Visiting San Diego - Winter 2015

Updates - New Ballast Point location, Toolbox and Bagby added to the Tier 2 Small Breweries, and a couple of restaurant additions.

Intro Notes - This guide is not intended to be an exhaustive list of everything about visiting San Diego from a beer standpoint, rather it's intended as a primer to hopefully answer the majority of the basic questions people ask such as "What breweries should I visit?", "Which bars are worth going to?", and "Is a drive to Alpine worth it?". If you're looking for something specific, skim through the bold headers for what you want. If you've read through this and still have questions, ask away, but please give us enough information to answer your question. The most helpful information you can give us when you're looking for recommendations:
1) What part of town you're staying in
2) Whether or not you have a car
3) How much time you have

On the question of recommended breweries, it's always a bit difficult to build a list without personal bias creeping in. I've tried to mostly stick to commonly held opinions rather than my own (sometimes curmudgenonly) views, but some people are likely to disagree with me. When in doubt, check the BA Places reviews, there are a lot of reviews on there that can provide depth that a short summary like this can't. On the two tiers of smaller breweries, the differentiation isn't one of quality or superiority as much as a feeling that the Tier 1 breweries get recommended more often than the Tier 2 breweries. Many of the Tier 2 breweries are churning out great beer, and I would recommend visiting if you have time. Additionally, there are plenty of other breweries making solid beer, but most people visiting only have a certain amount of time and I've tried to provide the best options.

The guide will be updated on a quarterly basis and if anyone has any advice on sections to add next time around, feel free to respond and/or PM me.

General Advice - San Diego is a very spread out city, especially in terms of brewery location, and our public transportation is mostly terrible for getting between different areas. If you're staying Downtown (or the Gaslamp, a subset of Downtown) without a car, you'll be in decent shape to hit a lot of good spots without much effort - the Route 2 bus runs from Downtown to 30th St and cabs from Downtown to North Park are relatively cheap. If you're staying almost anywhere else in the county, having a car will make it far easier to hit the breweries you really want to visit, rather than the geographically convenient ones. Even with a car, you're going to find it far easier to hit brewery clusters rather than try to hop through the county in a single day (see below for more on that). If you don't have a car, Uber/Lyft are good options to get around but you'll obviously want to plan your brewery order well to maximize the utility.

One important note about our beaches - drinking is illegal on almost all of them. I think there may still be one or two state beaches where drinking is legal, but they're not places you'll end up accidentally, so for all intents and purposes, just consider it a blanket ban. If you want to have a picnic and drink, Balboa Park still has a lot of areas where it's legal to drink and can make for a great day of visiting museums or just enjoying the Prado area.

Basic Resources:
San Diego Beer Map (courtesy of ex-BA nanobrew) - This map contains damn near every point of interest from a beer standpoint, and is both more current and easier to use than Beermapping.com. It will be your greatest tool in trying to plan how to maximize your time.
California Breweries' Growler Fill Policies (courtesy of BA SageO) - California's breweries have been slow to adapt to changes and reinterpretations in growler laws, but Sage has done a great job of compiling as much information as possible. If you're visiting from more liberal growler states (like Oregon for example), you'll be in for a bit of a culture shock and likely want to do some research on specific breweries' policies before you show up looking for fills.

The Big/Well Distributed Breweries - Since you're into beer, you've probably had their beers before. If you're a fan, each brewery has its pros and cons that might make it worth visiting:
AleSmith - Well worth a stop in my opinion. Very little ambiance or scenery due to its traditional industrial park setting, but they usually have a handful of draft only/special edition beers on tap as well as a cask or two, and they very rarely miss the mark.
Ballast Point - They have four facilities now, each with different focuses and in different parts of the city:
* Ballast Point Miramar - Their recently opened new production facility, tasting room, and restaurant. It's a huge, beautiful facility and seems to have a few more special BA beers than the other facilities most of the time, although that may or may not hold true over time.
* Ballast Point Old Grove - Their secondary facility has a tasting room with both tasters and pints, as well as scheduled spirits tastings (check their website for details). Each Ballast Point facility will generally have a good selection of draft-only beers, and they maintain updated tap lists on their website.
* Ballast Point Tasting Room & Kitchen (Little Italy) - Their newest facility in Little Italy has both a tasting room as well as a restaurant. Parking in Little Italy can be a challenge in the evening or on weekends, but it's a great option for anyone who's staying Downtown to either walk or take public transit to.
* Home Brew Mart - Their original location, which is half tasting room/half home brew shop. There's no seating to be had and while there's nothing to recommend against, it's less relaxing than the other two locations. If you're strapped for time or stuck in the Mission Valley/Linda Vista area, it's convenient, but that's about the only reason to visit it over the the Old Grove or Little Italy locations.
Green Flash - They usually have a handful of special beers on tap, but they frequently seem to be revived old recipes or seasonals, with a few experimental batches mixed in. The tasting room is massive and they offer tours for a fee ($5 IIRC).
Lost Abbey/Port - Between the vintage bottle list and seasonals/draft only beers on tap, it's generally worth a stop for fans. It's fairly rare for them to have sours or BA beers on tap, aside from special events, so don't go in expecting an epic tap list.
Stone - They have several locations now when you include their company stores where you can do tasters and buy both beer and merchandise, but two primary locations:
* Stone Brewing Escondido - The mothership, it has their production facility, bottling facility, bistro gardens, and the only location that has tours. If you have the time, I highly recommend doing the tour, as it's one of the best you'll find in craft beer due to both Stone's size and the vibe around the brewery (and no, our resident Stone tour guide didn't pay me to say that). As far as the bistro, the menu is, to put it diplomatically, divisive - the food choices can be a bit on the esoteric side, the prices are on the higher end, and the portions are smaller. Some people like it, some people avoid it like the plague. Look at a menu before you go.
* Stone Brewing Liberty Station - Similar food and beer situation to Escondido, but without any tours, and bocce ball courts rather than gardens. The ambiance isn't at the level of Escondido, but it's far more centrally located (minutes from the airport and Downtown) and is a good option if you're a Stone fan but lack a car and/or the time to make it up to Escondido.

The Smaller Breweries You Should Visit - Tier 1:
Alpine - If you're reading this thread, you probably don't need to be told about Alpine. Go out there, drink the IPAs, eat some BBQ. The pub is closed on Mondays and the brewery is closed on both Sundays and Mondays. See below for a more complete on answer on visiting Alpine.
Pizza Port - There are four locations in San Diego County - Ocean Beach, Solana Beach, Bressi Ranch, and Carlsbad - and which one you visit is more or less based on preference and convenience. Solana Beach has the fewest taps out of the four if I recall correctly, and Carlsbad has the bottle shop next door, but those are the main differences. If you're from New York or Chicago, let me caution you right now - it's California style pizza, and you'll probably be deeply offended by what they do to pizza. If you can look past the sacrilege, it's enjoyable for what it is. If you can't, then drink the pain away. Either way, Pizza Port should be on your itinerary.
Rip Current - They're approaching two years old and still flying under the radar, but damn near everything they brew is at least good, if not great or excellent. Their hours are a little bit smaller than the big boys, but they're not far from Stone's Escondido facility and Port/Lost Abbey. If you go up to North County and don't go to Rip Current, you're doing yourself a disservice. The new North Park tasting room should be opening in mid-January which will make them a no-brainer to visit.
Societe - One of the breakout breweries of the past couple years, they've been brewing great IPAs but their stouts and Belgians shouldn't be overlooked. Considering they don't bottle or can their beers, it's worth heading up to try them on tap. If you really want them to love you, ask when their sours will be ready or when they're going to start bottling their IPAs.

The Smaller Breweries You Should Visit - Tier 2:
Bagby Beer Company - They're still flying under the radar in terms of hype, partly thanks to brewing a lot of beer in less popular styles, but everything is well executed - as you would expect from a brewery helmed by Jeff Bagby - and combined with a great guest tap list and good food, it's a recommended stop.
Belching Beaver - Solid beers across the board, but their Peanut Butter Milk Stout tends to draw the best reviews. Along with the production facility in Vista, they have a tasting room in North Park that's a convenient stop if you're hitting beer spots on 30th Street.
Council Brewing - Seven months in, they've been showing some of the inconsistency that comes with being a young nano brewery but are still producing interesting, above-average beer in a variety of styles. Proximity to Societe should make it a no-brainer to stop and try their beers.
Modern Times - Their growth has been explosive, as they've spent most of their year and a half in business struggling to meet demand. Their core beers are all solid and some of the pilot batches and seasonals are damn good. As they add demand, one-offs and experimental batches should become more common, making a visit to the brewery even more essential. Along with the main brewery, they have a tasting room in North Park at 3000 Upas St #102.
Monkey Paw - A good option for people stuck Downtown, Monkey Paw has both solid house beers as well as guest taps and some damn good cheesesteaks.
New English Brewing Company - Focused on British styles, with some West Coast twists. They fly under the radar but have improved their output and are worth checking out or giving a second chance if you had some of their earlier bottled batches.
Saint Archer Brewing Co - They took a lot of flak for their marketing angle when they first opened, but since hiring Pizza Port alum Yiga Miyashiro, they've been churning out better beer than people give them credit for, and the coffee brown is one of the better local beers for its style. Not an essential stop, but their proximity to Alesmith makes it an easy one.
Toolbox Brewing Co - The focus is largely on Brett/farmhouse ales, wilds, and IPAs, but their milk stout is a great example of the style. The youngest brewery on the list, but their quality combined with proximity to several other great breweries along the 78 makes them a natural place to visit.

 

Good Bars and Beer-centric Restaurants:
Blind Lady Ale House
Cali Kebab/Amplified Ale Works
Churchill's Pub
Downtown Johnny Brown's
Encinitas Ale House
Hamilton's Tavern
Neighborhood
Newport Pizza & Ale House
O'Briens
Regal Beagle
Ritual Tavern
Slater's 50/50
Small Bar
Tap Room
Tiger!Tiger!
Toronado
Urge Gastropub
Waypoint Public

Good Bottle Shops - Two notes before the actual list:
1) This is not an exhaustive list, it's the best ones that are generally going to be most convenient for visitors. There are other good bottle shops, but driving to Poway or Spring Valley just for a bottle shop doesn't make sense for tourists. Whole Foods locations also usually have a decent selection, and BevMos are an okay choice if you're strapped for time, but be careful buying hoppy beers since they're mostly stored warm and of questionable age.
2) Alpine is never reliably available on liquor store shelves. You might luck into it at a few of these shops, but if you really want bottles, go to the brewery. Pliny is slightly more available, but sells out within 24 hours at most places. If you REALLY want it, look at the list of accounts on Russian River's website, call the shops to find out their delivery schedules, and see what you can do.
Best Damn Beer Shop (Krisp Market)
Bine & Vine
Bottlecraft Little Italy & Bottlecraft North Park
Clem's Bottle House
Holiday Wine Cellar
K'n'B Wine Cellars
Olive Tree Marketplace
Pizza Port Carlsbad Bottle Shop

Lodging:
The general consensus on lodging is to stay somewhere that you can end the day by parking your car and walking to good bars. In that regard, North Park is your absolute best bet and The Lafayette has proven to be a popular choice. It's about a mile from Toronado in one direction, Small Bar in the opposite direction, Live Wire is a block or so away, etc. AirBnB and VRBO are also both good options (I prefer AirBnB personally but I'm not sure there's a big difference). If you're on a beer-centric trip, staying anywhere in University Heights (not University City, University Heights), Normal Heights, and North Park is going to put you in the heart of walkable locations. If visitors end up staying at AirBnB locations for beer trips and have a good experience, feel free to share them in this thread, it wouldn't hurt to have some recommended AirBnB spots for beercations.

Aside from that, Mission Valley's Hotel Circle area has a whole host of options and will be a ~$20 cab ride to North Park.

Convenient Brewery/Bar/Restaurant Clusters:
North Park/30th St - The core of the 30th St corridor is Tiger!Tiger!, Ritual Tavern, Toronado, and Belching Beaver's tasting room. If you head south, Modern Times's tasting room isn't too far down, and Hamilton's is even further down, but worth the trip. To the north of the core stops, Blind Lady is on Adams Ave, a few blocks east of 30th St. There are also a handful of other spots like Waypoint Public, the Coin-Op Game Room (a barcade), and Alchemy Restaurant. Just don't go to True North.
Kearny Mesa - Head to Societe and Council for tasters (or pints if you have a DD), then go to O'Briens for dinner. You can also go to Helms right around the corner from Societe if you're looking to try as many breweries as possible. Societe and Council can easily be wrapped into a Miramar trip as well, but if you have a few days, the Kearny Mesa cluster by itself makes for a good afternoon.
Miramar - Anchored by Ballast Point's Old Grove Facility as the furthest east, Alesmith smack dab in the middle, and Green Flash as the furthest west (and slightly north). In the middle, you've got several options - Intergalactic has been brewing a lot of solid beers, White Labs can be an interesting stop if you're a homebrewer, Saint Archer as mentioned above, Rough Draft is in the solid but mostly unremarkable category, and the original Hess tasting room is there for the curious.
Highway 78 - Start at Stone's Escondido facility for a tour and some tasters, head to Port/Lost Abbey, have a late lunch at Churchill's, then hit Rip Current. After that, you can head into Vista's commercial/industrial area and there 7 breweries within a mile radius - I would recommend Latitude 33 and Belching Beaver, but the options are there. Finish the day with dinner at Pizza Port Bressi Ranch - only a couple miles away - or head a bit further west to Pizza Port Carlsbad.

Visiting Alpine: I already mentioned Alpine under "The Must Hits" but since "Is a drive to Alpine worth it?" is one of the common questions in the forum, it deserves a more detailed answer. Alpine is ~30 minutes from most parts of the county, and unlike North County which is 30 - 45 minutes from Downtown, there is nothing else to visit out there beer-wise. If you go to Alpine, you're spending an hour in the car (round-trip) for Alpine and Alpine alone. If you have the time, it is definitely worth it - the beer is good, the prices are some of the best in the county, and the pub is a good spot to grab a relaxing lunch. However, if you only have a day or two in San Diego and want to maximize your time, you can pretty reliably try a few Alpine beers on tap at Toronado and/or O'Brien's. It's very definitely not the same experience as making the drive out there, but it's a pragmatic solution to having limited time.

 

Shit, I totally forgot. I really need to start editing my template as things happen, rather than just trying to remember everything on the first day of each quarter...

 

A couple people have brought that up - if someone with a kid wants to go through my list of recommendations and mark which ones are kid-friendly, I'd be happy to add it to the list. Since I don't have kids and don't really pay attention to it, it's not something I can add without taking the time to figure out each brewery/bar one by one, and I'm honestly not that interested...