Have you ever been to San Diego California? Beer is not the first thing you’ll ever think of when you go to San Diego. But now they are the fast-growing nation when it comes to Brewery. Yes, you heard me right, they will not call San Diego the “Craft Beer Capital of America” for no reason. As of now, there are more than 150+ breweries, pubs & taste rooms doing their jobs. They are the most numbers in the nation.
The signature of San Diego is a hop-heavy West Coast IPA but beer lovers who love stouts, porters, and sours will surely love and embrace what San Diego craft beers can offer and it will awake the sleeping spirit of Brytos inside them.
Excited to give them a drop when you go to San Diego? Here are some of the best brewers in San Diego, drop in and have a sip. Experience what hard work and dedication taste like.
Ballast Point Brewing Company
“Dedicated to the Craft”
9045 Caroll Way, San Diego California / (858) 790-6900
Ballast Point Brewing Company started its brewing journey in 1996 and was founded by Jack White, he started brewing homebrew supplies at the back of Home Brew Mart in 1992. After 23 years of hard work, it became the second largest brewery in San Diego and when it comes to sales volume it is the 17th largest brewery in the nation. Ballast Point is also the first micro-distillery in the county since the prohibition.
As of now, they have four brewing locations in San Diego, its original brewing place in Linda Vista (Home Brew Mart), Little Italy, and Scripps Ranch neighborhood, and their largest production is done in Miramar. They also take Ballast Point into expansion into East Coast. They took their brewing in Daleville, Virginia, near Roanoke. The first keg of Grapefruit Sculpin they brewed on the East Coast was sent to Terry McAuliffe, the state Government of Virginia. As of now, it is owned by Kings & Convicts Brewing Company from Chicago.
Ballast Point received several awards. In 2010, they won 3 gold medals for their beers. In the same year, they also took home the “Small Brewery Champion” award when they compete at World Beer Cup. They also participate in New York International Spirits Competition, and they won the California Distillery of the Year for two consecutive years.
There are different kinds of beers they can offer to the market. They also offer seasonal beers. They have Sculpin IPA, Grapefruit Sculpin, Aloha Sculpin, Big Gus, Wee Gus, Swingin’ Friar Ale, Fathom, Passing Haze, Longfin Lager, Manta Ray, California Kolsch, Wahoo, Chai Victory at Sea, Blood Orange, Pinstripe, American Pilsner, Calico, Habanero Sculpin, High West Barrel, Aged Victoria at Sea.
Seasonal Beers: Pumpkin Down & Victory at Sea.
North Park Beer Co
3038 University Avenue, San Diego California
It all started from a garage, Kelsey McNair the Head Brewer and the owner goes to San Diego with his friends to design and make video games. But his love for cuisine, craft, and chemistry still strives. And the independent brewery in the county took his attention, the bold brewery of beers in the county took a place in his heart and mind. It started in 2004, He brewed the Hop-Fu! IPA and everything go boom. It became the most award-winning homebrewed beer in San Diego. Then the American IPA became the most competitive.
After several years of ups and downs in the brewery industry, Kelsey and Amanda (wife) left their careers as game developers to put their full enthrallment to carry through their dreams in brewery and hospitality. By June last 2016, The North Park Beer Co leaped and opened its doors to become a full bloom brewer. They open up a place where you can feel at home, it is a place to be with friends. It is a comfortable place to socialize with others. It is a warm place for a family to bond. You enjoy camaraderie while having a world-class beer and a portion of food you can enjoy with someone you want to be with.
The Tap List
- Our Own Devices (DDH West Coast IPA)
- Straight Outta North Park (TDH Hazy Triple IPA)
- Bird Park (Bohemian Style Pilsner)
- Party Cup (Mosaic Lager), Birdie to Bogey (Cali Pils)
- McNair’s (Scottish Amber)
- Burlingame (Czech Style Dark Lager)
- Golden Phenix (Golden Breakfast Stout)
- Guavacito (Imperial Sour, Sunny with Nelson and Citra (DDH Hazy Pale Ale)
- Art is Hard (DDH Hazy IPA)
- Frozen In Space (DDH Haze IPA)
- Chop Butcher (TDH Hazy DIPA)
- Temple of Nectaron (DDH West Coast IPA)
- Mosaic Menagerie (DDH West Coast IPA.
Pizza Port Brewery
“Good Food and Good Beer Bring Good Cheer”
1956 Bacon Street, San Diego, California
The name of the brewery stands for itself. As they serve both pizza and beers, and they are both extremely delectable. All customers consider them as a one-stop shop. You can eat their mouthwatering pizza with a serving of their homebrewed beer. Which American doesn’t love pizza and beer? Pizza Port started in 1987, when a failing pizza shop in Solana Beach (it is a small town in the northern part of San Diego) was acquired by Vince and Gina Marsaglia, siblings in their twenties. Vince started experimenting brewery in just a vacant storage area of their pizza shop. The people love their food and beers, and they advised the siblings to open a brewery. And by 1992, they decide to officially serve the Pizza Port Brewery craft-brewed beers. And years after they established their spot in San Diego’s burgeoning craft beer industry.
Since the opening of the Pizza Port, they secured the spot of being one the best in town. They won several awards for being one of the first breweries in San Diego. They manage to make two of the local favorites in the county, the Kook Double IPA and Swami’s IPA which is named after the popular surfing spot in town.
There are saying that don’t leave San Diego without giving them a visit at their Carlsbad Site. Who would have wanted to miss the experience of these pair, your favorite beer, and your favorite pizza dipped in marinara?
Must-try:
- Swami’s IPA
- Chronic Ale
- California Honey
- Ponto Session India Pale Ale
- Summer Oasis IPA
- BFF IPA.
Stone Brewing
“Gargoyle”
Escondido, San Diego, California
Who would not know about Stone Brewing Co. and its beers? It is the largest in Southern California. Based on its sales volumes it is the 9th in the United States. It is founded by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner in San Marcos, California. They have a simple mission, they just to make an alternative for the people which aggrieved with industrialized beers that conquer the mind of people who loves beer.
The first ever beer produced by Stone Brewing is the Stone Pale Ale which is called their flagship brewery. But it is no longer available in the market because it retired last 2015. Now they are creating amazing pairs like world-inspired dishes with their beers. Most of their beers are now served at different events and venues all over the United States. You can see them in casual events, family gatherings, parties, and even in fine dining and high-end restaurants. They are now distributing in 40+ countries in the world so who would not hear about STONE BREWING CO. The brewery also has a rating of “world-class brewery” from the enthusiast of two of the largest beer websites. They are serving 100+ varieties of beers. Can you imagine that? You have a lot of choices.
You can visit them they have opened bistros, restaurants, and garden locations where you can have a soft social interaction with the locals and other customers. They don’t have an attention grabber like television at their location, so all you must do there is socialize, bond with friends and families, and enjoy their remarkable foods and services. It’s all about the joy of coming together or meeting together with remarkable people. And of course, enjoy their world-class beers.
Conclusion
It’s not all about the beer and the food, it is about people. There are lots of taprooms, beer hubs, and pubs because it became a haven for a lot of people. Not all of them go there to get drunk, most of them go there because they want to breathe, they want to socialize they want to be with someone they love. Breweries became flexible places it can be a venue for weddings, it can be a tournament place, it can be auction places, a restaurant, meeting places, and even a place for people who just simply want to watch a football or basketball. It is a place that makes people leave with a smile on their lips and a memory to remember.
