DarkHeart Brewing

So glad to see Darkheart back open. It was one of our favorite breweries. They were in a soft opening and great to see many of our favorite beers on the list. It was easier to find parking and there is a pizza place next door. We were greeted right away and ordered a flight. There are special beers listed for Captains Club members.There is a smaller seating area but they will be opening the area up and having live music. The beers are still amazing and the staff so friendly.

Ever since moving to the Citrus Heights area back in 2016 (after living in Sacramento for many years), I've come to appreciate my neighbors and surrounding areas. However, this city in general has always lacked a brewery/taphouse is everything is in surrounding areas such as Rancho Cordova and Folsom. This brings us to "DarkHeart Brewing". Their original location which was at Auburn Blvd and near the I-80 interchange opened in mid-2019 and unfortunately had to close (due to rising rent costs) in early-2024.Jump forward to late-2024 and the Citrus Heights location finally opened its doors for business. This location is directly at the corner of Auburn Blvd/Old Auburn Rd where a Goodwill store once stood for many years. The exterior parking lot is shared with another very popular small business, "Ciro's Pizza Cafe". I arrived here during the evening of Friday 1/31/2025 at around 6:30pm. Parking can fill up fast; however there is more parking towards the Auburn Blvd side just in case you can't find a spot.Upon entering the establishment, I was blown away with how cozy this place was. Their trademark is that of a pirate ship complete with warships, buccaneers, skull & bones, hooks, and treasures. The attention to detail was well executed and laid out. What I particularly liked is that this location is arguably a lot smaller but that provides a more cozy and intimate experience. They offer large tables for bigger parties, a TV for viewing games, and an area where you can purchase their merchandise. Best of all, you can order your pizza next door (at Ciro's) and enjoy it with your beer which is a winning combination.Since it was my first time here, I went with a simple pilsner which is their "American Pilsner" (5.7% ABV) priced at a very reasonable $7 for a pint. Many of the beer names are inspired by pirate names/ships. They offer a fairly decent selection of pilsners, stouts, IPA's, and fruit choices for every palette. During the time I stayed, I felt right at home enjoying my beer. I also wanted to add that in the coming months, they plan on opening their outdoor patio. Additionally, they offer trivia night every Thursday. And the hours of operation are still in its early stages being open Wed-Fri 4-9pm, Sat 2-9pm, Sun 12-5pm, and closed Mon/Tue. With the close proximity to my home, excellent beer selection, great interior space, and above average service, I am giving "DarkHeart Brewing" a unanimous five stars.

Cool place. You can tell they tried hard to theme this place after pirates. While it was a tiny bit lacking, I do greatly appreciate the obvious effort they put into it. A+ for that effort. There's a rear seating area near the brewery area that is very chill and relaxing. The YAR pirate beer tender was very nice. She explained the expansion plans about a beer garden area in the back, which sounds cool. All-in-all a great place for a relaxing beer, which by the way was very good.

Shares same parking lot as the old Goodwill. Small and cozy but great selection of beer. Beer is reasonably priced. Very chill place. Pizza next door, and I noticed folks chopping down. Great place. Will be back.