El Toro brewing company. Interesting yellow paint inside, mustard color with wood tables. Just one big screen TV and a few smaller flat screens. Has an upstairs open rail type balcony area. Sampler has options from about 12 beers. They had an amber called Extra Hoppy Poppy Jasper dry hopped with 4 different types of hops you could chose from, Apollo, Columbus, Millenium or Summit. First beer was the Mo Hills Pills , a classic Bavarian Pils, this beer. Has a malty sweetness and light hops, more balanced toward sweet malt, not a great beer but you could drink like a session beer. Next was a Peach lambic, this beer has a huge fruity aroma, but not much sour, this is a nice beer with a nice sour balance, just enough sweet peach with sourness to balance. Next beer was the El Toro Oro Golden ale, it had almost no aroma or maybe the lambic killed my sense of smell. Has a nice malty sweetness with just a hint of crystal malt and medium light hops that linger. They call this a classic English Pale ale and it seemed true to style. Last beer in this flight was the Hoppy Poppy Jasper dry hopped with Columbus hops. This beer has a noticeable crystal malt aroma and medium hop aroma. Nice hop flavor with just enough malt to balance, this is a very good beer. Then I ordered anothe sampler with all the hoppy beers. The first beer in this flight was the Airmet R Red ale. This beer has a roasty and slightly sweet aroma, this had a nice crystal malt flavor with just enough hops to balance.
Then I had dinner , the sweet potato fries were good but not as good as the ones I had at Auburn Alehouse, and the quantity was on the low side....next beer was the El Toro Awesome IPA, this is a good IPA and true to style, I could drink one of those any time. The next beer was the ABC Wheat IPA, this beer has Apollo, Bravo and Columbus hops and is a really good beer, nice hop flavor! I had a brisket sandwich and it was good and a fair portion size....the last beer was their Deuce Imperial IPA, this beer has a big hop aroma with some slight alcohol aroma, this is another good beer, could use a little more hop favor, it's not balanced enough for a Dipa....no pint glasses but they did have coasters.....and I bought a six pack of the IPA to go.....well worth the stop, heck get off the freeway right mow and stop!

reviewed on: 2012-12-01 21:45:29

I find that their lighter, more subtle beers are preferable to their darker ones, and I do not recommend the fruit beers, but they have been making some great big beers, like the IPA, barley wine anniversary and the Yo. And the Poppy Jasper is always a good bet.

Food is pretty standard pub grub and some nicer plates.

Comfortable, nice patio, and good upstairs dining area. A nice neighborhood spot.

reviewed on: 2008-06-06 04:51:23

After nearly 15 years in business, El Toro Brewing Co did a great public service late last year in opening their new brewpub. While the facility has its own brewing system, it also serves many of the great brews that El Toro has developed over the years, including 4 separate “vintages” of Yo Winter Brew. (Yo is named after a beer drinking Aztec god). The first floor has a comfortable bar area plus tall table seating and both booths and tables for dining. There is additional seating on the second floor and on the outside patio. The bar is unique with a poppy jasper inlay and sports 26 taps. Amazingly, with the exception of a few brewery sodas, the taps are all El Toro craft beers. I enjoyed both the Extra Hoppy Poppy Jasper (Amber) and the Imperial Stout during my visit but also came away with six packs of Negro Oatmeal Stout and the 2007 Yo Winter Brew. The menu includes a good selection of burgers, sandwiches and a few entrees plus pizza cooked in the silo oven on the patio.

reviewed on: 2008-01-13 01:29:09