The Top 6 Local Breweries in San Diego

Earlier this month, the travel and tourism experts at SanDiego.com looked to find the best local breweries in San Diego. “With so many local breweries in San Diego we wanted to see who was doing it right,” says Erica James, tourism expert and editor at SanDiego.com. “We wanted to see what made these breweries unique to create such deliciously crafted beers.”

Pour me up a cold one! These San Diego local breweries are mixing things up, and putting the big time craft beers to shame. Using old fashioned techniques and special processes with fresh and unique ingredients, these beers just have something special that makes the mouth water.

Indian Joe Brewing - indianjoebrewing.com Their logo, “Native owned. Native grown.” says it all. The Brewery was named by its owner Max, after his Great Uncle Joe and his Native heritage. All of the fresh ingredients used to make the variety of beers at Indian Joe Brewing are local and native grown. Their beers are some of the most unique with a very wide variety, from a Blueberry Hefeweizen to a delicious Chai Stout, American Indian Pale Ale to an American Indian IPA, or even a Chocolate Hazelnut Porter. The atmosphere is extremely welcoming and fun. Another unique thing that Indian Joes Brewery does is they have a different local food cart that comes in each day to serve up some tasty grub!

Poor House Brewing Company - poorhousebrew.com Poor House Brewing Company offers great local craft beers that they brew in-house with their "Breaking Bad" looking 3 barrel brewhouse operation. Everything was built and designed by founders Chris Finch and Alanna Scheer. The tasting room atmosphere has a very unique, unpretentious and rustic vibe. Many compliment this design, saying that it feels like drinking in a garage with best friends. The bartenders are all female craft beer geeks looking to share all things beer with guests. They harvest their own cascade hops right out the front doors which are in full bloom right now. They are currently using their own hops to 'fresh hop' their house IPA called Experimental Batch no. 6 IPA. On the 30th of every month, brewed exclusively for 30th street Chris makes a beer with 30 different hops called 30 Hop IPA which tends to be a favorite around the neighborhood. Other hyped house brews include: Clusterfukk IPA (single hop), Davy Jones Double Stout (imperial stout aged in rum barrels), Tournay (Belgian Ale aged in Chardonnay barrels for 1 year), Mr. Romoto coffee stout (stout brewed with cafe moto coffee beans).

Prohibition Brewing Company - prohibitionbrewingcompany.com A craft brewery offering specialty brews, flavorful food and a casual atmosphere for guests to enjoy a brew. Prohibition Brewing Company opened 2 years ago on 11/11/11 and ever since then they have been growing at a great rate alongside many other North County breweries. Offering many local favortites as well as their own, including, Hef U Up, Oatmeal Stout, Dirty Blonde, Pale Ale, Cali IPA, Ruby Red, SBA, and Black Double IPA.

Rip Current Brewing - ripcurrentbrewing.com Starting out as home brewers, Rip Current Brewing is unmatched in San Diego for awards as a 3 time winner of Brewing Machine (top SD homebrewer, CA Homebrewer of the Year and Ninkasi award for Top Homebrewer in the World). They have a very broad range of award winning beers and their priority is variety and choice offering 15-20 different brews on tap, and a single tap that rotates daily offering a unique small batch beer. As homebrewers they learned the importance of water. Most breweries in town use the same water for all of their beers, but not Rip Current Brewery! With an in house water treatment center, each and every beer has its own grain/hop recipe as well as a water recipe. This has a great impact on the final taste of the beer.

PB Ale House - pbalehouse.com A world class micro brewery and restaurant situated right near the beach in Pacific Beach, CA. Their handcrafted beers are brewed in house and on tap, also featuring other great beers on tap for patrons. The food is delicious, with a very friendly staff. PB Ale House has a wonderful rooftop open air bar area to sit down and appreciate the beautiful weather in San Diego while checking out the amazing views.

Lightning Brewery - lightningbrewery.com Jim Crute, the owner of Lighting Brewery and a chemist, has been making beer since his college days in 1982. Now he has turned his passion into a career with some of the finest craft beers around. Over the years Jim has tried it all and has refined his craft with classic beer styles that master brewers have been calibrating for centuries. While other breweries may add taste and flavors in a speedy method by using additives, Lightning Brewery does it the old fashioned way by nature with time, with the most difficult fermentation and lagering processes. In just the 6 years that Lightning Brewery has been around they have won 30 nationally recognized beer awards, including a coveted Best in Show!

Grab your friends and head down to one of these six awesome breweries in San Diego. We suggest getting a flight and trying them all! Find out what type of beer is your favorite!

SanDiego.com is one of San Diego’s oldest and busiest travel and tourism websites, known as the local authority for all things San Diego. The author of this article, Erica James, is a native San Diegan who truly believes that there is no place more fun and exciting than beautiful San Diego!

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Karl Strauss Brewing Company's Blackball Belgian IPA Honored 3 Years In a Row

Karl Strauss Brewing Company is honored that its Blackball Belgian IPA is one of 25 handpicked beers to make it onto Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Top 25 Beers of 2013 list. This marks the third year in a row that Karl Strauss has made the prestigious national list and the second time that Blackball Belgian IPA gets top honors for its high quality and unmatched flavor profile. According to Wine Enthusiast Magazine, “these represent the most dynamic and exciting beers reviewed this year. They exhibit extraordinary craftsmanship, innovation and quality at prices that still represent affordable luxury.”

Karl Strauss was one of only two San Diego breweries to make this year’s list, landing at #15 on the countdown with a stellar 92/100. The review says, “This subtle IPA shows great balance and nuance. A cloudy orange color in the glass, it leads with lively aromas of orange and grapefruit zest, yeast, pressed yellow flowers and a touch of white pepper. The palate offers similar notes, but with a fruity core of under-ripe peach and pineapple. It’s richly textured, with a full mouthfeel and light carbonation. The long, dry finish is accented by earthy hop and bready yeast flavors.”

Blackball Belgian IPA is part of the company’s bold, hoppy Karl’s Coastal Reserve Series. “This series showcases our hoppiest creations, from double IPAs to dry-hopped imperial pilsners. We’re all hopheads in the brewery and the Coastal Reserve Series is where we get to push the boundaries and really put hops front and center,” says Paul Segura, Brewmaster, Karl Strauss Brewing Company. Blackball is a Belgian-inspired IPA with a unique West Coast hop profile. Coriander and curacao add a distinct citrus character, while a traditional Belgian yeast strain lends subtle notes of spice to the beer. A blend of New Zealand and Cascade hops add a bright, citrusy aroma and a hefty bitterness. Blackball Belgian IPA is brewed sporadically and only available at specialty retailers throughout the year, making this small-batch beer hard to find, but worth the search.

The complete list of Top 25 reviews will be featured in this December’s issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Blackball Belgian IPA is available in limited quantities throughout the year in 22oz bottles and on draft. For more information on Karl’s Coastal Reserve Series, visit KarlStrauss.com

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Karl Strauss Expanding into the Inland Empire One Pint at a Time

Karl Strauss Brewing Company is excited to expand its reach into the Inland Empire, with a new brewery restaurant opening in the gateway city of Temecula. This marks Karl Strauss’ first brewery restaurant in Riverside County, where the company’s beer sales have been achieving double-digit sales growth year over year. Karl Strauss currently distributes to approximately 1,000 on and off-premise accounts in the greater Inland Empire, with sales expected to significantly increase in 2014. “The craft beer scene in Temecula is taking off, and we’ve seen that reflect in our beer sales,” says Paul Segura, Brewmaster, Karl Strauss Brewing Company. “We are looking forward to sharing our innovative line-up of beers with thirsty fans at our new brewery restaurant and expanding retail accounts.”

The new brewery restaurant features a custom-built 7-barrel JV Northwest system, 2-vessel brew house, 14-barrel fermenter, and two 14-barrel bright tanks. “We’re putting the finishing touches on the brewery and our inaugural brew will be ready to go by Thanksgiving,” says Segura. “We know the locals like their hops, so we’re kicking off our tank-tap program with Rasta Red, a bold, hoppy red ale.” The custom-built concrete bar features 12 taps of Karl Strauss’ handcrafted beers, including pioneering favorites like Wreck Alley Imperial Stout, award-winning Red Trolley Ale, and Tower 10 IPA. There will also be several taps dedicated to special releases and tank-tap beers brewed on-site.

In addition to being part of Temecula’s thriving craft beer scene, Karl Strauss Brewing Company is proud to support local causes important to the community. Prior to opening, Karl Strauss partnered with Temecula nonprofit, Bike 365, to raise awareness for improved bike paths throughout the city. Karl Strauss donated all tips raised during its soft-opening, totaling $9,166 to help Bike 365 further its mission.

For more information and pictures of Karl Strauss’ new brewery restaurant, visit karlstrauss.com.

About Karl Strauss Brewing Company

Karl Strauss Brewing Company has pioneered the San Diego beer scene since 1989 with innovative beer releases like Big Barrel IIPA and Wreck Alley Imperial Stout. The brewery has won 54 medals over the past three years and its Red Trolley Ale is one of the most award winning beers in the world. The company is currently ranked #39 on the list of the country’s top craft breweries with sole distribution in California. 2013 is on pace to be another exciting year of double-digit sales growth, with the main brewery tasting room and new brewery restaurant in Temecula now open. For more information visit karlstrauss.com or call the brewery at (858) 273-2739.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Startup Brewery Challenge at December 5 Brewbound Session in San Diego

Brewbound is pleased to announce the return of its Startup Brewery Challenge, a unique opportunity for new craft brewers to partner with one of the country’s largest craft beer companies, Craft Brew Alliance.

The competition will take place at the December 5 Brewbound Session in San Diego. New craft brewery owners will have the opportunity to show off their business plans, new beers and receive immediate feedback from an expert judging panel. The 10 U.S. craft beer companies who enter will have been on the market for less than two years and have annual revenues of $2 million or less.

Competing for the chance to become Widmer Brothers' "Brother for a Day," the winning company will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Portland, Ore. with the opportunity to craft a new collaboration beer with Widmer Brothers Brewing, take an extensive tour of the company’s pilot and production breweries, participate in Widmer Brothers’ daily taste panel and meet with its sales, marketing, graphics, quality assurance and packaging departments.

The first installment in Brewbound's Startup Brewery Challenge featured four Oregon-based craft beer companies and was held during the Brew Talks Portland meetup in July. After the challenge, the participating breweries and Widmer Brothers came together for a five-brewery collaboration, which resulted in the creation of 5th Wheel, a Belgian dark strong ale. The beer is currently being brewed at the Widmer Brothers 10-barrel pilot brewery in Portland and will be available, on draft, at the December Brewbound Session.

Format and Application Process:

Brewers wishing to participate in the Startup Brewery Challenge should visit the application page for a complete listing of rules and selection criteria. Applicants will be evaluated and chosen by the Brewbound team. Questions about the competition can be directed to Mike Vassallo at mvassallo@bevnet.com or 617-231-8827.

About the Brewbound Session:

The Brewbound Session, which will be held at the Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego, is a full-day conference for beer industry professionals. The event focuses on the strategic marketing, brand building and business development issues that most directly impact craft brewers. A variety of distribution, retail, investment and branding discussions are offered.

For more information see brewbound.com

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Award Winning Nobleza Azul Tequila Now On Costco Shelves

San Diego, CA - Nobleza Azul, the ultra-premium tequila, produced by the Torres family, grown from the finest Blue Weber Agave in the fertile highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, is now available in select San Diego Costco stores.

During October Paula Torres-Symington, President of Nobleza Tequila, will be greeting shoppers, and passing out Nobleza tequila recipes at the Morena Blvd. Costco from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, October 25; at the Mission Valley Costco, noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, October 26; and Saturday afternoon, October 25, at the Carlsbad Costco, 4-6 p.m.

Described by connoisseurs as subtle and sexy, a newcomer to the tequila industry, Nobleza Azul has already achieved critical acclaim among tequila experts, attracting awards and admirers.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to offer our tequila to Costco consumers. As a small family owned company, we are used to competing with older more established brands and winning over their followers,” said Torres-Symington.

“Costco shoppers,” she added, “are savvy and price conscious and we know they will appreciate the quality of Nobleza’s blanco. While we are newcomers to producing our own brand of tequila, my father’s family has been growing agave for some of the most prestigious tequila producers for four generations.”

According to Torres-Symington, growing and harvesting agave is a very labor intensive and personal business. “You have to love agave and the land on which it grows to produce premium tequila. Nobleza is our celebration of both. In our family, it’s more than a temporary fascination, or business investment. It’s a long time love affair.”

To Torres-Symington, tequila has a fiery spirit and viva Mexico tradition, and a feminine mystique, which is much richer than the raucous-boys- night-out, throwing-back-shots-image. “It has character and heart, like a woman, and it was my family’s goal to produce such tequila — a drink for sipping or mixing that a woman would be proud to order, and enjoy in the more elegant manner that cocktails are sipped.

“It’s not our desire to take the man thing and fun out of tequila drinking, but simply add more sophisticated dimensions and options,” added Torres, one of the first women to head a tequila company. The brand has taken on a female personae marketing as “the new girl in town.” The metaphor also applies to Torres-Symington’s experience in breaking into the male dominated industry.

The new wave of real premium tequilas is changing the image of tequila as a sipping drink alongside fine scotch, wines, and bourbons. Torres-Symington is an outspoken advocate of recognizing the sophistication and multiple flavors of tequila. “The interesting thing, unlike most other premium aged liquor, tequila is just beginning to be recognized for its versatility, enhancement, and creative use in mixed drinks,” Torres-Symington noted.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a tequila enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.