Favorite "lesser known" breweries in San Diego?

Must Try: Societe, Modern Times, Fall Brewing, Rip Current, Toolbox
Also see this thread.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/visiting-san-diego-summer-2015.309241/

 

Society
Modern Times
Iron Fist
Ballast Point
Toolbox

 

The only one I would say is "skippable" is Kilowatt...was there this past weekend and was not impressed.
Definitely try to make it to Thorn St. and Hess. Thorn St. is smaller, but still worth it, in my opinion

 

Must try (from that list): Societe, Rip Current, Council, Toolbox, Belching Beaver

Intergalactic and Thorn St. are cool enough, if you are in the area. Thorn St. has a loyal crowd. Kilowatt seems to be improving. Mike Hess has a cool space (in North Park), and has its fans. Kilowatt is coming around, but it might take a little while.

Helix is too new to say. Until Bolt has its space open in Little Italy (is it open?), not worth a trip. I've heard little positive about Acoustic, and nothing positive about Magnetic.

 

If you're gonna make a stop at Toronado, visit Fall Brewing.

 

Only comment I can make is "I wish I lived in San Diego"

 

Acoustic had a really rough start and for a while they just couldn't break in to the craft beer game. Lately though, I feel that the majority of their offerings have placed themselves into the good category, which to me would make them a stop if in the area.

back in the GSSR
Rock out with your Vienna Out
The Groupie
Unplugged, and most of the variants

These are the ones I tend to order when I see them on draft around the county.

Otherwise the musts are the same that others have said: Societe, Rip Current, Belching Beaver
Solid: Council, Intergalactic, Acoustic, maybe Kilowatt (hearing better and better things)
Skippable: Magnetic, Helix, Bolt, Hess (although some would disagree with me here), Thorn (of all of their offerings, maybe a dozen or so, I felt only 2 were drinkable the last time I visited)

 

How is Abnormal brewing? I've been wanting to check them out

 

One that should be put on the line from Solid to must visit. Derek is doing some great things there, and his dinner pairings are really tasty (usually 8 courses with around 9-10 beers).

 

Intergalactic and Rip Current are so good. I wish more people would support them so they'd start bottling. If anyone can explain why Societe doesn't bottle, please let me know.

 

They said they'd never bottle their IPAs and I don't expect that to change. As far as sours, pick your favorite theory and go with it because they've been very noticeably silent on the issue.

 

Acoustic ales - Solid
Societe - Must try
Kilowatt - Somewhere between solid and skip
Council - Solid
Magnetic - Beers were okay but location sucks and you could be somewhere else better so skip
Belching beaver - Solid, North Park tasting room is better than OG
Mike hess - Must try/Solid
Thorn st - Solid
Rip current - Must try
Intergalactic - Solid
Helix - Solid
Bolt - Solid

 

I heard it was because they were drinking all the sours that they made.

 

Yes, no.

[Not really dissing on Cellar 3 (though many people will) as much as saying that you'll have plenty to drink at the 3 places you list and you definitely will be into diminishing returns]

 

Amplified Aleworks in Pacific Beach is making solid stuff, of the little I've had. Noticed it wasn't on your list. Council is the only place i've ever gotten 3 undrinkable beers. This out of 10 beers total. So, 30% were absolutely terrible (infections/off flavors). In 10+ years of craft beer drinking I've barely had that many undrinkable beers aside from Council.

 

Top Tier: Societe, Modern Times and Rip Current.
Middle Tier: Intergalactic, Toolbox (if you like tart, funky), Acoustic (cool tasting room/has gotten better), Monkey Paw
Lower Tier: Fall, Mike Hess, New English (just because no one ever mentions them), Benchmark (solid but boring)

Haven't tried 32 North but I've heard good things from a few people. Council to me can be middle to lower depending on how dialed in they were on those batches. I've tasted really good IPA's from them and then the next time they all taste different and blah.

 

In that area Booze Brothers, Barrel Harbor, and Belching Beaver are worth a stop. Aztec is up there as well (if you want to stick to little known locations) and while not great I was still able to spend a couple hours inside and had some of all of their offerings.