The lama STORY
The idea for Lama Dog Taproom + Bottle Shop developed while our owner, an assistant winemaker at Carr Winery at the time, developed a love for craft beer during a grape harvest many years ago. Although we love wine, the craft beer scene really excited us, and we saw a glaring unfilled niche in the Santa Barbara beer scene for a bottle shop/taproom. To keep our love of wine alive, we carry a selection of small lot wine including our own label made by our owner. Are you wondering who Lama is? Once a regular at the taproom, Lama was the owner's dog, a Tibetan Mastiff who passed away in the spring of 2020.
What Makes The Lama Dog Tap Room Different?
Our draft beer is revolving. Our list changes daily, and there is always something new to try. We don’t rely solely on beer distributors; we actually make trips to breweries throughout CA to pick up and build relationships. By doing that, we are the only taproom/bottle shop in the area with access to those particular beers. Our bottle selection focuses on hard-to-find beer and consists of roughly 350 different bottles. We also have a revolving wine tap list where we strive to serve small lot and local wines. We also carry our own wine label that is enjoyed regularly by wine lovers.
What’s Our Vision?
To provide the largest variety and highest quality beer in the county. We want to continue to be the store that people think about when they are searching for an interesting beer. Since we opened in 2016 we have consistently won “Best Beer Selection” and “Best Funk Zone Spot” in the Santa Barbara Best Of yearly awards.
What Can You Expect When You Come?
You can expect a wide variety of craft beer being poured by highly knowledgeable beer experts. Our staff can answer any questions in regards to what we have on tap and can point the customer in the right direction. We also have four wine taps and plenty of wine bottles. Any of our bottles can be had either in-house or can be taken home. Gluten free and non alcoholic options are available as well.
What Kind Of Events Do We Have?
We offer Beer Education Classes throughout the year covering a variety of style and brewing techniques. We host tap takeovers from various breweries every month. We have been collaborating with Topa Topa Brewery, our neighbors, for the past 3 years hosting an Art Market that is full of local creators and makers. This Art Market is curated by Chelsea Willett, our Artist and Graphic Designer, and if you are interested in participating email her here. We also rent out our space for private events. Click here for more.
Where Do Folks Come From To Visit The Lama Dog Tap Room?
We get folks from all around the country that specifically come to visit us when in Santa Barbara but our primary clientele are folks from in and around the Santa Barbara area including Santa Barbara itself, Goleta, Carpinteria and Ventura. We strive to provide a varied flavor packed variety of craft beer from around the world to share with all of you.