Beer in San Diego County, California facts for kids
San Diego County, California, is often called the "Craft Beer Capital of America." In 2018, this area had 155 licensed craft breweries. That's more than any other county in the United States! Some of the biggest craft brewers in the U.S. are from San Diego, like Stone, Green Flash, and Karl Strauss. San Diego brewers helped create a special type of beer called Double India Pale Ale (Double IPA). This type of beer is sometimes known as San Diego Pale Ale. The county's strong brewing culture attracts many visitors, especially during big events like San Diego Beer Week. Breweries such as Stone Brewing Co., AleSmith Brewing Company, and Ballast Point Brewing Company are known as some of the best in the world.
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History of Brewing in San Diego
Early Breweries and Prohibition
The first commercial brewery in San Diego County was the San Diego Brewing Company. It opened in 1896. Alonzo Horton, who helped build modern San Diego, was one of its founders. At that time, it was the largest factory in the county. It closed in 1920 because of Prohibition. This was a time when making and selling alcohol was against the law in the United States.
The San Diego Brewing Company reopened in 1935 after Prohibition ended. It operated until 1942, when the U.S. Navy took over its land for the 32nd Street Naval Station. Today, a new brewpub with the same name is open in the Mission Valley area.
Another early brewery was Mission Brewery, which opened in 1913. It also closed because of Prohibition. The building was never used as a brewery again. However, the old brick building is now a historic landmark. The name Mission Brewery was brought back in 2007 by a different brewery in downtown San Diego.
The Aztec Brewing Company started in Mexico in 1921. During Prohibition, it helped supply Americans with beer they couldn't buy legally. The company moved to San Diego in 1933 after Prohibition ended. It became San Diego's biggest brewery. It had a large basement beer hall with beautiful art. By 1944, Aztec was the only brewery left in Southern California. It closed in 1953. For 36 years after that, there were no local commercial breweries in San Diego County. The name Aztec Brewing Company was revived by a brewery in Vista in 2011.
During Prohibition (1920–1933), many San Diegans would go to Mexico to drink beer. The town of Tijuana grew a lot, with many places opening to serve American visitors.
The Return of Local Brewing
Before Prohibition, San Diego had seven breweries. After it ended, only three remained: Aztec, San Diego, and Balboa. These were soon bought by large national brewing companies. From 1953 until the 1980s, big national brewers controlled the beer market. But new laws in the late 1970s made home brewing legal. In 1982, California allowed breweries to have restaurants. This made brewpubs possible.
In 1989, the Karl Strauss Brewing Company opened a brewery and brewpub in downtown San Diego. This was the first commercial brewery in San Diego since 1953. It showed many San Diegans what freshly brewed beer tasted like. In the mid-1990s, more craft breweries started, like Pizza Port, Stone, and Alesmith. Many of these new breweries were inspired by homebrewing fans. A store called Home Brew Mart, which opened in 1992, even led to the creation of Ballast Point Brewing Company.
Celebrating San Diego's Beer Culture
Beer festivals helped people learn about the new types of beer. In 1997, local brewers started the Strong Ale Festival. In 2009, the San Diego Brewers Guild began an annual Beer Week. San Diego became so well-known for brewing that the World Beer Cup competition was held there in 2004, 2008, and 2012. San Diego brewers won many medals at these events. At the 2015 Great American Beer Festival, San Diego County brewers won 20 medals!
Many San Diego County brewers have won top awards. For example, Pizza Port Carlsbad won "Best Large Brewpub" several times. Karl Strauss won "Best Mid-sized Brewery" in 2016. These awards show how good San Diego's breweries are.
In 2013–2014, the San Diego History Center had a special exhibit about the history of beer in the county. In 2024, O'Brien's Pub in San Diego was named the "Best Beer Bar in America" by USA Today.
Popular Beer Styles
San Diego County brewers make many kinds of craft beers. But they are most famous for strong, hoppy beers like India Pale Ale (IPA). They are especially known for an even stronger, hoppier style called Double IPA. Double IPA beers use very flavorful and bitter hops. This makes the beer taste very bitter. A regular mass-produced American beer might score less than 20 on the International Bitterness Units (IBU) scale. An average IPA scores about 60 IBU. A Double IPA often scores 100 IBU or higher! This style was first made in 1994. Now, most breweries in San Diego County make a Double IPA. Some people even call Double IPA beers "San Diego Pale Ale."
Economic Impact of Brewing
Brewing has been one of the fastest-growing businesses in San Diego. Many new breweries opened each year. As of January 2019, the county had 155 independent craft breweries. This is the largest number in any single county in the United States. In 2018, the brewing industry brought in about $1.2 billion and created about 6,480 jobs.
Beer-related tourism is a big part of San Diego County's visitor industry. Many breweries offer tours and tasting rooms. Dozens of companies offer "beer tours" in San Diego County. This makes the county a popular "beer city destination."
Annual Beer Events
San Diego Beer Week
San Diego Beer Week started in 2009. It is now a ten-day festival held every November. It takes place all over the county. The event is for both local people and tourists. It shows off the local beer scene and teaches people about the area's brewing history. The festival starts with the San Diego Brewers Guild Festival. Then, hundreds of smaller events happen at breweries, pubs, and alehouses. In 2012, there were over 500 events during Beer Week!
Other Festivals
The San Diego International Beer Festival happens during the San Diego County Fair every June. It includes classes, beer tasting, and beer judging. In 2013, breweries from 22 states and 16 countries took part. Other special beer events throughout the year include the San Diego Beer Festival in July and the Strong Ale Festival in December.
Famous Breweries in San Diego
About one-third of all the breweries in San Diego County are in the North County area. They are found along a 60-mile stretch of California State Route 78. This route is sometimes called the "Hops Highway."
Stone Brewing Co.
Stone Brewing Co. is the largest brewery in Southern California. It is the ninth largest craft brewery in the United States. It is located in Escondido. Stone is known for its hoppy, high-alcohol beers. Their famous beer, Arrogant Bastard Ale, has the slogan "Hated by many. Loved by few. You're not worthy." This beer helped put San Diego on the craft brew map. Stone Pale Ale is their main beer. The company makes eight beers all year. They also have special releases. Besides the brewery, Stone has two restaurants and five company stores. Stone also opened breweries in Virginia and Germany.
Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Karl Strauss Brewing Company was the first brewery to open in San Diego since 1953. It started the current wave of breweries. It is now the third largest brewery in San Diego County. It has a main brewery in Pacific Beach. It also has eight brewery restaurants in San Diego and other counties. The company's main beer is Karl Strauss Amber Lager. Their best-selling beer, Red Trolley Ale, has won gold medals at both the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup.
Ballast Point Brewing Company
Ballast Point Brewing Company opened in 1996. In 2010, it was named the World Champion Small Brewery at the World Beer Cup. In 2015, a larger company bought Ballast Point.
Pizza Port
The five brewpubs of Pizza Port, along with their related breweries Port Brewing Company and Lost Abbey, have won many awards. Pizza Port started brewing in 1992. In 1994, it was the first San Diego brewery to win a medal at the Great American Beer Festival. Pizza Port's Carlsbad location was named the "best large brewpub" several times. Port Brewing/Lost Abbey was named "Small Brewing Company of the Year" at the Great American Beer Festival in 2007. They also won "Best Small Brewing Company" at the World Beer Cup in 2008.
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