Brotherhood of the freaks to play longer ? read more

Hands down my favorite brewery in Santa Cruz county. They have a wide variety of beers and they rotate regularly. Staff are friendly and welcoming. You can bring your own food or there's usually a different food truck outside for you to order from. I love how kid and dog friendly this place is. read more

Steel Bonnet - My son playing connect four in their open patio. - Breweries Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

Excellent beer Dog friendly Nice outdoor patio Did not sample food Flight is 9 tasters Check it out! read more

Fun brewery with a great selection of beers. They usually have a food truck parked out front, but you can also bring in food from one of the local spots nearby. I also enjoy the live music they bring in a lot of the nights. Looking forward to checking out of the trivia nights they host. The beer tenders are also very nice and I had the chance to meet the owner. Would definitely recommend grabbing a drink if you're in the area! read more

A wonderful, small family owned operation that's been here 7 years. They have an ongoing selection of British, Scotch and Irish beer styles, as opposed to huge offerings of hoppy IPAs. It's a nice balance and they have a small outdoor beer garden as well as some inside bar and table seating. Both bathrooms were clean. They're dog friendly. They focus on beer and so they've left the food to a impressive list of rotating food trucks and there's a few restaurants (like a taqueria) in the shopping center parking lot. This is a neat salvation tucked behind the Carl's Jr. and it's easy to find. They appear to have live music some days, but don't open until 3 PM. It's nice they are open everyday and they have excellent service. If I could start my own brewing operation, I'd want it to be this size and not any bigger. The downside is they don't have canned beer for sale outside of single cans made on-demand. I suspect this place could easily sell canned beer to the local markets. The grocer in this same parking lot carries Alvarado Street beer from Monterey, so that's what I'd suggest for them. I like they are continuing to experiment and have prototyping equipment that's not much bigger than my own. They are passionate about making beer and I discovered they also use Admiral Malting. They stay true to the style definitions, so it feels like you're in a small family brewery in Europe. This is a fun place to visit every so often to try all the different stuff they've been working on, that's my plan as the beers I'd planned to try weren't in production, but they had plenty of other good beer. read more

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Great beer! Fantastic service. Cozy vibes. Can't ask for anything more! We had a wonderful evening. read more

Steel Bonnet - Cheers! - Breweries Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

Stopped by here on a drive to Santa Cruz. We got there just as the opened on a Saturday. I don't typically drink beer at noon on a Saturday but I couldn't pass up the chance to visit a brewery I've never been to. The bartender was very welcoming and friendly. The taproom was small but nice. I got a the Black Mayle stout. It was good. I didn't get a feel for the vibe since we were the only people there at opening. If ever in the area again, I'd like to visit again. read more

Steel Bonnet - Breweries Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

This is my favorite brewery! Great beer, super friendly staff, great music and a nice selection of food from various food trucks. Best of all, there are ALWAYS wonderful dogs to pet! read more

Very enjoyable afternoon drinking beer in the back garden. Saturday after UCSC spring break, took the teen back to campus and then met the girlies for drinks. Got there first and there were a few locals standing around, more than happy to help guide me to a beer. As I told them, I don't look at any beer under 10%, so that left me with only one option - the Reiver Red. It's a smoke bomb, which is not normally my thing, but hey...you go with the flow when you gotta. I parked myself in the back at a picnic table and waited on the girls. It was taking a minute so I walked back in to see that they were chatting with the bartender because, surprise, surprise, the local Felton gal recognized the bartender from way back at some music spinning place (I lost track but there were records involved I think...and eventually a radio station in Boulder Creek) so that was a fun bit for everyone. They also have a food truck and on this day it was Union Foodie Truck that had tacos and such...including a delicious tofu option that I loved. I'd come back for the vibe, but I want to time it so they are serving a proper stout....which IS my thing. read more

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Continuing the bay beer tour at Steel Bonnet on a Friday night. The hazy is fantastic, not bitter, light on the floral hops, but super heavy on very aromatic hops, and the London Fog English Ale is spot on. Fun live music tonight, and good fish & chips food truck to round out the English evening ! Cheers! read more

Atmosphere and space and vibe seems cool . Band a twinge loud. However, Please do NOT continue to put scented soap in a bottle you are reusing marked unscented. Some people (1/3 of the population has negative reaction to fragrances) may have a medical issue using scented soap thinking it's unscented. "Lucky me" I just got nauseous and dizzy for a few hours but an asthmatic or someone on chemo may not be as lucky. read more

If you are on the hunt for craft beer producers in the Santa Cruz area, then you for sure need to put Steel Bonnet on your radar. Located in Scotts Valley, right off the highway, it is an easy jaunt up from town, and will come as a very pleasant surprise to anyone scoping out the brewery scene in the region. The building itself is pretty unassuming, tucked in a back corner of a shopping center, with plenty of easy parking. Inside is a small but cozy taproom, and a pretty nice outdoor beer garden under a big tree around back, with a stage for live shows. No food is served here, but a few bagged snacks are available, and it appears that food trucks will rotate through, as well. Further, service was quite friendly and prompt. While their brews cover most of the standard bases in terms of styles, it appears that IPAs are their thing, specifically with more emphasis on British types, both of which are right up my alley. As the staff will tell you, they do not try to go for any sort of "gimmicky" sorts of beer, instead aiming simply at making the best beers they can. Kiss Me Hardy is a remarkably delicious English IPA, much more mellow in the hoppiness compared to many American ones. English Beat has a great balance of maltiness and hopiness, and is the beer I would recommend the most. The Black Mayle is a very delicious dark stout, with deep maltiness and was very smooth. Lastly, I got to try out their house-made Root Beer. I love it when breweries make their own soft drinks, and theirs is very refreshing and not overly sweet, the perfect thing to polish off a round of pints or for a summer afternoon. All that being considered, what really puts them over the top is the prices of their brews. For craft beer in a touristy area, these guys are pretty darn cheap, with most pints starting out around $5.50. This is an amazing deal, and I was thrilled to find such amazing products at such reasonable prices. All in all, I think Steel Bonnet is for sure getting some of the highest marks in my book. They make some amazingly tasty brews, have a great location, and the price point is hard to beat. This is for sure a place I strongly recommend any beer lover come check out when in the Bay Area. Cheers, guys! read more

If you love well-crafted, reasonably priced beer, come here! If you don't love well-crafted, reasonably priced beer... what's your deal? This place is an awesome find in a kinda mundane location. Tucked behind a taqueria and next to a Carl's Junior, it's almost surprising to find such good beer here. Beers tend towards the darker, richer side but there are also one or two lighter beers. I've really enjoyed everything I've tried here. The wee heavy and the stout are two of my favorites. And at $5.50 a pint, it's really reasonable for such good quality. 5, 12, and 20 oz pours also available. There's plenty of seating inside and an outdoor heated patio. I spotted playing cards on every table and a little shelf with some board games. That + the ability to bring outside food makes this the kind of place I could spend a few hours. Also noteworthy: -Lots of parking; the lot for this shopping center is big -I believe doggos are welcome on a leash Well worth a visit. I plan on many more! read more

Steel Bonnet - Playing cards at every table and outside food is ay-okay! - Breweries Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

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Great local fresh brewed beer my favorite are the hop the heck, black mayle stout, Paul Hanna coconut stout, Queen Anne and esb brews! Live music on weekends. Food trucks occasionally but mostly friendly helpful staff who enjoy talking about their beers and love they put into each batch they brew. We have a few local breweries in Santa Cruz county and this is one of my favorites you must stop by for a pint to check em out! To be honest I recommend the 20oz size bargain priced great deal even better is how tasty the beer is! Cheers! Zman. read more

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This is a South Bay/Santa Cruz-area craft beer jewel. It's beers are top-notch, with a range of alcohol levels and lighter to heavier tastes. Staff is friendly, the inside is relatively small, intimate, really. There are outside areas, often live music, and rotating food trucks. On a recent visit it was a marvelous oyster offering. Tasty with my pint. Definitely worth stopping in if you are in the area. read more

Great hidden gem! Good beer, good ambiance, happy to go back.

We came here Saturday around 5:30pm and it was busy. We were able to find a barrel table to situate ourselves but no chairs to sit. Good thing the beers weren't that good. There was only a hazy and a light beer that was good. The beer tenders were nice to let us try some samples before committing to pints. There was live band outside. Some seating indoors and a pto outdoors but they were al taken. Dog friendly. read more

Wonderful selection of well made beers, ales , porters and more. Tucked away in upper Scotts Valley with lovely outdoor seating and limited indoor seating. Having shamelessly tasted everything, I can say with authority, it is all good. My personal preference is their English ale, "Kiss me, Hardy" which is a reference to Lord Nelson's last words and not a nod to current politically correct Woke culture. Owner is a Scot. Wife is English. The name is the company is a delicious reference to historic Scots-English tensions. I think you will enjoy yourselves! read more

While the beers didn't 'wow' me, I really enjoyed my time at this craft brewery in Scotts Valley. It has local gem vibes written all over it--great space, super friendly service, a solid selection of 6-8 beers brewed onsite (windows to the back let you see the tanks, brewing process in action), dog-friendly too! We stopped by after a day in the redwoods and lunch in the area, and tried four beers total. 12 oz pours of Oatmeal Stout & Cream Ale then small pour tasters of their Brown Ale & Old Schillings (a scotch ale, I believe). My fav was the Cream Ale, which was full of flavor but also light and crisp. Our bill was like $15 for everything, sooo kinda hard to beat that! Excited to return again in the future and see what's brewing. read more

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My wife brought me to the Santa Cruz area for a fun beer filled birthday weekend. Steel Bonnet was our first stop and was definitely the best. Their beers were all unique and vastly different. They offer English style Ales which are not hopped up and very low carbonation Visited a couple breweries in Santa Cruz after and the other breweries IPAs were lack luster and similar in taste. We liked Steel Bonnet so much we hit them up again on the return trip home. read more

Steel Bonnet - Good diverse selection. Love English Rose and the Beer Creek Brown. - Breweries Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

On our way out of the area my hubs and I decided to make a quick stop for a round or two at Steel Bonnet after it popped up on our nearby search of craft beer. The beer lineup was solid, I liked that they focused on more malt forward styles which is always a nice departure (imho) to the hop heavy rotation at most breweries. What really wowed me was the prices, $4.50/12oz, $5.50/16oz or $6.50/20oz which is super affordable, you can really get your buzz on and not break the bank like you would at a lot of breweries in the Bay Area where a 10-12oz pour will run you $8. Also a win for Steel Bonnet in my book is the fact that they are dog friendly! read more

Steel Bonnet - 12oz Oatmeal Stout ($4.50) - Breweries Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

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It's been a while now that steel bonnet has been opened and I felt it was time to do review update. I am upgrading my review from 4 stars to 5. The little unfinished bits have been finished and the beer is top notch! The ambiance is awesome with dimly lit old timey Edison bulbs and comfortable seating. Owner Donald and his family keep cranking out killer beers 3 barrels at a time. Scottish brewed with California attitude indeed! The tap room manager Sam is still spinning tasty cuts of vinyl, usually in the classic rock genre, but he tries to get to know your style and will always say "I've got something for you to hear!" Steel bonnet is dog friendly but keep your beasties on a leash as a certain someone and his careless ethics ruined that freedom for us. Don't be that guy! The backyard patio is near completion and that promises to add even more leg room to this nano brewery that at times is filled wall to wall! I'll say it again, wohoo! A brewery is Scott's Valley! I love this place, my hands down favorite place for enjoying a tasty adult beverage in town. Give'em a try! read more

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Great craft beer and an excellent price! Go get some!

This is the super fain local scotts valley brewery. This is gonna be a long,detailed review. All you TLDR types just skip to the end for the summary. Parking will be a small issue most times. Sure there will be an open spot somewhere in what some consider a sizeable surface lot. That lot however serves as parking for more then a dozen businesses many of which are quite popular. Thus you will be enjoying the late 80's christmas shopping mall effect of circling an dodging distracted/drunk/stoned or just plane crazy drivers most of whom are like you attempting to find a spot. Be patient, you'll find one. As you walk in while dodging the parking lot drivers (I feel reasonably certain that you won't be in the spots right in front what don't have you crossing half the lot. Call it a hunch.) the front entrance sure doesn't look like much. If this is your first time, look for the food truck. The front entrance is right behind it. Once in however the true beery glory starts to reveal itself. There is both inside and outside seating although most of the seating is outside. The inside seating is fairly unremarkable. It's the standard high table and chair model that you'll find in any bar area along with a limited amount of counter space at the serving bar. The inside aims for a rustic look, provides views of the mash tuns/brewing room, has the restrooms, and is overall the place to be if you are feeling sociable as everyone kinda jumbles together at the bar as that's the only place to get thy beers-no table service. Overall the inside has a nice warm feel to it. Outside is has more seating most of which is either pic nic tables or benches although there are some loungy patio style options as well. Invariably there will be live music ranging from "we mostly know how to play our instruments" to "Why is this ban not famous?". On my visits the music is of the honky tonk style, although they mix it up sometimes by adding country. The outside is super chill. I like the tree placement. It feels very much like someone's backyard. There is a small spot for children off to the side, but I have to say this is not the most child friendly spot. I'm not against having a pint as a family but drunk men, beer and small children can be a problematic mix. All this is fine you say, but what about the real reason you come to a brewery-the beer? The beer is awesome. Truly epic. There will be ten to twelve taps depending on what's going on-a stout, a sour, a imperial, two or three IPA's because of course there are, an excellent cream ale, something barrel aged, a glorious hazy IPA and whatever else the brewer feels like messing around with that month. I'm a huge fan both of the cream ale and the hazy. Both beers are superior examples of their types. So totally worth it. Better yet this is a reasonably priced (for the area) pint. Nothing will put you back more then six bucks or so. As far as downsides go well there are a few. It can get over busy at the bar which is the only spot to get served. There is a kind of rush hour to get in and out on those super busy Friday nights. It can be loud both inside and out and I hope you like the music because when they are jamming there is nowhere at all to get away from them. To be honest it took me wayyyy to long to get here. Usually if I'm running the gauntlet of highway 17 I'm making it worth my while by fighting it all the way to San Jose by god, and I totally missed this gem of a local brewery right under my nose. So totally worth it. Don't be a Steve and wait forever to go here. read more

Another fantastic craft beer company in SC, although it is in Scotts Valley. I can see that they are still growing, the service is great, the sittings are comfortable, there are outside areas for kids to play and the inside is clean as a whistle. As for the beer, none of them stroked my fancy, HOWEVER, it doesn't mean it isn't good, it is just none of them jumped out the pages for me. If I lived in Scotts Vallyey, I would be here everyday though. read more

Steel Bonnet - Breweries Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

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First time stopping in here. I had a half hour to kill before meeting a friend at stopped in for a beer. The place was buddy but service was swift. I was offered samples before ordering a pint which was a nice surprise. The beer was great; staff pleasant, and building was nice and clean. I'll be back. read more

This place has really good beer with a slight Scottish twist. Service was super friendly and welcoming as soon as we stepped through the door. My favorite was their English Pale -- nicely malty and sweet, with just the right amount of hoppy ending. The Session IPA was awesome. The Peat Smoked Ale definitely stood out as a unique beer. It was incredibly smoky, and tasted like I was eating wood chips from a bonfire, or the fatty parts of slow smoked bbq. I can't imagine drinking a full glass of it, but it's definitely worth a sample. They brew the beer on site, and you can walk up to see all the equipment and brewing in action. They don't serve food, but you can bring in your own food from the neighboring restaurants! read more

Steel Bonnet - Taster flight! - Breweries Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

We've been going to Steel Bonnet since they first opened. It was our go-to spot for a quick getaway from the kids or for a place they could be outside while we relax a bit (they are 4, 2, and 1). When the back patio first opened, it was the best. Kiddos all the time playing with trucks or other little toys while parents had a beer. As time has gone on, we've just had to look past a few too many poor customer service interactions and we've really gotten the impression that they do not like kids being there anymore. The short haired server always seems annoyed to be at work. Sam never remembers our names even though we've come a million times. But we still went because there aren't many easy spots for us with our kids and the beer is decent. Last time we were there, Sam came out to tell us that any running around or hula-hooping needed to happen on the side of the building so as not to disturb the music (there were two guys with a harmonica singing). It was 5pm and my kids weren't running around. They were sitting at a picnic table with me about to eat dinner. It was a mood killer for me and I'm not sure we'll keep going back. read more

Try the stout. Best dark Breton Scott's Valley. The Owners here says you can bring food over from anywhere and enjoy it in the lie dining area. You can also bring wine in-- no corkage fee! read more

Steel Bonnet - Owners here says you can bring food over from anywhere and enjoy it in the dining area. You can also bring wine in-- no corkage fee! - Breweries Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

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I've never so strongly wanted to give a place 5 stars while simultaneously wanting not to give it any rating to ensure it doesn't get too crowded. I. Love. Steel. Bonnet. The beer is amazing, but more than that it's a warm, friendly, relaxing spot. I've been going here for a bit over a year and the employees and owner are always very friendly and welcoming. The live music is always a blast and I enjoy bringing my dogs here when the weather is nice. I hesitate to say this as I wouldn't want to ruin a good thing, but the one thing I could say is that it would be nice to have food here. I know we can bring our own stuff but it's just not the same. Keep doing what you're doing and I'll keep rolling up in my old VW Bus for a good beer, some good conversations, and a good place to relax. read more

This place is comfortable and has a warm environment. I also think they have the best Stout in Santa Cruz County. So glad to have them in the community read more

I've hesitated writing a review for Steel Bonnet because I kind of wanted it to be kept on the down-low. But, they deserve all the praise they can get - this is a special place. I've been at least a dozen times, with two big dogs, with food, with a crowd of people, and every time this place just makes me happy! The beer is outstanding, the service is welcoming and humble, and the atmosphere is comfortable and warm. I highly recommend ordering some take out from JiaTella's or Los Gallos, then take it over to Steel Bonnet and enjoy a relaxed meal with some superb beer and good company. read more

I'm not a good one to judge the beer they serve as I'm light Bud fan. I bought one of the small beers they offered just to be like everyone else at the party I was invited to. Everyone was raving about the beer, so it must be good. What I enjoyed was the food trucks they have on the weekend The fish and chips is really good on the Catering Truck that serves it. It's just as good as the fish and chips in London according to some travelers that I talked to. read more

Stopped by over the other weekend- Small friendly tucked in back local strip mall small local brewery - tasted a few beers enjoyed - Planning out our next beer tasting trip to pass by again read more

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Decent beer. Friendly server. Hidden in the back of a strip mall. We went into the market and bought a sandwich to eat there.

Best place to get you beer on! The manager deserves high praises as well as a fat bonus! He goes above and beyond to make you feel like your drinking at home with your grandpa. Come here for the beer, leave a better person for the experience. Do yourself a favor and get anything from Los Gallos taqueria and eat it with your beer, you won't be disappointed, if you are you can jump off the highest cliff, maybe then you will find happiness. Cheers! P.s. dog friendly, facial hair welcome too. read more

Steel Bonnet - Plates and stuff for your brought in food! - Breweries Near Me - Scotts Valley, California

I think their Summer Pale Ale is a winner, and my husband enjoyed the cream ale. We spotted Steel Bonnet a month ago when getting take out from Jia Tella. (It is tucked behind Los Gallos Taqueria.) On our next trip to the coast, we stopped by - with our dogs - for a beer. They have, what I would call, a backyard that is relaxing and comfortable, thanks to the tall trees, picnic tables, and deck chairs. Note to others who like to get out and about with their dogs, dogs are required to be on leash (a reasonable requirement). If you forget, as one guest did during our visit, no worries. They have leashes available. Everyone who works there was very welcoming, and we look forward to returning. read more

Love the whole vibe of this establishment. Great beer, food truck, outdoor patio with live music or games like corn hole if you choose to partake. Really fun and relaxing place to hang out with friends. read more

Great selection of beer and usually a good ambiance. They don't seem like huge fans of our kids when we bring them but let's face it who would be? They sometimes have music and food truck events which are fun too. They don't have hot food when the food trucks are not there but you can bring stuff in from the nearby taqueria. read more