I think the SD Brewers Guild put out a list last year of what they thought were the 3rd tier breweries around town...oh wait maybe that was Buzzfeed. Or City Beat? Hell idk. For reals though, what is it that you want to know?
In order to do that, we need to know who you consider first and second tier, and what you are using to determine tiers (quality, popularity, sales).
Weird question, yes, but maybe we should give it a whirl, just for fun... I'll lead off with a few random ones. Yes it's totally subjective. 1st: Societe, Alpine, Ballast Point, Stone, Alesmith, Modern Times, Pizza Port, Port/Lost Abbey 2nd: Rip Current (1st/2nd tier tweener), Mike Hess, Council, Green Flash (there's your shocker), Belching Beaver, Karl Strauss, St. Archer, Mother Earth 3rd: Benchmark, Culture, Butcher's, Latittude 33, New English, Offbeat, Indian Joe (tho I've seen their name lumped in with Lost Abbey, Alpine, and Stone from out-of-towners who have set their itinerary, so maybe there's something I don't know?) 4th: Twisted Manzanita, ......Wet-n-Reckless...... It's not so much the quality of the beer, but more of the general interest people display towards them (which of course would be an indirect consequence of the quality of the beer)
I feel like this could use a good bump. Indian Joe Wet n Reckless On the Tracks Butchers Brewing Stumblefoot San Diego Brewing Lightning Quantum Pour House Hillcrest Pacific Beach Ale House 5 Points Legacy OSullivan White Labs Intergalactic Two Kids The Beer Company Barrel Harbor Probably some more that I haven't been to. edit: the standouts here are Wet n Reckless and Legacy by a good margin followed by Indian Joe, Barrel Harbor, Quantum, and On The Tracks. San Diego Brewing isn't actually all that bad but that Love Potion Number 9 alone puts them in the running.
Neither of those exist at the moment, which you'd know if you actually paid attention to the San Diego beer scene. Wet n Reckless burned down months ago. The latest reports is that he's opening a place near Ballast Point Miramar (right across the street), retitled as "Reckless". Indian Joe is out because he lost his lease, and he is currently looking for new digs. Might be a while.
Wow - talk about being out of date! So the brother brewmaster that got screwed in the deal ended up at Barrel Harbor, but has since left there and has not been heard of since. In the meantime, the gal that looked good bending over the mop the floors ended up at Poor House Brewing, I think...
Thorn Street Brewery has more than one beer that literally makes me gag. I met some friends at Booze Brothers once as well. In addition to hating the aesthetic the brewery was trying for, I found the beer to be pretty subpar, too.
They have their fans. There are a number of places too close that I prefer, so I rarely go these days, but you could do a lot worse. Not a blazing endorsement, but what can I say?
I thought Barrel Harbor was significantly better a month after the guy (Lance?) from Green Flash took over brewing there. I went to Legacy (very close to home) for the first time a few weeks ago and it was not enjoyable at all. Off the Tracks is the worst beer ever to touch my lips, me and 3 friends got beershits from that place.
