“Her”story - Lost Coast Brewery & Café
The Lost Coast Brewery and Café began with a common dream. In 1986 Barbara Groom, a pharmacist, and Wendy Pound, a family counselor, wondered what it would require to start their own brewpub. After years of experimental home brewing, planning and studying, which included visiting scores of pubs in England & Wales, Barbara and Wendy were ready to transform their dream into a reality.
With the 1989 purchase of the Pythian Castle, a 100-year-old building in Eureka, California, the café was ready to open. The building, a restored wood frame structure constructed in 1892, was purchased from the original owners, The Fraternal Order of the Knights of Pythias. After spending the winter and spring engaged in extensive remodeling, the Lost Coast Brewery and Café became a living dream in July of 1990.
The cool maritime climate of the Humboldt Bay region has proved to be very conducive to brewing quality ales. The year round average temperature of 55º Fahrenheit is ideal for top-fermenting ale yeast. While embracing the rich tradition of English-style ales, Master Brewer Barbara Groom has added a distinctive West Coast flavor to her ales by brewing with Western Plains barley and wheat and the exceptionally clean water of Humboldt County.
Since its humble beginning in 1990, the brewery has outgrown the original facilities in the Pythian Castle and moved production to a larger site down the street. After a record breaking year in 2005, producing over 24,000 barrels, Lost Coast Brewery had expectations of breaking the 30,000-barrel mark. In 2009, it broke that record producing over 50,000 barrels making Lost Coast Brewery the 33rd largest brewery in the United States. Lost Coast Brewery distributes its fine ales in 22 states, in Puerto Rico, and in three Canadian Provinces! Lost Coast Brewery has plans to move to a new location where it can barrel to greater heights!
