Must visit SoCal breweries

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by Qu3st, Jul 13, 2021.

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  1. dcgunman

    dcgunman Pooh-Bah (2,608) Jul 1, 2009 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Like @ChicagoJ said. I would add a tip. 3 days is a short quick trip. If your gonna do 1 full day in the LA area for the first day, do HpB/Homage/MT Dojo. All 3 are close together. That’s if your staying in the downtown area or close by. If your closer to LAX area maybe do Monkish and then drive to DT and hit up HpB and Homage. I guess day 2 you’d be heading down to SD? If so, I’d stop at Beachwood in Long Beach. Get back on the 405 south and exit Bristol for Green Cheek. It’s 2 minutes from the freeway. Now here’s the hard part. Do I do lunch at Beachwood (great BBQ) or do I did lunch at Green Cheek Costa Mesa (great smash burgers). And those tots are special. Halfway down the 5 in Oceanside is Bagby. Not a bad choice to pull off and take a break. Especially if it’s on a weekend. The traffic can be brutal through there. Seems like everyone north of SD are heading south to SD or Tijuana or to the beautiful beaches. So be prepared for some traffic. I would definitely hit up North Park Beer. Some amazing stuff coming from these guys. Both west coast/hazy and lagers. Nice layout inside. Skip MT in SD and yes I’m gonna say it, skip Alesmith and take the road trip to Alpine (30 minutes west of downtown SD) and hit up the newest hole in the wall brewery McilHenney Brewing (aka ABC). Most San Diego drinkers don’t like to drive east to Alpine. You’ll thank me later.
     
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  2. ChicagoJ

    ChicagoJ Grand Pooh-Bah (4,073) Feb 2, 2015 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I concur Alpine is a great area. I didn't stop at the brewery (GF time period) when I was in the area, but definitely want McIlHenney and also North Park next trip to SD. Your previous recommendations were always helpful on past trips (including Green Cheek), so definitely will make time to hit both next trip. I would pick AleSmith over Modern Times, mainly for their "secret" BBA room. I also should have noted for the OP that my recommendations did not consider hazy IPAs or sours, but a variety of other styles including WCIPAs.

    Only hit one brewery between LA and SD (right near Del Mar RC, it was OK), but plenty else to do, including hiking at Torrey Pines SP, liked the Pacific Beach area as well. After spending a few hours checking out Balboa Park, Pure Project just outside of the park to the West was very convenient (though wouldn't make a special trip to PP unless you had several days in SD).

    Thanks also @RaulMondesi for your cosign on Yorkshire. Cask is hard to find, so I love checking out places which have it.
     
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  3. Dansac

    Dansac Pundit (878) Dec 6, 2014 California
    Trader

    Homage and HPB: Back to Back in Chinatown LA.
    Monkish: Torrence
    Cellador: North Hills
    Green Cheek: OC
    North Park: San Diego

    Those are the top priorities.
     
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  4. SDReaper

    SDReaper Pooh-Bah (2,150) Aug 15, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    #rigosmith... All. Day.
     
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  5. StonedRaider

    StonedRaider Zealot (722) Oct 25, 2007 California
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    Don’t forget the guac!
     
  6. SDReaper

    SDReaper Pooh-Bah (2,150) Aug 15, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    *stares angrily at the computer screen*
     
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  7. Dansac

    Dansac Pundit (878) Dec 6, 2014 California
    Trader

    If sours are your priority, then Cellador and Homage are top priority. Firestone Walker has some good ones as well, obviously.
     
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  8. AlonzoMosely

    AlonzoMosely Initiate (0) Aug 31, 2013 Vermont

    Anyone know if any Mchilhenney kegs have made their way to bars in the San Diego area? Or is it all brewery only right now?
     
  9. SDReaper

    SDReaper Pooh-Bah (2,150) Aug 15, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Still brewery only.
     
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  10. Effinwill

    Effinwill Devotee (397) Dec 2, 2016 California

    My family and I have done baseball, amusement park, brewery trips for years. The bigger joints with ample selection, large grounds and good food are the best to hit, I think.
     
  11. RKP1967

    RKP1967 Savant (1,126) Sep 26, 2010 Virginia

    How does Pure Project Balboa compare to North Park? May do both tomorrow but what if we only have time for one?
     
  12. ChazMania

    ChazMania Savant (1,004) Jun 13, 2006 California

    NPBC by far for me. Ales, Lagers, Stouts, Sours. Small place with a shared restaurant space called Mastiff something. The IPAs and Lagers they have been making have been exceptional to me. I rarely drink stouts so can't comment there.
     
  13. RKP1967

    RKP1967 Savant (1,126) Sep 26, 2010 Virginia

    They have all those things at Pure Project as well, and the current taplist has higher untappd scores.
     
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  14. SDReaper

    SDReaper Pooh-Bah (2,150) Aug 15, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    NPBC still wins, hands down, regardless of the untappd score. =P

    But I will state that the Pure Project location has a very beautiful surrounding with Balboa Park being right there.
     
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  15. AlexM

    AlexM Pooh-Bah (1,844) Jun 9, 2011 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Any take-out Mexican food recommendations near NPBC? Looking to grab some food and eat it at NPBC, assuming they allow outside food.
     
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  16. SDReaper

    SDReaper Pooh-Bah (2,150) Aug 15, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    So a couple choices... City Tacos (almost always packed), Colima's (a couple blocks away)....or I am being told to screw tacos and just go to Crazee Burger (also a couple blocks away).

    Edit: Uncertain if they still allow outside food, but I couldn't see why not.
     
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  17. AlexM

    AlexM Pooh-Bah (1,844) Jun 9, 2011 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Thank you! Based on your other foodie recommendations, I knew you would have solid intel :slight_smile:
     
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  18. SDReaper

    SDReaper Pooh-Bah (2,150) Aug 15, 2013 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Ha! While I appreciate it, most of my foodie recommendations come from friends that either live in the areas or are significantly more adventurous with food than myself. In fact, I would say at least half come from a friend that doesn't even live in the state any more and yet he has more information about san diego food than I do.
     
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  19. RKP1967

    RKP1967 Savant (1,126) Sep 26, 2010 Virginia

    We hit both. North Park definitely won for the better beer, Pure Project definitely won for better outdoor vibe.
     
  20. Qu3st

    Qu3st Savant (1,101) Dec 4, 2015 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Solid info, I really appreciate you taking the time to post it (as well as everyone else).
    Plus how can I not trust a Gnoll (My favorite humanoid and from one of my favorite games of all-time).
     
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