Every six months, I like to take a step back and assess the work-in-progress breweries and brewer-owned venues throughout San Diego County, and expound on those I believe show the most promise. This is not to say those not listed below don’t have solid potential—but based on what I know about these businesses, I think they have the best shot. This time around, I’m splitting my selections into two geographic regions, north and south, and starting with the former. Check back next week for another group of breweries-to-be.
SR76 Beer Works, Valley Center: Constructed within Harrah’s Southern California Resort, this will be the first tribe-owned brewery and the first beer-manufacturing facility within a hotel. With a rare brewery-construction project where funds are plentiful, getting a solid brewer to helm the project represented the biggest challenge and it would seem they chose wisely, going with Brian Scott, a veteran of reigning Mid-Size US Brewery of the Year Karl Strauss Brewing Company and Mission Brewery. His beers will be served in spacious, lush tasting-room that will add a much appreciated new element to casino-going craft fans.
Indian Joe Brewing, Vista: The county’s first Native American-owned brewery stands to do well when it opens later this year. After all, it gained a hardy following from 2013-2015, and that was using a tiny brewing system in a tucked-away industrial suite in south Vista. Now the company has a brand-new 15-barrel system, a robust cellar and a stock of oak-barrels inside its new 18,000-square-foot facility, which is fully visible off State Route 78. Add in a two-story tasting room with an outdoor patio and fans who’ve been waiting for Indian Joe’s return figure to be pretty happy with Version 2.0.
Burgeon Beer Company, Carlsbad: In most cases, when judging how promising a future brewery will be, it comes down to experience. That’s what my assessment of this upcoming North County brewery is all about, and the experience lies in brewer Anthony Tallman, the current head of fermentation at Vista’s Backstreet Brewery, who came there after meaningful stints at Stone Brewing and Rough Draft Brewing Company. Being in charge of a brewpub, he stands a good chance of juggling the multiple styles he aims to produce.
Julian Brewing Company, Julian: Julian has a brewery, one which was built when the former co-owner of Julian Brewing ventured out on his own. This OG local beer spot was later closed by its current parent-company, Pizza Port, and is in the process of being rebranded. Knowing what its former shortcomings were, plus business experience and a stable of quality brewers to ensure good beer pours forth from its second-coming provide a basis for hope in the reimagined brewpub this venue becomes.