JSomps6
Well-Known Member
I'll be in San Diego next week for one night. Which brewery(ies) are a must?
San Diego Breweries?
- Thread starter JSomps6
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Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
San Diego has a brewery?!?!? 
Seriously though, I've never been to any of them, hope to go during NHC, but some of my favorites are:
Green Flash
Ballast Point
Stone
Port Brewing
Seriously though, I've never been to any of them, hope to go during NHC, but some of my favorites are:
Green Flash
Ballast Point
Stone
Port Brewing
knotquiteawake
Well-Known Member
Stone is great! Free tour with 6 free sizable beer samples at the end. Also their restaurant is REALLY great, expect to drop some cash on food there though.
schristian619
Well-Known Member
really depends on where in SD you're going to be and how mobile you are. If you have a car and some time, there's some great places to stop at. Alpine Beer Co. is one of my favorites, as is Alesmith. While Stone and Green Flash, Port, etc are great, why not hit up some stuff you can't get out of CA. Check out sandiegobrewersguild.org pretty much has anything you want to know.
hoaxci5
Well-Known Member
Coronado Brewing Company the beer was just fine, but the Diablo Shrimp are amazing.
LarMoeCur
Well-Known Member
Stone is a must! That place is has some crazy good beer. They carry a ton of brews you can not get anywhere but on location.
If you get downtown, Karl Srauss and Rock Bottom are pretty close. You could hit both in one night. I like Karl's beer just a little bit more than R.B.
Ballast Point has great beer. I haven't lived in S.D. in a while but Home Brew Mart (one of the best homebrew shops) and Ballast Point were in the same building. Samplers were .25 cents (no food just beer!)
Oggi's Pizza and Brewing is pretty good. Pizza is pretty darn good.
San Diego Brewing Co. is Ok.
They also have a Gordon Biersch
There's a new Firehouse Brewery that opened a few years ago. I have never tried it.
If you get downtown, Karl Srauss and Rock Bottom are pretty close. You could hit both in one night. I like Karl's beer just a little bit more than R.B.
Ballast Point has great beer. I haven't lived in S.D. in a while but Home Brew Mart (one of the best homebrew shops) and Ballast Point were in the same building. Samplers were .25 cents (no food just beer!)
Oggi's Pizza and Brewing is pretty good. Pizza is pretty darn good.
San Diego Brewing Co. is Ok.
They also have a Gordon Biersch
There's a new Firehouse Brewery that opened a few years ago. I have never tried it.
Stone. Just go to Stone. And if you go to their restaraunt you can get a huge variety of different craft brews. They are very good about stocking other local brews. So you can get it all done at Stone.
Lots of good suggestions. If you have to visit a RB, I'd suggest you to the Rock Bottom at La Jolla, not the downtown one. Their brewmaster is better.
Also Karl Strauss has a very nice beer garden in Sorrento Valley (tucked in among all the technology companies) that's very pleasant to be at.
Stone's always the winner for their beer garden and beer but is located slightly in the north.
TBrosBrewing
Well-Known Member
If your taking the rail around town there is a tiny little brewery right off of the stop from mission station on the blue rail. Its called 5 point brewing, most of their product is contract brewing for Coronado brewing and one other. The do however brew 3 of their own and when I was there last it still the only place in the city that carries it, total of 10 taps all of their contract brews plus theirs. They had a excellent English IPA, they are open evenings on wed - sat if i remember correctly. The tour is self guided.
Will
Will
schristian619
Well-Known Member
The Stone part is not really true. Rarely they will have things like their smoked porter with chipotle or vanilla beans, but not very often. You can get any of their other stuff at most liquor stores in SD. It's worth going to if you're into Stone, the location is beautiful and the food is good, although over priced.
Ballast point/home brew mart is nice. They only do tasters at that location and they're mostly a dollar each. Usually free if you buy ingredients. Their Scripps Ranch location does full pints though.
Oggi's is ok. I wouldn't consider it a must go by far, but the food is decent and the beer is average-good. I'd hit Pizza port or blind lady ale house for pizza and beer before I'd go here.
Agreed...SD brewing co is ok. Great selection of beers, but their own beers are just ok.
Firehouse is ok. The times I've been there, I've had issues with the workers, but the beer isn't bad.
Gordon and rock bottom are typical. Yeah the beer at the la jolla rock bottom is better, but it's all typical brewery/restaurant chain stuff.
There's some really great breweries and bars that you could hit up, but it really depends on what part of town you're staying in. Since you're only going to be here for one night, Stone may suit you best if you're up north. Other wise, Pizza port in ocean beach or skip the breweries and hit Blind lady ale house, toronado, or Hamiltons tavern if you're more central. A few of the best beer bars around here.
billvon
Well-Known Member
Just a few:
Lost Abbey. Lots of beers on tap, usually one or two barrel aged.
Hess Brewing. Brand new (only a month or so) and the two guys who run it are really cool.
Ballast Point/Linda Vista. Great homebrewing shop, great beers.
Alesmith. Remarkable beers. Odd tasting hours tho.
Blind Lady Alehouse. Now a brewery! Also good pizza and guest beer list.
Stone if you want the impressive good-food big brewery experience.
billvon
Well-Known Member
I've been there twice and have always been disappointed. However, both times was before it moved from Mira Mesa; perhaps it got better.
yes, I was a little hesitant, their prices are sky high but the atmosphere is really nice and makes up for that a bit. The food was good, nothing to rave about but still the beers selection is really great.
These 2 plus GreenFlash are world class.
JSomps6
Well-Known Member
Thanks Guys! I'm hoping to pick up some Pliny the Elder to bring back with me, too. I've never had the chance to try it and can't get it in Michigan... that I'm aware of anyway...
BrookdaleBrew
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If you're staying in the downtown area there is a place called The Yard House that has a HUGE draft selection.
hopvine
Well-Known Member
Holy ****...Jeremy?
carnevoodoo
Well-Known Member
Hess needs to step up their game. Not good beer yet and with a stout that costs more than Speedway when they're only a half mile from Alesmith... No thanks. Alesmith has increased their hours, but still pretty limited.
I agree with your later comment about Firehouse. And I think San Diego Brewing is really iffy. Not consistent enough at all.
I think my issue with only having one day in SD and wanting a brewery is that they're all spread out. If you want to experience San Diego beer, you need to get to one of the good beer bars. Oh, and stay away from the Yard House. That place is a giant commercial joke. Having a lot of beer on tap doesn't make you a good beer bar. Hamilton's, Small Bar, O'Briens, Toronado, Blind Lady, Pizza Port (any of them...) and more all serve the best of the beers with clean lines and knowledgeable people helping out.
If you will let us know where you're staying, that would help.
And honestly, Stone is pretty, but besides the wow factor, I don't see them as being worth going so out of the way. I do appreciate them for what they are, but they're not the best part of SD.
No, it's not even close to beign available around here. I usually do 10-12 trades a year and get it every time. Its a great beer. Closest thing around here is Founders Double Trouble and Bells Hopslam, both of which I put on the exact same level. Awesome Double IPA's. If your out there, try to get Green Flash iipa, you won't be sorry. Also look for Firestone Walker Union Jack ipa.
Alesmith Speedway Stout is easily a top 10 stout in the world. Get into their barrel or coffee aged and its even better. Plus they make a great IPA. I've heard everything is awesome but those 2 I know from experience.
schristian619
Well-Known Member
I couldn't agree more. Haven't had a chance to try Hess, but everything else is on point.
Just go to one of the bars mentioned, you won't be disappointed.
carnevoodoo
Well-Known Member
Seriously? That place is a ****hole. They don't clean their lines enough and their taps are middling at best.
PorterIdontknowher
Well-Known Member
And drive past Callahan's, get on to 15 south exit onto 163... 1st exit onto Clairmont Mesa... left on Convoy and go a few blocks south just past the Infiniti dealer... in that shopping center you'll find O'brien's... a bit of a hole in the wall, but the beer selection makes up for it...:cross:
JSomps6
Well-Known Member
Well... Once I finally got here and got to my hotel I decided my mission was to find Pliny at some bottle shop. I went the American Home Brewing Supply. The guy there had a nice little shop. I told him I was from out of town and just wanted to look around. Then I asked him where I could find Pliny at a bottle shop. He gave me two places he thought I could find it. I went to the first, Mesa Liquor. They had it but told me I had to spend $50 to get a bottle. When I told him I was from Michigan (he was also from there) he said he'd sell me a bottle regardless. I ended up getting a 6'er of Firestone Walker Union Jack, a bottle of Brewdog Tokyo, Hop Stupid, Russian River Damnation, Stone Smoked Porter, and a four pack of Oskar Blues Gordan. I then headed to Holiday Wine Cellers in Escondido where they sold me their last 2 bottles of Pliny and I grabbed a bottle of Mirror Pond. I then went to Stone. That place is impressive. I had a few pints, grabbed a t-shirt from the gift shop and called it a night. Now I just have to figure out how to get all this beer into my suitcase safe, and home. Wish me luck... I'm glad I packed a few towels and grabbed a few "extra" from the hotel. I'm thinking tomorrow I'll get a box of zip locks, put each bottle in a bag, and roll them up in towels and pack them tight.
Cheers!
Cheers!
You can always bubble wrap/box/ship via UPS. Believe it or not, they are far less gorilla like with your packages than the airlines. Just don't tell them what your shipping, its a grey area but they won't usually care. I've shipped and recieved from UPS from 50 times total and never had a leaker/breaker. It will also probably be cheaper than an overweight bag at the airport too.
carnevoodoo
Well-Known Member
The other option would be to get a wine shipper from Bev Mo, pack your bottles in that, and check it on your flight. They are very sturdy.
Also, I wouldn't be surprised if your bottles from Mesa are old. They don't move product very fast in that store.
Also, I wouldn't be surprised if your bottles from Mesa are old. They don't move product very fast in that store.
I was very pleased with pizza port. Great place to get some good and a nice beer. It is nice because one does a few of their own proprietary beers in addition to the staples.
JSomps6
Well-Known Member
Bottles made it safe in my luggage! I wrapped each bottle in paper towel, put it into a one gallon zip lock, rewrapped in paper towel, and put 3 bottles in each 2.5 gallon zip lock. I did this for all 17 bottles, and then wrapped them in towels and clothes. My suitcase weighed in at 48.5 pounds... just below the 50 pound max for price increase. The thing was bulging pretty good, but no damage. I was especially worried about blowing the cork on the damnation.
Well, OP is back.
I did these 7 in a day over the holiday and hit Churchills (not listed)
http://bit.ly/90O25g
Tip: the order looks whack, but you have to hit the Southern Breweries early due to tasting toom hours.
carne, your take in Hess as a local may be spot on, but I disagree as a beer tourist. Most people don't have the opportunity to see a nano and as close as it is to BP and Alesmith, it's silly not to check them out. They're certainly more access than other brewers, thought I did talk to Tomme and Dr Bill at Stone. I only wish I knew about Mother Earth. 2 nanos in one trip would have been cool.
I did these 7 in a day over the holiday and hit Churchills (not listed)
http://bit.ly/90O25g
Tip: the order looks whack, but you have to hit the Southern Breweries early due to tasting toom hours.
carne, your take in Hess as a local may be spot on, but I disagree as a beer tourist. Most people don't have the opportunity to see a nano and as close as it is to BP and Alesmith, it's silly not to check them out. They're certainly more access than other brewers, thought I did talk to Tomme and Dr Bill at Stone. I only wish I knew about Mother Earth. 2 nanos in one trip would have been cool.
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