Today two San Diego brewing operations will tap their first beers. Rough Draft Brewing Company in Mira Mesa is hosting an invite-only soft opening tonight and a sold-out grand opening event tomorrow, while Julian Brewing Company, operating out of The Bailey Wood Pit Barbecue, is tapping their inaugural “Bailey Pale Ale” at 5 pm. A dry-hopped cask of the beer goes on tomorrow just before the live music at 8 pm.
While it may be unusual for two spots to start serving suds on the same day, it’s indicative of the rapid growth in San Diego’s brewing industry. To give you more perspective on that, yesterday we counted up all the active and planned brew houses in San Diego County — currently there are 48 licensed and operational, with 15 16 more in-the-works. In 2012 alone, five have opened their doors (including today’s debutants). We can only wonder what heights our beer will reach come 2013, with the Craft Brewers Conference coming up this May and San Diego Beer Week right around the corner in November.