Visiting San Diego - Winter 2015

Xul. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

We will be having a family vacation in early June staying in Carlsbad. While I was familiar with the Tier 1 breweries, it's great to see the Tier 2.

I plan to hit Miramar one day (Ballast Point and Alesmith). Another day will be Stone and Lost Abbey (probably after visiting the Animal Park in Escondido). Pizza Port in Carlsbad will be dinner one night (after Legoland).

I added Rip Current and Toolbox as they will only be 15-20 minutes from where we will be staying.

Of course, these plans will change with wife and kids feedback!

 

Do you actually need a car to get around to the breweries? Or can you get away with using Uber/public trans? I'm coming in 2 weeks and needed some guidance.

 

Depends on where you want to go. If you confine yourself to one smaller area, could get by with Uber. But if you have several places you'd like to go across the entire county (most people's preferences), renting a car's your economical best bet (even if it's not your best bet for drinking).

 

no

if you stay downtown or in north park there are plenty of great bars and breweries near by, but you are going to miss out on 80% of the breweries around town. the plus side is that all these great bars will have all of their beers on tap!

 

I love these types of threads, so much valuable information in a one stop shop! I am tentatively planning a SD trip for the end of May, driving, and now I have some great info to start mapping it all out... Cheers!

 

Just make sure you don't forget about the toll on your way into San Diego, a six pack of Odell IPA and Myrcenary!

 

And at least 1 CS wwb batch 100, I might share, we'll see.

 

I'll pile on to this thread too. Staying in the gaslamp quarter, and plan to hit Stone Liberty Station, and Modern Times at some point. Also, looking at Best Damn Beer Shop as it's pretty close to there too. Y/N?

Would love to Uber/Taxi it around if possible, so any beer bars/restaurants close enough together in which a trip to one could turn into a trip to 2-3?

Thanks for this thread... it's a fantastic resource for us tourists!

 

First question, Y BDBS is close by, like maybe half mile walk at most from gaslamp.

Uber to either 30th street and stay there for basically a shload of stuff.

Else, uber to Kearny Mesa for Society/Council/O'Briens.

 

I'll be heading to SD later this week. I plan on hitting Pizza Port Ocean Beach, then Stone LS, then Ballast Point in Little Italy...then Coronado Brewing for lunch two days later. Do any of these places do flights? I'm visiting with a few friends who are still in that "I don't know what styles I like" phase as well as some friends who are fellow BAs.

 

Not gonna lie.....I can't really think of a brewery around here that doesn't do tasters. Sure it may not be a preset flight but ordering 4-6 tasters is super common.

Edit: Some places put on kegs that you can only get a taster-size of at a time (i.e. Alesmith special releases)

 

Does pizza port? Only been to OB location twice and it was too hectic to even consider asking at the register

 

If I were to bring some MN beer down there to leave with the staff of any of these breweries, would I be allowed? I've had some reactions in the past in which it seemed like a no-no from the health code (couple different states/cities). Don't want to get anyone in trouble!

 

Based on my visit a few weeks ago most places do flights. Some (Societe & Belching Beave come to mind first) limit to two tasters at a time per person. Allegedly some law but then other places don't.

Ballast Point does tasters for sure. They had a few pre-determined flights, otherwise there's specific pricing something like three tasters for $5. Great way to try some of their one offs too.

I've brought Chicago & Indiana locals no problem.

 

We're planning on being there around 4 or 5 on Thursday. I'll probably stick to full pours and tell my buddies to wait til we move on to Stone or BP to get flights, then.

 

Alesmith has a fridge full of gifts.

 

There is a surprising lack of love for Fathom Bistro in this thread.

 

It's more of a "lack of knowledge" or "lack of familiarity", I think.

Cool place to tie in to an OB trip. Not a huge tap list by San Diego standards (though they usually have a good choices), but the view. Oh my...