Moylan’s Brewery

WineCountryBEER

 
 

Moylan’s Brewery and Restaurant gives you a taste of Celtic/Irish culture along with a pretty big dose of leprechaun fun. You see, while they do make Irish and Scotch style beers very well, this tricky little leprechaun also excels at American, German and English beer styles. In fact, you can’t find a mediocre beer in their whole book.

The quality of the beers is what makes Moylan’s such a mandatory Wine Country Beer stop. They excel at making moderate alcohol beers, proving a beer can be less filling but still have barrels of taste.

Beer is not the only superlative here. Moylan’s restaurant is one of the better restaurants you will find in a brewpub anywhere in the country.

The spacious restaurant offers an attractive array of general American cuisine served up in a casual dining atmosphere. Dishes are prepared with attention to detail. Everything looks great on the plate. The wine list has 10 or so California wines by the glass and bottle.

The Brews

Moylans keeps ten or more beers on tap at any one time. While many are standard, popular varieties, you will also find a couple of quite edgy, more experimental brews. Brewmaster Denise Jones has mastered the techniques of putting top quality in wide range of beers.

A bunch of the beers change with the season, meaning you will want to stop here at different times of year if possible. While a few of Moylan’s beers are bottled and are in retail distribution in quite a few parts of the US, most beers served at the brewpub are only available right there.

Some of the beers to look for include:

Kilt Lifter Scotch-Style Ale – This is their highly decorated flagship. Glowing dark amber color. A malt bomb with robust flavors. Lightly sweet, lingering finish. An ideal companion for hearty foods. ABV 8.0%

Tipperary Pale Ale – This beer puts a smile on your lips. A classic, traditional-styled ale. Beautiful balance of malty sweetness and hop bitterness. Full and round. The world needs more of these. Perfect malt profile at mid-palate and at finish. ABV 5.0%

Moylander Double IPA – This is what you come to the West Coast for. Richly malty with big resiny hops to match. ABV 8.5%

Hopsickle Imperial IPA– Rich and thick. Loaded with hops such as Cascade, Tomahawk and Centennial. A big beer which produces an equally big smile. This one has caught the beer world’s attention.  ABV 9.2%

Hopgarten Pilsner – Made with traditional German ingredients. A classy crisp lager with nice spicy/herbal hops. Pleasantly bitter. Unfiltered. Superb. ABV 4.5%

Dragoons Dry Irish Stout – A breeze of fresh roasted coffee aroma is hit with a brush of initial dark roasted maltiness. Dry finish. Very easy drinking. Very food friendly. ABV 4.8%

 

An Celtic outpost in Marin County

Location

This brewpub is located in the city of Novato (Marin County) just a block or two off the freeway (Hwy. 101). Ample free parking is provided in the brewery’s parking lot. Highly recommended as a Wine Country Beer tour stop for either dinner or lunch.

Tours: Contact the brewery a week or so ahead of time if your would like to schedule an insider’s look at their brewing process. Tours are free. Contact: chris@moylans.com

Tasting: Since Moylan’s is a brewery restaurant, it is ready-made for sampling and food pairing. Flights of tasting-sized samplers are available for a small charge.

Address: 15 Rowland Way, Novato, CA  94945

Phone: (415) 898-HOPS

Hours: Sun–Thur: 11:30 a.m. to Midnight
            Friday: till 1:00 a.m.  Kitchen closes earlier.

Go To: Moylan’s Web Site

The tap handles reflect the Celtic theme. The Dragoon’s Dry irish Stout being poured is on a nitrogen gas system that gives a thicker, creamier, longer-lasting head to the beer. What’s not to like?

The Barrel-O-Meter updates brewery production figures.  While Moylan’s is a small brewery, it produces a wide range of hand-crafted ales and lagers.

Since opening in 1995, Moylan’s brews have won numerous awards in major competitions. Brewmaster Denise Jones maintains the high standards by paying attention to the little details and by bringing a passion for great beers to the brewery.

The Wine Country Beer flag marks the location of Moylan’s Brewery and Restaurant. Heading north or south on Hwy.101, take the Rowland Boulevard exit. Go east on Rowland Blvd to first light. Turn left on Rowland Way. The brewery is immediately on the left.

A number of the Moylan beers are available in 22 oz bottles and can be purchased at the brewery to take out.

Finding the best beer to go with a superb chile relleno plate was loads of fun. Settling on the Pale Ale for its rich malt and balanced hops that blended so well with the flavors of the mild chiles, black beans, guacamole and salsa.

Moylan’s brewhouse is located directly behind the main bar and is visible through a window. The rest of the brewery you can see only on one of their very cool brewery tours. Call ahead to schedule. 

If you see this beer trailer at a festival, stop immediately and have a beer. Moylan’s supports many community beer events, fairs and festivals throughout Wine Country.

The brewery chalkboard lists all the beers available today. You will see not only the beer’s name but also its alcohol content. Beers are arranged from lighter to darker.

Moylan’s Brewmaster
Denise Jones featured in
Wine Country Beer People