It’s 5 in the evening, the sun crawling toward the last edges of the horizon, the work day is over, and there’s just one thing you want: A nice, cold, beer.

Fortunately, these days, breweries pop up almost as much as (if not more than) coffee shops, and everyone has something else to offer. Choosing the best spots becomes the primary problem, because you want to make sure you’re getting the best product out there. Next time you’re in the Santa Cruz area and have that craving for some hops, here’s six breweries and pour houses we recommend trying out to satisfy that thirst.