Visiting San Diego - Winter 2016

Thanks, all. Here for a wedding, so not a lot of time to get away and am wavering between trying a few new spots or just going for the awesome spots I know.

Probably just say fuck it and go to OB PP.

 

Is the BNS tasting room back open?

 

I spent 4 nights in SD and covered some ground. Please do not attempt this without a designated driver...

Thursday (airbnb North Park)

• Tacos @ Tacos Perla
• Modern Times (Loma Park) (strawberry fruitlands, taster tray of BB Monsters Park release)
• Rip Current (North Park)
• Toronado
• Modern Times (North Park)
• Dinner at Carnitas Snack Shack (rad place)
• Toronado

Friday (airbnb North Park)

• Coffee @ Bird Rock (La Jolla)
• Seals and cove walking @ La Jolla
• Lunch at Oscar's Mexican Seafood
• Modern Times (Loma Park)
• Pizza Port (Ocean Beach)
• 'Hike' Sunset Cliffs
• Stone (Liberty Station)
• Dinner @ City Tacos (North Park)
• Belching Beaver (North Park)
• Toronado

Saturday (Staybridge Suites - Carlsbad)

• Coffee @ Dark Horse (North Park)
• 'Hike' Torrey Pines
• Lunch @ In-N-Out
• (w)alesmith
• O'Briens (2nd half of Champions League Final)
• Societe
• Belching Beaver (Vista)
• Mother Earth
• Dinner + @ Pizza Port (Carlsbad)

Sunday (Staybridge Suites - Carlsbad)

• Coffee @ Revolution Roasters
• 'Hike' @ Carlsbad State Beach
• Lunch @ Bagby
• Pizza Port (Carlsbad)
• Toolbox
• Port / Lost Abbey
• Rip Current (San Marcos)
• Dinner @ Stone (Escondido)
• Churchill's

Monday

• Coffee @ Lofty's (Encinitas)
• Lunch @ Ballast Point (Miramar)
• Intergalactic

Did I do it right?

 

Nice! What was your favorite?

 

You could have squeezed in a trip to Mikkeller and Green Flash since you were already in the area. I also did a quick 24 hour trip to San Diego yesterday.

Modern Times Point Loma- tasters of passionfruit and guava Fruitlands, Black Hoise on Nitro, Divine Smite DIPA and Orderville. I noticed that I was sitting and drinking beer on what was at one point a church pew. I hope I do not burn in hell.

Societe Brewing- a full pint of their Pupil IPA which blew me away

Alesmith- tasters of Grand Cru, Wee Heavy, Private Stock Ale and Speedway Stout. This was my first time at the new location and I absolutely loved it. I wished they had a barrel-aged offering or a variant of Speedway but I'm just nitpicking.

Mikkeller- Came in with low expectations but I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed my time there. I had the Beer Geek Breakfast, Rauch Geek Breakfast, SD Saison and the Brett IPA. Each taster was fantastic. I really liked the chill vibe inside as well.

 

Very tough question. I was looking forward to Modern Times the most and they didn't disappoint - the taplist timing was pretty clutch. It was hard not to enjoy Port/Lost Abbey, which was also boasting a very strong taplist. Societe had a lot of nice stuff going on and Pizza Port Carlsbad did as well. Rounding out the top 5, which was a surprise, was Belching Beaver - those PB beers are solid!

Alesmith was pretty disappointing - nothing really interesting on tap. Pizza Port Ocean Beach was more relaxed than Carlsbad but the taplist wasn't remotely on the same level, and neither was the quality of the beer if you ask me. I had 5 Rip Current Beers across the two locations and was a little underwhelmed. I didn't enjoy Stone Liberty Station at all, but the Escondido location really was beautiful and I thought the food was very solid.

I completed the Toronado trilogy on this trip too, which was positive.

 

Come on man - I hit like 19 breweries in 96 hours, what more do you want from me!?

 

To hit 21 breweries in 96 hours.

 

That Viva La Beava PB stout with mexican chocolate at Belching Beaver is delicious. Guy at the NP location told me they are going to start bottling it soon which was music to my ears.

 

Mourning the fact that I'm not at FWIBF this weekend and heading to San Diego tomorrow morning with a couple beer friends who haven't been and/or don't get to go often.

Here's the proposed itinerary. Let me know if you'll be in the area--would love to meet up with some local BAs:

· Best Damn Beer Shop
· Stone Liberty Station (poke tacos!)
· Bottlecraft Liberty Station
· Modern Times Lomaland
· Alesmith
· Mikkeller
· Green Flash Cellar 3
· Holiday Wine Cellar
· Toolbox
· Pizza Port Carlsbad
· Pizza Port Bottle Shop

Maybes depending on time:
· Port/Lost Abbey
· Rip Current
· Belching Beaver Vista

Cheers!

 

Didn't see this until just now, but we did almost exactly this.

Skipped Holiday and Cellar 3 due to time and went straight from Mikkeller to Toolbox. Didn't make it to BB or RC because we just couldn't stop thinking about Pizza Port. My favorite pizza there is called the Bressi Ranch--carnitas, buffalo sauce, pepperoncinis, cilantro, and red onions (YUM!). The Koa Warrior there was also quite excellent.

Cheers!

 

Thanks for the great info in this thread. I'm going for my Bachelor Party August 3rd-7th with 15-20 people and staying just south of Gaslamp at a big AirBNB at 2621 Imperial. Open to suggestions on the below or any suggestions on events that might be going on or special releases while we're in town.

Wednesday 8/3: I'm going in a day early to visit family in Escondido so will have a car driving from the airport up to Escondido. Any suggestions on bottle shops or breweries to stop at on the drive to stock up on some bottles or hard to find beers? Lost Abbey always have a good bottle selection? Any suggestions on where I should talk my family into doing dinner that night? I plan on taking a decent amount of bottles back with me to NC, and I would like to get the majority of them this day.

Thursday 8/4: I'll drive back to San Diego pretty early and return the car. Friends start getting in around 11am. Any suggestions on places to go during the day while waiting for everyone to arrive? Toronado and Rip Current maybe? That evening we're gonna go to Modern Times and then do dinner at Stone Liberty Station. Any recommendations on places to go from there for that night?

Friday 8/5: Brewery Tour Bus for 5 hours visiting 3 breweries. I chose Alesmith, Ballast Point Scripps Ranch, and Green Flash Cellar 3. Anyone think we should do something different than that? That night we're probably grilling at the house and then doing TJ so probably not much time left for beer stuff that day.

Saturday 8/6: This day is up in the air, but we're thinking about doing Pacific Beach or another beach and some places around there. Any suggestions?

Sunday 8/7: Leaving around noon, but if there are any good beer brunches, etc. then I am open to suggestions.

Side note, and I'll post this in the trading forum as the trip gets closer, but I'm happy to bring some NC beers from Wicked Weed, Fonta Flora, Burial, etc. if anyone wants to trade in person. I have some special releases and a bunch of others that are somewhat readily available around here.

Thanks for the help!

 

Thanks...great info!

 

Got it. Note to self: don't go to alesmith on this day because of beer bus. =P

Yes to Alesmith though, the new section should be open by then so the gwynn museum and other things that have been hiding behind the white wall will become available.
BP SR - while Miramar is a nicer facility, SR, to me, seems more laid back. Plus you can still pay some cash for the spirits tour (unless that has since completely stopped).
GF Cellar 3 - agree with Xul but I would consider skipping it and instead see if your bus can take you down to Societe.

 

Thanks...the idea of Green Flash Cellar 3 was to also include some Alpine options in one spot. We're using brewery tours of San Diego so Societe is an option. I'll run that one by the group as well

 

I have seen some really weird bus dropoffs at Societe in the past. Likely due to a non-approved company the bus went all the way to the northern end of the business parking lot, let everybody out, and then took off. Picked up at the same location.