About
Telegraph Brewing Co. was Santa Barbara’s first craft brewery. Brian Thompson founded the Belgian-inspired brewery in 2006.

Early American brewers adapted traditional European brewing techniques to the unique ingredients, climates, and tastes of the New World. At Telegraph Brewing Co., our beers are handcrafted in that same manner at our brewery in Santa Barbara, California. Making use of as many locally grown ingredients as we can, Telegraph's ales embody our philosophy that a local brewery should reflect the traditions of its region. Our goal is to produce uniquely American beer styles that are imbued with a spirit of invention and creativity, but always with a nod toward history.

In 2017 Utah-based Epic Brewing purchased Telegraph.
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bhensonb (23077) reviewed
Obscura Arborea from Telegraph Brewing
15 years ago
7.6/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
750 shared by Marcus. Pours very obsured dark amber with a foamy near beige head. Aroma is like fig/date. Very different. Maybe a hint of cherry. Full bodied. Flavor is mildly sour cherry with just a touch of chocolate and a deal of dark malt. Pretty good stufff. Gets some oak in the finish. Very, very nice.
Tried on 13 Sep 2011 at 11:45
BMan1113VR (8092) reviewed
Obscura Amber from Telegraph Brewing
15 years ago
6.6/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 8 Overall 6.5
On tap. Pours with a hazy amber hued body with a large and resilient off-white head. Aromas are very estery and fruity. Strawberries, grainy notes, very light wine. Flavors are grainy, lactic, fruity, estery and strawberries. Minimal sourness. Lively bubbles with a dry mouthfeel.
Tried from Draft on 10 Sep 2011 at 10:32
Oakes (34715) reviewed
Petit Obscura from Telegraph Brewing
15 years ago
7.5/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
Draught. Pale straw. Light haze. The aroma is pleasantly tart and fresh like yoghurt, with subtle fruitiness. On the palate, the body has a delicate maltiness, subtle pear fruitiness an finishes with a quenching hint of lactic sourness. Refreshing, a good tart brew.
Tried on 09 Sep 2011 at 22:24
Sledutah (12649) reviewed
Petit Obscura from Telegraph Brewing
15 years ago
6.6/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 7.5
750ml bottle (#68) shared by Doug, thanks
Appearance: Clear golden small white head that dissipates leaving some spotty lacing
Aroma: Tart apples
Taste: Light sourness, grassy and fruit
Ok, a light and refreshing beer.
Tried from Bottle on 22 Aug 2011 at 15:49
bb (19143) reviewed
Oatmeal Stout from Telegraph Brewing
15 years ago
6.8/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Draft. Black beer with a tan head. Malt and light caramel aroma. Caramel and malt flavor with light oatmeal. Medium bodied. Caramel and malt lingers with light oatmeal and light toffee.
Tried from Draft on 09 Aug 2011 at 13:44
bb (19143) reviewed
Obscura Arborea from Telegraph Brewing
15 years ago
7.6/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8.5
Bottle. Amber-brown beer with a big cream colored head. Tart and malt aroma with light fruit. malt and caramel flavor with tart/sour notes, light oak, and cherries. Medium bodied. Tart/sour notes linger with cherry, oak, malt, and light darker malts.
Tried from Bottle on 09 Aug 2011 at 11:22
bb (19143) reviewed
Petit Obscura from Telegraph Brewing
15 years ago
7.6/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 6 Overall 8.5
Bottle. Amber beer with a big cream colored head. Nice brett aroma with light lemon and green apples. Tart bretty flavor with green apples and light oak. Medium bodied. Refreshing. Tart brettiness lingers with green apples, light oak, and light lemon.
Tried from Bottle on 09 Aug 2011 at 11:16
Sledutah (12649) reviewed
Obscura Arborea from Telegraph Brewing
15 years ago
7.2/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 8
Bottle shared by Bonnie and Dallas, thanks
Appearance: When the cork came out it sounded like a shotgun and sprayed foam everywhere. Poured clear dark amberbrown with a huge off-white head and lots of sticky lacing
Aroma: Yeasty, toasted malts, dried fruit and spices
Taste: Toasted malts, yeast, dark fruits and woody
Nice
Tried from Bottle on 30 Jul 2011 at 21:37
BMan1113VR (8092) reviewed
Slippery Slope from Telegraph Brewing
15 years ago
6.4/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
On tap. Pours with a clear golden-orange body with a large white head. Aromas are lightly hoppy, spicy, pine and orange with quite a few esters (nearly in a belgian way, especially as it warms), a very light grainy/bready malt profile. Flavors are estery, nearly a belgian yeast, pepper, phenols, hoppy, pine and light citrus. Bready and crackery malt profile. Lively carbonation with a dry finish. Odd amber.
Tried from Draft on 18 Jul 2011 at 10:59
obguthr (12695) reviewed
Rhinoceros from Telegraph Brewing
15 years ago
7.9/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 10 Flavor 8 Texture 4 Overall 8.5
Tropical aroma of kiwifruit, tangerine, and whole grapefruit. Quite a delicious aroma for an IPA or IIPA, but this is new to me in a barleywine. Call it a west coast barleywine. Cloudy copper, thin yellow head. Medium body, lightly spritzy, rather hot. Flavor is triple sec, whole grapefruit, whole overripe oranges. Finishes with just a bit of orange peel. Drinks more like an IIPA. Tropical hop profile doesn’t comport with how I’ve come to know barleywines, but I’m open to a redefinition. Pretty nice.
Tried on 11 Jul 2011 at 18:26