Bottoms Up

El Toro Brewing Co.

Location: Morgan Hill, Calif.
Founded: 1994
Website: http://www.eltorobrewing.com/

El Toro Brewing first opened fifteen years ago, in 1994, after two years of “planning, research and construction.” Geno and Cindy Acevedo built a modest 17-bbl brewing system on their rural property in Morgan Hill. They’ve been at it ever since. Geno and Cindy are two of the nicest people in brewing I know.

El Toro brews five year-round packaged beers, each in 12-oz. 6-packs.

1. Poppy Jasper Amber Ale
2. El Toro Oro Golden Ale
3. El Toro Negro Oatmeal Stout
4. El Toro India Pale Ale
5. El Toro Deuce Imperial IPA

In addition to those, several other seasonal and specialty beers are packaged throughout the year, including William Jones Wheat Beer, El Toro 500 Barleywine and occasional anniversary beers. Many more beers are available only at the brewpub in downtown Morgan Hill.

Years in the planning stages. three years ago El Toro opened a brewpub in downtown Morgan Hill, on Monterey Road just a few minutes from Highway 101.

Outside, there’s a separate bar with a pizza oven.

The oven is made out of an old brewing fermenter.

The bar inside features “the world’s only Poppy Jasper Bar. Featuring over 45 feet of gorgeously inlaid and polished Poppy Jasper rock into its surface.” There are 25 taps, featuring, in addition to all the El Toro regular beers, many one-off beers and even homemade sodas.

Many of these are made on the brewpub’s tiny 3-bbl brewhouse.

The brewpub building used to be a bank, and inside the former vault is a private room with seating for 17.

The menu consists of pub fare, sandwiches, wood-fired pizza (from the outside fermenter oven). The food I had there was quite tasty and the fries were excellent. And check out their beer list.