Also known as the "craft capital," San Diego boasts some of the most impressive and unique breweries (and beer) in the United States. Now, I know that is a bold statement...BUT, it's true! I mean where else can you find flavors like an Imperial Aged Spicy Chocolate Stout, Peanut Butter Milk Stout, Vanilla Cream Ale, or a Passion Fruit and Guava infused sour?!
Now, narrowing down a Top 5 list of the best breweries in San Diego, was extremely difficult. There are SO many spread throughout San Diego and most of the breweries differ from one another in a lot of ways. Sometimes when I'm looking for great pub food, yummy beers and a good outdoor setting, I'll find myself at Viewpoint Brewing in Del Mar, CA. Other times, I want a fusion of good beer and good merchandise—so, I'll head to Modern Times, where I can get delicious beer and their coffee for the next morning. Now, before you scroll ahead and judge me for my Top 5 picks, just know that this post is completely subjective! These are some of my PERSONAL favorite breweries in San Diego, and I am not endorsed or sponsored by them, I just think they all have great beer, good vibes and exceptional service.
Top 5 Breweries in San Diego
1. Belching Beaver - The main reason this is my number one brewery in all of San Diego breaks down to four simple words. Peanut Butter Milk Stout. This is hands down the most delicious beer I've ever sipped. I am definitely biased here though, because I prefer sours, dark beer, ambers, wheats and pilsners more than I prefer hoppy IPA's. I will say though, Belching Beaver also has a Deftones Phantom Bride IPA, that is one of the smoothest IPA's I've ever had...So, if I had to choose my all around favorite brewery it is this place for the delicious, tasty beer. They also have a Me So Honey, Honey Wheat Ale that is light, refreshing and has small hints of floral aromas to make this an easy to drink, all-occasion type beer.
2. Modern Times - Starting back in 2013, when they brewed their first batch, to now, where they're found in Southern California, Colorado, Nevada, Hawaii and more—Modern Times is one of the best breweries in all of San Diego. They have six locations in California and one in Portland, Oregon. Now, their locations AND their beer are what I truly love about Modern Times. The location in North Park literally has lamps hanging upside down from the ceiling to provide lighting in the brewery! It's unique, fun, cozy atmosphere adds to the overall brand that IS Modern Times. They also have one of my favorite beers of all time, Fruitlands. I've always been a sucker for sours, probably because I loved sour candy as a kid growing up and the first time I had a sour beer it gave me all kinds of flashbacks to the sour candy I love! When I first entered the craft beer scene, I wasn't really sure where to start and sours tasted so much like candy that I just got hooked! Now, Fruitlands is a sour but it's not like Warhead candy sour...it's more of a hint of sour while passion fruit and guava flavors take precedence on your palate. They also have a coffee oatmeal stout, and as I've clearly stated above, I love dark beer, so Modern Times has the perfect variety of beer for this girl!
3. Pure Project - Oddly enough I stumbled upon Pure Project back in 2017 when I was working off Miramar in San Diego. That part of San Diego is HUGE for craft breweries, but in my opinion, Pure Project steals the show! They were a smaller location that opened its doors in 2016, but the service has always been beyond exceptional. I have a feeling this is due to the fact that they give back to the planet, brew using organic and local ingredients and strive to be a cornerstone in the San Diego community. I truly feel that businesses that give back and strive to be prominent in helping their community provide better service. To me, it's almost ingrained into their business model and the brand itself, which is a part of why I love Pure Project so much. That, and the fact that they also have some of my favorite beers! They have year round beers that are delicious, seasonal beers that are unique and flavorful, then their limited draft releases are creative and only offered for a short time! That's part of what I also love about Pure Project, it's fun to experiment brewing beer with local, organic ingredients. In my opinion, craft beer should always be ever changing with the seasons (I mean don't get me wrong I would be sad to lose some of my long-time faves) but, the creativity that some of these brewers have is astounding! What is really awesome about Pure Project is that they've expanded! If you're looking to stop by one of their locations, you can find them in Miramar, Balboa Park and Carlsbad.
4. Second Chance - "She was Nancy Mulligan, And I was William Sheeran..." Okay you're probably wondering why is there an Ed Sheeran lyric to start off the Second Chance section? Well, that's because the MULLIGAN amber ale from Second Chance is one of my all time favorite beers. Think, balanced Irish-Style Red with smooth, caramel malts...YUM! It's such a smooth beer and goes great with a cheese and charcuterie board (made one at home with goat cheese and this beer was the perfect match)! While I sipped the Mulligan, Tyler sipped his Tabula Rasa—which, is also one of my favorite beers. It has hints of roasted malt, toasted oats and light cocoa. There are two locations, one in Carmel Mtn. and one in North Park, which is where I go, mainly because I live so close to the North Park area. The North park location has tons of board games and jenga for people to play, and it spacious enough to not feel overcrowded, even when it's poppin in there! This brewery has some of my favorite beers and is a great date night idea, especially since you get free board games while you drink there.
5. Culture Brewing - This brewery quickly topped my list after I found it this past year. It has that beachy, SoCal vibe and has some of the best beer flavors around. They have a 7 Berry Sour that is soooooo good, and the Solana Beach location has the most adorable outdoor area (string lights and all!) Another reason I like Culture Brewing so much is for their cute swag! The beanie in the photo above is from there, and the last time I went I bought a cropped top that is perfect for working out. I am born and raised in Southern California, so if a place has that laid-back beach vibe, I pretty much instantly fall in love. Thankfully, Culture Brewing has a great staff, amazing beers and dope apparel to add to their overall brand! The location isn't just something that helps with the brand identity, but it's also a great spot because it's proximity to a lot of fun activities in Solana Beach. It's right down the street from Belly Up Tavern, so if you ever need a spot to grab a beer before seeing some awesome live music, Culture Brewing is your spot!!
There they are! My Top 5 Breweries in San Diego...again, this isn't to say I don't love other breweries in San Diego. I frequent many that didn't make my own top 5, haha! I just tried to really narrow it down by overall beer, creativity, aesthetic and service. I'd love to hear what your top breweries in San Diego might be in the comments! Hopefully, if you're local and haven't been to any of my top 5, you add them to your list to try! And if you're visiting from out of town, go on the hunt for these places if you're a beer fan—I promise you won't regret it!!
Xoxo,
Kara
Comments