2AM Bike Ride

Fall Brewing | 5% ABV

Give your usual Guinness a rain check and try a stout from San Diego’s favorite punk rock brewery. 2AM Bike Ride—a vanilla bean stout and nitro pour in collaboration with one of San Diego’s top coffee roasters—may be love at first sight. This light mouthfeel brew features a special edition Guatemalan roast from Dark Horse Coffee (which you can order online from Fall Brewing), infused with chocolate malt, roasted barley, flaked oats, and British malts. This caffeinated nitro brew offers a welcome kick, perfect for jumpstarting a lackluster date on the town.

Little Secret Milk Stout

Eppig Brewing | 4.1% ABV

Surprise your soulmate with this little secret from Point Loma’s Eppig Brewing. This dark chocolate stout is enriched with the rich aromas of maple syrup, espresso, and bakers chocolate, ideal for pairing with the dessert of your choice. The added lactose and maple syrup give it a creamy texture and sweet aftertaste that can enhance any Valentine’s Day plans.

Stone Xocoveza

Stone Brewing | 8.1% ABV | 50 IBUs

Inspired by the rich flavors of Mexican hot chocolate, Stone Brewing’s Xocoveza imperial stout is a hearty reimagining of your abuela’s favorite drink. This special batch collaboration between Tijuana’s notorious Cerveceria Insurgente brewery and award-winning San Diego homebrewer Chris Banker has become a fan-favorite among Stone’s seasonal beers. With a mix of chocolate, vanilla, coffee, cinamon, nutmeg, and pasilla peppers, this blend is well worth seeking during cuffing season. Crafty DIY mixologists should also check out Stone’s beer-nog recipe using Xocoveza for a twist on an old favorite.

Victory at Sea

Ballast Point | 10% ABV | 60 IBUs

If you’re not having success in the dating game, at least you can have Victory at Sea. This high ABV porter from local brewing empire Ballast Point packs a punch with flavors from the coffee beans of North Park’s Caffe Calabria, along with hints of caramel, vanilla and malt. At select breweries and Ballast Point locations, beer aficionados can try their barrel-aged, 12 percent ABV variant flavored with the smoky casks of High West Bourbon or their Chai Victory at Sea featuring masala chai along with cinnamon, cloves, black tea, and cardamom for a spiced alternative to this classic stout.

Velvet Phenix Marshmallow Mocha Stout

North Park Beer Co. | 5.8% ABV

Valentine’s Day plans fell through? Rise like a phoenix from the ashes and visit North Park Beer Co. for a stout that will definitely make you fly. One of the smoothest stouts around, the Velvet Phenix Marshmallow Mocha Stout is a mix of Chicago’s Dark Matter coffee beans, cacao nibs, and vanilla. This mocha stout has a silky smooth mouthfeel just like velvet.

Obsidian Cliff

Pure Project | 13.2% ABV

Often overshadowed by the brewery’s excellent hazy’s, IPAs, and kombuchas, Pure Project’s Obsidian Cliff is certainly worth a sip. This high ABV stout is brewed with cacao, vanilla wafer, marshmallow, and graham cracker flavors and aged for 13 months in Old Fitzgerald bourbon barrels where it develops a smoky accent. Inspired by the great outdoors of Yellowstone National Park, The Obsidian Cliff stout is a potable s’mores sandwich best enjoyed in the company of your loved one around a campfire.

Peanut Butter Milk Stout

Belching Beaver | 5.3% ABV | 30 IBUs

Belching Beaver’s Peanut Butter Milk Stout is likely already high on your list of sweet brews but you can’t celebrate Valentine’s Day without mentioning it. While peanut butter flavors dominate the brew, hints of dark chocolate, rolled oats, and lactose greet you with each additional sip. Those with a sweet tooth top this stout with a scoop of ice cream for an alcoholic root beer float that won’t disappoint. Belching Beaver’s iconic brew is the perfect desert beer nightcap for a beer-lovers’ Valentine’s Day.

The post 5 Chocolate-Infused San Diego Beers To Try on Valentine’s Day appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Novo Brazil Brewing Company Opens Fifth Location in Mission Valley

There’s a new spot in Mission Valley to keep up with the NFL playoffs. Novo Brazil Brewing Company recently opened their latest restaurant and sports bar at the Mission Valley Mall—the brewery’s first location outside of the South Bay. The expansive, 11,500-square-foot indoor and outdoor space offers 64 brews on tap, including hard seltzers, plus a handful of cocktails made with fermented alcohol. The menu also features sister company Nova Easy Kombucha’s hard and non-alcoholic kombuchas, including the new Azteks Raspberry, a flavor created in collaboration with players on the SDSU men’s basketball team and the Mesa Foundation. 

Food options resemble those at the company’s Imperial Beach and Otay Ranch Town Center outposts, with Brazil-inspired dishes like empanadas, yucca fries, and “El Charro,” a 14-ounce grilled ribeye served with a baked potato and asparagus. The brewery also has its fair share of classic brewpub food on hand, like burgers, chicken wings, and carne asada fries (a San Diego staple). 

With LED screens covering 100 feet of the brick-and-mortar’s walls, Novo Brazil is designed to be the ideal place to cheer on your favorite team. And, if you’re looking to get schooled on the brewing process, the Mission Valley location offers opportunities to learn about Novo’s beers or even craft your own. 

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

Piper, The Seabird Ocean Resort & Spa’s California-coastal restaurant, recently welcomed Chris Carriker as its new chef de cuisine. Carriker was most recently the chef de cuisine at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort Golf Club & Spa, with stints at Avant Restaurant at Rancho Bernardo Inn and International Smoke. He was also a contestant on the Food Network’s Chopped in 2019.

The post Where to Eat in San Diego: Restaurant Openings & News (Jan. 15–19) appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Tijuana is chaotic and competitive, beer is for city folk in a dog-eat-dog market. Ensenada is laid back and married to the sea, beer is for the tourists seeking relaxation and seafood. Mexicali has hellish weather; beer is for the locals to survive the heat.

Each city has its unique burgeoning scene, as well as some bad players. This list compiles the best beer Baja California has to offer, from ninth best to first. 

Farland Aleworks

Tijuana

It’s only been a year since Farland Aleworks opened in “La Veinte de Noviembre” neighborhood (near the Xolos Stadium). Investing more than a million dollars, Farland set a new standard if you want to be competitive in the Baja beer scene. The brewery did not cut any corners; everything is pristine, the branding, the food, and the beer (in any style). They built a big four-story building alluding to a galactic brewery, the space theme continues into the bathrooms. Their hazy pale ale Yoda the Gentleman, recently won bronze in the San Diego International Beer Competition.

Cervecería Icono

Mexicali

Also a big investment, Cervecería Ícono took over the old Mexicali Brewing company grounds, originally built in 1923 and closed in 1973 (and subsequently abandoned). It wasn’t until 2019 that Ícono converted the space into the biggest beer garden in Baja and the second largest in all of Mexico (beaten only by Cervecería Hércules in Querétaro). Besides a solid lineup of beers, it also has a bar, music stage, and contains numerous food options including pizza, burgers, tacos, a smokehouse, and more. 

Cervecería Agua Mala

Ensenada

Founded in 2005 by marine biologist Nathaniel Schmidt, most of Agua Mala’s beers are related to the ocean. Their tap room is made out of recycled shipping containers with murals of sea creatures. Though it sounds like “bad water,” the actual translation of Agua Mala is jellyfish (their logo). Agua Mala has been winning awards since 2010, they recently got six medals in Copa Baja including two gold for their Vieja (Amber Lager) and Mero (Czech Lager). With an ocean obsession, the menu has fresh seafood including Kumeyaay oysters, which they also use to brew La Perla Oyster stout.

Amante Brew Company

Mexicali

A hop in the shape of a heart with an arrow across is their logo, Amante translates to lover. Founded in 2011, Amante claims to be the first truly independent brewery in Mexico. Most of their beers have women’s names, others have names like their foreign extra stout which they call “La Panocha” slang for uhh… women’s genitalia. The aforementioned beer recently won silver in Copa Baja and “Marie,” my favorite saison, won bronze. 

Mamut Cervecería

Tijuana

Mamut is the first brewery I tried in Tijuana in 2013, and since then, you often find me drinking there. It’s been a rollercoaster of quality and staff. For a couple of years, they were brewing garbage (many locals swore it off). But Mamut persisted, and in the past years they’ve been brewing award-winning beers, and their quality keeps improving. The spacious brewery is located in one of Tijuana’s oldest buildings, the Foreign Club. But to best enjoy Mamut’s beers, find the original tiny location where it all started inside Pasaje Rodríguez.

Fauna Tasting Room

Mexicali 

Fauna is a fantasy world of beasts, fairies, goblins, wizards, and beers. It is the biggest and best-established brewery in Mexicali, delivering beer all over Mexico with its Dungeons and Dragons-themed labels. They refer to everyone as a carnavalastro (slang for “bro”) and invite you to taste their magical brews. They won five medals in Copa Baja 2023 including two gold for their Nox Arcana (Imperial Stout) and Gozo Real (Belgian Single). 

Cervecería Insurgente

Tijuana

Cervecería Insurgente is home to one of the most recognized IPAs in Mexico “La Lupulosa” or the hoppy one. It is the best-established beer in Tijuana. Their logo of an owl is recognized by beer aficionados all over Mexico and parts of the United States. Insurgente collaborated in 2014 with Stone Brewing to brew Xocoveza, an award-winning stout with Mexican hot chocolate mixed with coffee. Despite fighting with the Tijuana government, which caused them to shut down their plant, Insurgente never lost its superb quality. After three years of struggle, they re-opened their main facility in August 2022.

Wendlandt Tasting Room

Ensenada

Situated in El Sauzal, next to the ocean, Wendlandt is one of the biggest craft breweries in Mexico producing more than 100,000 liters a month. Wendlandt started brewing in 2012 and won the best brewery in Copa Mexico twice (2015 and 2019). In 2016, they expanded distribution to the United States (it’s easily available in San Diego). Everything I tried from Wendlandt has been outstanding, including their food offerings. Their six lines of beers have won multiple awards except for their newest addition, a session IPA named Tuna Turner. 

Cerveza Cardera

Ensenada

The first time I tried Cerveza Cardera I was blown away. Their mango with chamoy Berliner-Weisse reminded me of my favorite Mexican candy in a sour beer format. It continued to amaze me with their Dosis Perfecta, a Carajillo Stout with coffee, and Licor 43 (a Spanish liqueur with 43 ingredients). A family business that started in a humble garage in 2013 in a quiet Ensenada neighborhood, it quickly expanded to a large warehouse (which they share with Cerveza Bruer). Cardera is a portmanteau of the owners and married couple Armando Carednas and Rebecca Ramírez. It won Best Brewery Aro Rojo in 2022 (Mexico’s international beer competition) and won three gold and a bronze in the recent Copa Baja.

The post The Top 9 Must-Visit Breweries in Baja California appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

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The craft beer industry is full of trash.

We’re talking literal trash—hundreds of thousands of pounds of garbage head to landfills each year, and a big chunk of that are things like plastic, cardboard, and aluminum. In short, stuff that can be recycled. So why isn’t it?

Romi Rossel, founding member of the San Diego Brewcycling Collaborative, says that not every recycler has the infrastructure or machinery to accept certain materials. She points to reasons like the cost of purchasing specific processing machines compared to the value of the recycled materials. “Bigger systems, they don’t want to recycle because they don’t generate profit,” she says, naming common brewery items like used grain bags and PakTech holders that tend to jam up standard recycling machines. “So they end up at landfills.”

PakTechs are the sturdy snap-on tops for four- and six-packs of beer. They’re marketed as 100 percent recycled plastic rHDPE, or recycled High-Density Polythene, which is a commonly used plastic material whose chemical- and impact-resistance makes it ideal for carrying cans of beer. In theory, they can be recycled and reused. In reality, Rossel points out, that’s not the case.

brewcycling-sdm1222.jpg

Steve Weihe is a Recycling Specialist II for the County of San Diego’s Department of Public Works, as well as a member of the Brewcycling Collaborative. In 2021, Tom Kiely, general manager at Thorn Brewing Company, accompanied Weihe to waste management company’s EDCO’s processing plant in Escondido to conduct a real-world test of how often PakTechs were properly sorted.

“About 50 percent of them were captured correctly,” says Weihe, calling that a “best case scenario” depending on their color. Natalia King Quick, another Recycling Specialist II and Brewcycler, says that while white and lighter-colored PakTechs were occasionally sorted into recycling, black and dark green ones were correctly identified around zero percent of the time. “And the black ones are the cheapest,” she points out, making them the most common.

Not only are thousands of pounds of recyclable materials not getting recycled, but most breweries don’t realize they could save money and save the Earth. When breweries collect large quantities of PakTechs and used grain bags for Brewcycling pickup, they can reduce their trash output while gaining sustainability credibility.

Fio Rossel Borkert, another Brewcycler, estimates Thorn Brewing Company’s initial savings at $200-$300 per month on trash collection simply by combining recyclable waste for Brewcycling to properly dispose of. It all goes towards the “Triple Bottom Line,” as explained by Quick.

“If there’s a bottom line of profit, then there’s a triple bottom line of Planet, Profit, and People,” she says. “You have to have that balance.”

brewcycling-sdm1222-upcycled.jpg

In a little over a year, the Brewcycling Collaborative diverted over 100,000 pounds of material from landfills via 40 drop-off points all over the county (check with your fav local brewery or bar to see if they have one). Additional initiatives like PakTechs to Pavement grind collected PakTechs into asphalt, reducing the need for fossil fuels.

Borkert says with additional funding, they hope to establish permanent collection sites in north, central, and south San Diego county to expand the program and streamline collection efforts. Plus, she points out, prioritizing sustainability won’t always be optional for businesses. “In the next one or two years, legislation for recycling for businesses, producers, and manufacturers are going to change,” she warns.

Consumers can help accelerate Brewcycling’s goals by asking their favorite breweries what sustainability and recycling measures they currently implement, as well as bringing their used PakTechs from home to local drop-off points. Finally, Borkert asks everyone to simply shift their own mentality to be aware of this issue.

“[People say] ‘I’m gonna throw this away,’ But there is no ‘away.’ There’s a landfill or a dump,” she warns.

To find your local Brewcycling drop-off, visit sdbrewcycling.org/get-involved

The post Waste Not, Drink Up appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Bankers Hill, the affluent neighborhood nestled between Hillcrest and Downtown, may be less raucous than its neighbors, but it’s far from boring. While the quiet uptown hamlet has long leaned residential, its drinking and dining scene is already home to Mister A’s iconic “dining room in the sky,” as well as trendy Italian favorite Cucina Urbana, the beer-and-burger gods at The Balboa, gay enclave SRO Lounge, and some of the stiffest drinks in town at the dive bar paradise Cherry Bomb. (Don’t ever order a double. I learned that the hard way.)

Over the past few years, the area has seen some heart-crushing closures (like the beloved local staple Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant), but a few dazzling new openings as well, such as Pure Project’s Balboa Park taproom and adjacent Biergarten, which opened in 2019.

Photo Credit: Emily Villedieu

“The area has definitely come alive in the past four years,” says Kira Bouchard, Pure’s director of retail operations, adding that the tight-knit Bankers Hill community was a huge reason they were able to weather Covid-19’s difficulties. She predicts with Mid-City’s ongoing sprawl, the neighborhood’s growth will only keep increasing. “New small businesses and high-end residential buildings have started to pop up and bring new activity to the area, and it will only continue to become more vibrant and active.”

One such anticipated project is North Park Beer Company’s first outpost, which will land at 3067 Fifth Avenue in mid-December, according to founder and head brewer Kelsey McNair. The sleek mixed-use development project dubbed Secoya on Fifth will emulate the familiar “housing on top, retail on bottom” high-density aesthetic found across Bankers Hill and will make the neighborhood’s second taproom alongside Pure Project.

Beer lovers looking for a diversity of choices need not wait until December, however. As of a few weeks ago, The Corner Drafthouse is under new management and has what general manager Mike Ratkiewicz calls their primary goal: becoming the best beer bar in San Diego.

Photo Credit: Leanne O’Neill

“With the San Diego beer scene losing some of its most iconic beer destinations, we feel we are poised to fill that gap,” he explains.

With 70 taps, Ratkiewicz claims they’re currently the biggest beer bar in the city with what he hopes is the most beer style options, serving a wide array of San Diego beers as well as specialties from all over the country. But he’s quick to add they don’t just serve beer — there are also plenty of wines, cocktails, hard seltzers, and even ciders, meads, and kombuchas to ensure everyone leaves satisfied. “We want everyone from every walk of life to feel like they have a place at our table because they do, [and] the way to include everyone is to offer as many options as possible.”

When compared to nearby neighborhoods like North Park or East Village, Bankers Hill doesn’t have the same density of drinking choices. But when the ones who are there can meet the demand of locals and tourists alike, quality over quantity wins out. In the meantime, the few prescient pioneers are just happy to be there. “We truly feel we couldn’t be in a better spot,” says Ratkiewicz.

Have breaking-news, exciting scoops, or great stories about San Diego’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].

The post Bankers Hill is Finding its Groove in the Beer Scene appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Julian Beer

Courtesy of Julian Beer Company

Wet hop beers, like IPAs and other hoppy beer styles, embrace hop flavor and balanced bitterness as desirable elements in smell and taste. But, unlike other hop-forward beers that are brewed year-round, wet hop beers tend to only appear around the beginning of September and only stick around for a month or two.

The comparatively short shelf life is thanks to the brewing process. Wet hop beers use whole hops picked fresh off the bine—hops are grown on bines, not vines—rather than dried or pelletized hops, which tend to be the standard for commercial brewers for consistency, predictability, and availability. The Brewers Association guidelines for Fresh Hop Beer specifies the freshly harvested hops should be picked “no more than 72 hours prior to being added” to the brew and recommends drinking them right away in order to “maximize the bright fresh hops attributes.”

Adding hops immediately after harvest imparts a uniquely “green” flavor that’s less bitter, but tastes “fresher” than a typical IPA. San Diegans can already find some fresh hop favorites in breweries across the county, but get them while the getting’s good—they don’t tend to last for long.

Athletic Brewing

Athletic Brewing Company

Nickel Beer Company

Overnight to Julian (6.5% ABV) features the spicy, earthy, fruity goodness of Chico-grown Cascade and Chinook hops, while My Way (6.5% ABV) is chock-full of tropical notes, thanks to Oregon-grown Strata hops. These wet hop IPAs are just the start of Nickel’s wet hop beer bonanza: the Julian-based brewery is known for typically having the biggest selection of wet hopped beers in town, and even throws an annual Wet Hop Festival at their sister tavern O’Brien’s Pub to celebrate the season. This year, the 20th Wet Hop Fest runs from October 14 to October 16, so keep an eye out for details.

Burgeon Beer Company

Burgeon released a trio of wet hop beers this year: Sticky Fingers (an 8.2% ABV West Coast double IPA), Single Source (a 6.5% ABV West Coast IPA), and Experimental Fresh Hop Pale: YQH-1320 (a 5.6% ABV double-dry hopped West Coast Pale Ale). A recurring crowd favorite, Burgeon calls Sticky Fingers “lupulin-loaded” with Mosaic hops that’s triple dry-hopped for a “bliss-inducing” brew. Single Source boasts Strata hops harvested, flown, and brewed within 12 hours for an explosive taste of the Pacific Northwest, and their Experimental Fresh Hop Pale, well, sounds pretty wacky. Give it a try, and watch for a fourth release in late October to wrap up the season.

Julian Beer Company

Using hops grown on the property, Julian Beer Company‘s Wildflowers is a 7.1% ABV wet hop IPA made with 40 pounds of Cascade, Chinook, Centennial and Julian Gold hop varieties. Picking the hops has become a yearly local tradition, says co-owner and brewer Matt Pitman. “We had 15 or 20 people show up for hop picking,” he says. “All hops were dumped into the mash tun for a 30-minute hop back before transferring to the fermenter.” Don’t leave without pairing a pint with some pizza: their Grand Daddy Pep is a personal favorite.

Viewpoint Brewing

Courtesy of Viewpoint Brewing Company

Viewpoint Brewing Company

Viewpoint has the unique distinction for brewing the only non-IPA or Pale Ale wet hop beer I could find across San Diego. (If there’s another one out there, please alert me immediately so I can try it ASAP.) Their Dankmartian amber ale is a fresh (hop) take on their Del Martian amber ale—a 5.1% ABV balanced brew made with Viewpoint-grown Cascade hops with “strong notes of melon and citrus,” according to head brewer Moe Katomski. Hop City (6.7% ABV with 100% Amarillo hops) and What’s Hoppenin’ (6.6% ABV with 100% Centennial hops) both utilize Oregon-grown hops from Crosby Hop Farm and tilt more towards dank, piney, earthly, and herbaceous sensations.

Athletic Brewing Company

For Athletic Brewing Company‘s batch of non-alcoholic Oregon Strata wet hop IPA, Athletic’s brewing team used 600 pounds of Strata hops picked at Crosby Hop Farm within hours of harvest. Grassy notes mesh together with berry and melon for a balanced (read: not too bitter) finish that balances the malt profile with the star of the show: fresh hops. This very limited NA brew is only available for purchase on Athletic’s website while supplies last.

Northern Pine Brewing

Oceanside’s Northern Pine poured 70 pounds of Strata hops into brew to make a 5.9% ABV wet hop Northwest Pale Ale called Fresh to Death, and that’s before dry-hopping the whole thing with more Strata and some Centennial hops to take it to the next level. This release has only been out since mid-September, and probably won’t last very much longer.

Find more wet hop options at establishments like Blind Lady Ale House, various Pizza Port locations, or ask at your local taproom.

The post Wet Hops And Who’s Brewing Them appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Fresco Cocina

Courtesy of Fresco Cocina

Welcome to our new food column! Each week we’ll bring you the latest in the industry from openings and closings, to new chefs in town, and what’s in the works for our favorite city by the sea. Check back next Tuesday for our next edition.

The Mains

Fresco Cocina Opens in Carlsbad

Fresco Cocina, a Latin-inspired restaurant serving dishes like Venezuelan tequeños (crispy cheese sticks), Peruvian roasted chicken breast and charred Spanish octopus recently opened in Carlsbad Village in Koko Beach’s prior space. Linda DiNitto is the restaurateur behind the new space—her second in the Carlsbad Village—with Italian restaurant, 264 Fresco, just about a block away. Chris Idso is the executive chef of Fresco Cocina with experience at San Diego hot spots like Pacifica Del Mar and Estancia. The restaurant boasts large windows, a rooftop deck and a classy, open bar to enjoy a night out with friends or a family-style dinner.

Semola La Jolla Evolves

Ambrogio15 owners Andrea Burrone and Giacomo Pizzigoni have joined forces with Michelin-starred restaurant team Acquerello to turn Semola La Jolla into Ambrogio by Acquerello. The new partnership will connect Chef Silvio Salmoiraghi and the Acquerello Team (Chef Choi, Chef Davide and Gastronome Paolo Tucci) together in what co-owner Pizzigoni describes as an “evolution” for Semola. The current Semola space will remain mostly the same but the menu will get a new spin. Pizzigoni describes the future menu as having a “modern, contemporary Italian soul with strong influence from Japan, Korea and France, mostly.” Ambrogio by Acquerello will feature two different tasting menus (chef signature dishes and vegetarian/vegan) while offering wine pairings focused on natural wines. The official launch day of Ambrogio by Acquerello is November 5.

Vista Gets a New Coffee House 

Vista residents Josh and Kat Barille opened Archer’s Arrow coffee house last month in downtown Vista off Main Street, adding a unique space to sit and enjoy a specialty coffee in the community. The 1,000-square-foot space features indoor and outdoor seating, a swing set bar and a full wine & beer menu, alongside coffee, of course. The Barilles will also be hosting events onsite to help customers learn more about coffee and wine.

Quick Bites

Bivouac Ciderworks is growing in North Park. The team behind the craft cider says the expanded space will incorporate “increased production capacity and retail food and beverage,” and will ultimately allow for the creation of new cider variations.

The team at CLTVT, an Oceanside design and build firm, recently signed a lease to transform three old cottages on Roosevelt Street in Carlsbad into a collaborative food and beverage space featuring local favorites like Revolution Roasters, The Plot, Shoots Fish x Beer, and Stella Jean’s Ice Cream. The Cottages on Roosevelt is tentatively set to open in early summer 2023.

Tahini, a Middle Eastern street food restaurant, will open a second location at the beginning of October on UCSD’s campus. The 1,784-square-foot space will have both indoor and outdoor dining options for students. Their original location is in Clairemont Mesa.

The post SD Food News: October 3-7 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Coronado Brewing Company

Madeline Yang

When the craft breweries show up, so does the rent increase—or so claims the internet. Many memes and think pieces have debated whether craft beer’s arrival in a neighborhood is a sign of gentrification. But Imperial Beach mayor Serge Dedina says that’s not the case for his city. Coronado Brewing Company had the enviable position of being the only brewpub in IB for five years after opening in 2014. Mike Hess Brewing opened a biergarten in 2019.

Now, the scene is reaching a pitch, as the city prepares to welcome two new brewpubs later this year. “Mike Hess and Coronado added a whole other dimension to IB,” says Dedina. “They’re real local places, and they really helped revitalize IB.”

Connecting with locals seems an obvious requirement for most businesses, but it’s especially crucial in IB. The most southwesterly city in the continental United States isn’t high on most tourists’ radar. Located only five miles north of downtown Tijuana, it’s the literal last stop before the border.

It’s also one of the smallest cities in the county. Simply put, it’s a spot for residents, by residents. And residents tend to be proudly wary of new arrivals, especially ones of significant size. When Hess opened their gigantic beachfront hangout, it was quickly embraced. By the end of this year, the number of brewers will double with the arrival of Pizza Port and Novo Brazil Brewing Company. Imperial Beach is more than ready for them, says Dedina.

Mike Hess Brewing

Madeline Yang

“Coronado and Mike Hess are just outstanding corporate citizens of Imperial Beach,” he says. “They’ve given a lot back to the community and created a lot of jobs, and we expect Pizza Port and Novo Brazil to be the same.”

The IB openings will mark Novo Brazil’s fourth taproom and Pizza Port’s sixth (not including their Carlsbad bottle shop). The new Pizza Port location will feature a seven-barrel brewhouse and full kitchen, as well as nearly 3,200 square feet of indoor/outdoor space. Novo Brazil will also feature a full kitchen and brewhouse, along with a sprawling 7,500 square foot interior and additional 2,500 square feet of patio seating facing the bay.

Tiago Carneiro, founder and owner of Novo Brazil, says while they have plans for additional locations after Imperial Beach—including a full restaurant in Mission Valley next year—they wanted to make sure they had a presence in all the cities across South Bay before branching out.

“Imperial Beach has been growing fast, but the area still lacks the presence of good restaurants and breweries,” he explains, noting their IB concept will be the first brewpub on the bay, an area Dedina says is especially ripe for more developments.

Pizza Port is slated to open later this year at 204 Palm Avenue. Novo Brazil estimates they’ll open by the end of October at 535 Florence Street.

The post Imperial Beach Rising appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Cider House

Marie Buck

Why leave San Diego, arguably the craft beer capital of the world, to drink craft beer in Los Angeles? It’s a question that LA’s Ogopogo Brewing cofounder and former San Diegan Jason De La Torre thinks he can answer.

“The beer scene here has grown so much over the last 10 years,” he says, pointing to icons like Enegren and Highland Park, and newcomers like Hop Secret and Party Beer Co., as well worth the trek. But to experience the best of LA beer, some pre-planning (and maybe a rideshare) is required. Ready to brave some traffic? Here are a few of La La Land’s best breweries to seek out.

Benny Boy Brewing + Cider House

Located in the rapidly developing “fermentation district,” Benny Boy is the first and only combination ciderhouse and brewery in Los Angeles. To complement its rustic design, patrons should expect European-inspired beers like saisons and Belgian styles alongside hard ciders that range from bone dry to semisweet. For wine fans, there are a few natty collaborations with Pali Wine Co.

BEER TO TRY: Mr. Fluffy’s Pale, 6.5% ABV

CIDER TO TRY: Pippin, Straight Up, 7.5% ABV

1821 Daly Street, Lincoln Heights

Ogopogo Brewing

Ogopogo Brewing

With craft beer, wine, and even canned mimosas and sangria, there’s something for everyone at this Eastside destination. It’s less than four years old yet somehow the oldest brewery in San Gabriel, putting it at the forefront of LA’s ever-growing beer sprawl. The brews may be named after folkloric monsters, but they’re anything but scary.

BEER TO TRY: Boeman Belgian White Ale, 5% ABV

864 Commercial Avenue, San Gabriel

Highland Park Brewery

Since 2014, Highland Park has helped shape Chinatown’s craft beer scene into a world-class destination. Beers range from easy-drinking lagers to heavily hopped IPAs, barrel-aged stouts, and everything in between. The accompanying food menu, with bar staples like burgers, pretzels, and tots, remains equally approachable, with suggested beer pairings listed for every dish.

BEER TO TRY: Vienna Lager, 5% ABV

1220 North Spring Street, Chinatown

El Segundo Brewing Company

El Segundo’s chief vision officer, Thomas Kelley, says San Diegans have no idea how good his company’s West Coast IPAs are: “It’s the core of what we do, and we think we do it better than most.” That’s a bold claim to make to our beer drinkers, but considering El Segundo’s been churning out award winners for over 10 years, he may be onto something.

BEER TO TRY: Mayberry IPA, 7.2% 140

Main Street, El Segundo

Brewjeria

Brewjería Company

The Latino-owned brewery mixes Belgian brewing traditions with a modern, Spanglish twist by using ingredients like passion fruit and hibiscus alongside American and noble hops. While the beer quality is paramount, so is community support: a recent collaboration series with Norwalk Brew House and South Central Brewing Company raised funds for local migrant workers, and sold out almost immediately.

BEER TO TRY: Diosa de Oro Belgian Golden Strong, 8.2% ABV

4937 Durfee Avenue, Pico Rivera

Crowns & Hops

Crowns & Hops

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Bivouac Ciderworks is throwing a Pride Kickoff and SheFest afterparty bonanza at their North Park tasting room on Saturday, July 9 from 6 pm – 11 pm. For $16, you get a rainbow flight of five ciders, plus attendees can expect live music, a jewelry and waist bead pop-up shop, and four-packs of their limited-release cider called “Embrace,” a 5 percent ABV sparky cherry limeade cider. A portion of proceeds from Embrace, as well as the rainbow flights, will go to San Diego Pride.

On Wednesday, July 13 in Barrio Logan, Mujeres Brew House will host a Frida Kahlo-inspired paint night to pay tribute to the queer icon. For $28, guests will get all the materials they need to make their own works of art, plus hands-on instruction from a local artist.

On Saturday, July 16, the Frida Fest will continue with a Frida-themed Market and Lotería event from 1 pm – 9 pm, with plenty of Pride cans and t-shirts available for purchase.

Other Pride items for purchase come from North Park Beer Company, whose rainbow glassware means drinking with pride all year long. It pairs best with swag from Societe Brewing Company and Thorn Brewing Company, both of which have exclusively designed rainbow t-shirts for sale at their breweries as well, with proceeds benefitting Queer San Diego and The Center.

Courtesy of North Park Beer Company

Pure Project also has a limited supply of Pride hats, proceeds of which support Brave Trails. Pure’s Balboa Park tasting room, situated just a block away from the Pride Parade route, will also open early at 10 am on Saturday, July 16 for thirsty parade spectators.

Finally, Athletic Brewing Company’s annual Rainbow Wall non-alcoholic IPA is available once more, now as a Blood Orange IPA brewed in collaboration with Alex Johnson, a professional climber and LGBTQ+ athlete ambassador for Athletic.

Full proceeds go to The OUT Foundation and Athlete Ally, which are “organizations with a mission of providing safe and inclusive spaces for members of the LGBTQIA+ community,” according to Athletic. Last year, Athletic raised $20,000 for Athlete Ally and hopes to double that in 2022. Six-packs of this limited release are available for purchase on AthleticBrewing.com.

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