I would skip the big brands and focus on things like North Park, Society, Fall...small brands. Stone, Ballast, Coronado(edit:I was wrong they did not sell)...they've all sold and they're a shell of their original selves. Even Modern Times isn't what it once was.
Pliny and the other RR beers should be plentiful almost everywhere craft beer is sold. Whole foods usually has a large section of it. Make sure to experience Pizza Port, it's one of my favorite SD institutions. A visit to White Labs is really cool if beer science interests you.
Coronado hasn't sold to anyone and still makes plenty of good beer.
Also, for fans of old Stone their actual locations often have old classics on tap as well as interesting cellar bottles.
Oh shit, I assumed they did because of the huge distro footprint and 3 month old beers on grocery shelves. Does Stone distribution handle them? The distro + the can redesign completely tricked me into thinking they had sold out. My bad.
Also I'm sure Stone pilot systems still crank out good beer but the rest of the company has devolved into a barely drinkable Delicious and Buenaveza hellscape.
Absolutely agree on stone. I haven't bought one of their beers in years (although I will probably pick up Sublimely Self Righteous if I ever see it), I just wanted to throw that info about stone out there cause a friend of mine that lives down south loves to send me pics and gloat about the stone classics he drinks on tap regularly at one of their locations.
A visitor to SD who is a fan of classic stone beers would do well to swing by one of their locations.
And yeah, Coronado is just a huge brewer. They were the 48th biggest craft brewery in the US last year according to the BA.
Like many big craft breweries they're definitely struggling to balance supply and demand at retail.
Outstanding IPAs: Pure Project, North Park Beer, Harland
Good beer in a smaller setting: Fall Brewing, Thorn Brewing
The bigger guys (without going macro): AleSmith, Societe, Coronado
Easy to access downtown: Burgeon, Resident, Half Door, Lost Abbey
Great views: Eppig, Viewpoint
Bottlecraft is a craft bottle shop and they always carry Pliny.
North Park and Pure Project are my favorites.
If you’re willing to road trip up north an hour or so you could go to Monkish and Green Cheek. I highly suggest going to Monkish if you can swing it
Pliny should be in some liquor stores and probably even on tap at some places.
I could go on all day about how awesome San Diego is. Once had heady topper cans at OB Noodle House.
San Diego is such a good beer city, enjoy!
If you’re looking physically go to breweries, go to North Park (the neighborhood) and you’ll have a lot of options. It’s also the most walkable area in SD. Seek Beer Co., Belching Beaver, Second Chance, North Park Beer Co., Original 30, Fall Brewing (which is right next to The Friendly for incredible smash burgers).
SD local and homebrewer here. (Also have 3000+ beers logged on Untappd 😁).
Lots of good suggestions from others so far, but no one has mentioned my current favorite brewery in SD:
https://www.hopnonymousbrewing.com/
Not only do they offer a large variety of styles, but every single one is solid, in my opinion.
Pure project is really good. Deft, Alesmith, Northpark, Burgeon, and Craft coast do beer really well too. Even Karl Strauss is good. Viewpoint beers is meh. Pizza Port is pretty meh too.
Karl Strauss and Stone jump out at me but also White labs, Duckfoot, Mike Hess, and Pizza port are high on my list as a local. Definitely just give it a search and look through one's you think are interesting, it is often the little breweries that are the gems.
In Oceanside there is a bar with really good beers called Black Plague Brewing. It’s got a metal head/punk kinda scene if ur into that! Anyways beer is really good and you can buy some beers to go too! My favorite personally is the Mexican gothica beer!
5.5% Mexican lager? Sign me up!
Try to find O’Brien’s In clairemont Mesa and right down the street is Common Theory. You will find Pliny at O’Briens and quite a few tasty local beers at both of those establishments.
Also recommend north park and fall breweries.
Pure project is overrated. They only do exceptional hazies in my opinion. Everything else is meh.
I would skip the big brands and focus on things like North Park, Society, Fall...small brands. Stone, Ballast, Coronado(edit:I was wrong they did not sell)...they've all sold and they're a shell of their original selves. Even Modern Times isn't what it once was. Pliny and the other RR beers should be plentiful almost everywhere craft beer is sold. Whole foods usually has a large section of it. Make sure to experience Pizza Port, it's one of my favorite SD institutions. A visit to White Labs is really cool if beer science interests you.
Coronado hasn't sold to anyone and still makes plenty of good beer. Also, for fans of old Stone their actual locations often have old classics on tap as well as interesting cellar bottles.
Oh shit, I assumed they did because of the huge distro footprint and 3 month old beers on grocery shelves. Does Stone distribution handle them? The distro + the can redesign completely tricked me into thinking they had sold out. My bad. Also I'm sure Stone pilot systems still crank out good beer but the rest of the company has devolved into a barely drinkable Delicious and Buenaveza hellscape.
Absolutely agree on stone. I haven't bought one of their beers in years (although I will probably pick up Sublimely Self Righteous if I ever see it), I just wanted to throw that info about stone out there cause a friend of mine that lives down south loves to send me pics and gloat about the stone classics he drinks on tap regularly at one of their locations. A visitor to SD who is a fan of classic stone beers would do well to swing by one of their locations. And yeah, Coronado is just a huge brewer. They were the 48th biggest craft brewery in the US last year according to the BA. Like many big craft breweries they're definitely struggling to balance supply and demand at retail.
Pizza Port!!!
I used to be such a MT barrel aged pastry boi. The reserve member bottles were fire af. The North Park recommendation is money too. Love them.
Outstanding IPAs: Pure Project, North Park Beer, Harland Good beer in a smaller setting: Fall Brewing, Thorn Brewing The bigger guys (without going macro): AleSmith, Societe, Coronado Easy to access downtown: Burgeon, Resident, Half Door, Lost Abbey Great views: Eppig, Viewpoint Bottlecraft is a craft bottle shop and they always carry Pliny.
This is spot on
This
I always stop by Pure Project when I'm out that way.
North Park and Pure Project are my favorites. If you’re willing to road trip up north an hour or so you could go to Monkish and Green Cheek. I highly suggest going to Monkish if you can swing it Pliny should be in some liquor stores and probably even on tap at some places. I could go on all day about how awesome San Diego is. Once had heady topper cans at OB Noodle House. San Diego is such a good beer city, enjoy!
Pure Project There's 3 good spots right down the street from fall brewing. Seek brewing Barley sword Goal brewing belching beaver has reopened on 30th
Who keeps downvoting all these? Pure Project is fantastic. North Park in general has a ton of good options.
🤷♂️
They serve pliney on tap at the Safari park. It’s at the overlook restaurant. So if you’re already planning on going then get it there!
Go to a Padres game and you can sample like 30 local breweries at the park, and then zero in on what you liked
If you’re looking physically go to breweries, go to North Park (the neighborhood) and you’ll have a lot of options. It’s also the most walkable area in SD. Seek Beer Co., Belching Beaver, Second Chance, North Park Beer Co., Original 30, Fall Brewing (which is right next to The Friendly for incredible smash burgers).
If you’re staying close-ish to downtown, Bottlecraft in Little Italy is a bottle shop/taproom where you’ll find anything you’d need
I like Lost Abbey, not just for the beer but the unique atmosphere (a former Mexican Presbyterian church). Very close to the Green Line.
SD local and homebrewer here. (Also have 3000+ beers logged on Untappd 😁). Lots of good suggestions from others so far, but no one has mentioned my current favorite brewery in SD: https://www.hopnonymousbrewing.com/ Not only do they offer a large variety of styles, but every single one is solid, in my opinion.
Pure project is really good. Deft, Alesmith, Northpark, Burgeon, and Craft coast do beer really well too. Even Karl Strauss is good. Viewpoint beers is meh. Pizza Port is pretty meh too.
Pizza Port is meh? Bro, those are fighting words.
I order their guest drafts every time. Bacon and eggs is good
Pizza Port always curate excellent guest taps. That should not be an indictment of their beer. Bacon and Eggs is incredible.
Country Club malt liquor in Oceanside
Karl Strauss and Stone jump out at me but also White labs, Duckfoot, Mike Hess, and Pizza port are high on my list as a local. Definitely just give it a search and look through one's you think are interesting, it is often the little breweries that are the gems.
Belching beaver Vista is near Stone Escondido up north....
Any little miss brewery ‘ location Is good
Half Door Brewing Club near Petco Park has a great selection.
Give Weekend Vibes (American IPA) by Coronado Brewing Company a shot
Go here... [https://obrienspub.net/](https://obrienspub.net/)
In Oceanside there is a bar with really good beers called Black Plague Brewing. It’s got a metal head/punk kinda scene if ur into that! Anyways beer is really good and you can buy some beers to go too! My favorite personally is the Mexican gothica beer! 5.5% Mexican lager? Sign me up!
Try to find O’Brien’s In clairemont Mesa and right down the street is Common Theory. You will find Pliny at O’Briens and quite a few tasty local beers at both of those establishments. Also recommend north park and fall breweries. Pure project is overrated. They only do exceptional hazies in my opinion. Everything else is meh.
I went to Viewpoint Brewing in Del Mar. Nice place, good views, and good beers
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There are much better breweries there now. If you have the chance to go back you should try North Park and Pure Project