Five great Friday events, divided by neighborhood.
LIBERTY STATION — May 18 = Ballast Point Day @ Slater’s 50/50
Two years ago on this day the San Diego City Council declared May 18 “Ballast Point Day” in San Diego. This year the party’s at Slater’s 50/50 with nine BP taps: Victory at Sea Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter, Sea Monster Imperial Stout, Fathom India Pale Lager, Tongue Buckler Imperial Red Ale, Navigator Doppelbock, Abandon Ship Smoked Lager, Sculpin IPA, Pale Ale and Pescadero Pilsner. Also look for cocktail specials using Ballast Point’s house-made Three Sheets Rum, Old Grove Gin and Fugu Vodka. Founder Jack White and brewery staffers will be on hand around 5p.m. to talk with beer lovers.
LA MESA — West Coast Barbecue & Brew Grand Opening
Great new 28-tap beer spot West Coast Barbecue & Brew has been open for a few weeks now, but the “Grand Opening” begins tonight as Doug Duffield, one of the original “inventors” of Ballast Point Sculpin IPA, will tap a cask of the beer at 5p.m. Ballast Point Day continues vicariously through West Coast BBQ & Brew, with Abandon Ship Smoked Lager, Even Keel Session IPA, Sculpin IPA, Sextant Oatmeal Stout, Steamboat Lager (Ballast Point/Briess Malts/White Labs collaboration for the 2012 Craft Brewers Conference), and a few other goodies on tap.
RANCHO BERNARDO — Founders Brewing Keep the Pint Night @ URGE Gastropub
Beers from Grand Rapids, Michigan brewery Founders Brewing, voted the #2 brewery in the world in 2012 by RateBeer.com, are highly coveted in San Diego. We rarely get their beers out here, but because the CBC was in town, URGE Gastropub was lucky enough to get their hands on eight kegs: All Day IPA Session Ale, Centennial IPA, Curmudgeon Old Ale, Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale, Double Trouble Imperial IPA, Linchpin White IPA collaboration with Green Flash, Porter and Red’s Rye IPA. Check out the full beer descriptions on URGE’s website, linked above. Event starts at 5p.m., and the glasses will go quickly!
MIRAMAR — Friday Afternoon Club No. 12 @ Hess Brewing
The last of the numbered Friday Afternoon Club events, this one will feature live music from The Barnacles, led by guitarist and Gordon Biersch brewmaster Doug Hasker. Ranchwood BBQ will be there serving grub, including their famous “BBQ Parfait.” On top of that, a new beer release: AURUM, an 8.7% ABV Belgian-style golden ale.
KEARNY MESA — Latitude 33 Night @ O’Brien’s Pub
Latitude 33, the new Vista brewery that took over Green Flash’s space and is helmed by Alpine and Backstreet-alum Kevin Buckley, will be featured at O’Brien’s Pub tonight starting at 5p.m. Buckley will be in the house along with his Camel Corps IPA, Vanilla Porter, GB’s Pale Ale, The Pasha’s Rye Brown Ale and a new Double IPA.