Opening in 2012, Societe Brewing Company quickly made a name for itself by winning West Coaster’s Best Brewery award in 20. As a member of 1% For the Planet, The Conversation Alliance, and Outdoor Outreach (among others), Pure Project prides itself on making damn good beer that’s good for you and good for the planet.Ĩ262 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA | (858) 598-5409 Photography courtesy of Societe Brewing Co. And, they do all this excellent brewing with sustainability and ethical production practices in mind. From hyped hazies to stunning sours, this brewery nails it all. Pure Project is one of those breweries pushing the boundaries of beer in San Diego. So why do we put this brewery on such a high pedestal? Simple. So logically, when putting together a list of the best breweries in San Diego, Pure Project immediately came to mind. I mean, everything from the 20 best winter beers and the 20 best summer beers to the best can label designs and most underrated breweries of the year. Name a list of “bests” that we’ve put together at Hop Culture and chances are Pure Project is on it. Learn more about Mujeres Brew House Pure Projectĩ030 Kenamar Dr #308, San Diego, CA | (858) 252-6143 Photography courtesy of John Paradiso With a mission to educate and empower those who love craft beer, Mujeres Brew House provides an inclusive atmosphere to enjoy some fantastic beer. A partnership between Border X Brewing and Mujeres Brew Club, this is San Diego’s first Latina-owned and operated brewery. Insider tip: Also check out Mujeres Brew House. Border X’s intense dedication to its heritage and handcrafted beer earned them a 2020 James Beard Semi-Finalist nomination and a place on our top 5 list of the most essential breweries to visit in San Diego. And of course, there’s Abuelita’s Chocolate Stout, a cinnamon and chocolate flecked masterpiece. You’ll find hibiscus and agave in the Blood Saison and vanilla bean and whole cinnamon sticks in the Horchata Golden Stout, mimicking the creamy, traditional rice-based Mexican drink. That’s just not how you do things.Ģ181 Logan Ave, San Diego, CA | (619) 501-0503 Photography courtesy of Craft Beer KingsĮarning the distinction of San Diego’s first Latino-owned brewery, Border X sticks directly to its roots by producing beers inspired by Latin American flavors, ingredients, and traditions. Missing this brewery in San Diego would be like visiting California and never going outside. In fact, beers like the bourbon barrel-aged Mexican chocolate cake stout Fiesta Antes De Morir blew us away, so much that we named North Park one of our top breweries to watch in 2021. North Park stands out from the San Diego pack by fashioning some of the most decadent, elegant stouts around. When our friends at Humble Sea in Santa Cruz, California, recommended that we check out the beers from North Park, we didn’t hesitate. We found their most recent can release to perfectly encapsulate this brewery: Burgeon in Escondido is a 6.5% ABV IPA with loads of guava, mango, and orange marmalade coming from Citra and Cascade hops.ģ038 University Ave, San Diego, CA | (619) 255-2946 Photography courtesy of John Paradiso You can even see it in their logo! And it’s those little hometown touches and flourishes that continue to push the brewery forward.

Founded by the trio of Anthony Tallman, Matthew Zirpolo, and Derek van Leeuwan, Burgeon loves its local roots. We love their plush pale ales and big, bold West Coast-style IPAs. STE C, Carlsbad, CA | (760) 814-2548 Photography courtesy of John ParadisoĪ frequent repeater on Hop Culture’s five best beers we had this week series, Burgeon Beer Co. Hop Culture’s 5 Best Breweries to Visit in San Diego, CA Burgeon Beer CompanyĦ350 Yarrow Dr. From a standout stout maker to a sun-drenched IPA cranker, these breweries are signaling a changing of the guard in one of America’s sunniest cities. Here are our picks for the five most essential breweries to visit in San Diego, California. And we’re soaking it all up like those famous California rays. At the time of writing, more than 150 breweries call San Diego home. We know what you’re thinking: Isn’t San Diego old news? Hasn’t this city been the homebrewing capital of the country for years? And we say, “Yes!” Such a strong homebrewing community has spawned a generation of talented brewers, many of whom started their own operations or went on to cut their teeth at the big stalwarts like Stone, Ballast Point, or AleSmith.

3 california breweries