Each year, San Diego Magazine releases a “Best of San Diego” issue, featuring businesses spanning numerous industries, including local craft breweries. This year, to take things a step farther for the latter honorees, the publication teamed with three San Diego breweries—Coronado Brewing, Eppig Brewing and Fall Brewing—to produce a “Best of San Diego” series of beers scheduled to debut over the summer.
San Diego Magazine staff let each brewery run with recipes for distinctly different beers. When it came time to produce them, members of each collaborating brewery worked together during the brew day. The project was meant to celebrate a “best of” feature of the brewing industry—the fact would-be competitors are so willing to collaborate, thus making the San Diego beer community as special as it is.
The following are the beers each brewery produced:
- Coronado Brewing: A classic West Coast IPA brewed with Simcoe, Cascade, Chinook and Centennial hops that comes in at 7% alcohol-by-volume.
- Eppig Brewing: A 5.5% ABV hoppy pilsner dry-hopped with Simcoe.
- Fall Brewing: A 4.3% Berliner Weisse lagered with Czech lager yeast and fruited with locally grown watermelons.
Keeping in the collaborative spirit, can-design for the beer was a group effort between Fall Brewing owner Dave Lively and San Diego Magazine creative director Sydnie Goodwin. Packaged product will make its way to numerous retailers, but the beers will debut or be featured at the following events:
- July 8: The hoppy pilsner will be tapped during a live recording of the Happy Half Hour podcast at Eppig’s Waterfront Biergarten in Point Loma.
- July 19: All three beers will be for sale on draft and to-go during a meet-the-brewers event at Coronado Brewing’s Bay Park tasting room.
- July 20: Fall Brewing will hold an art show at its North Park tasting room featuring classic San Diego Magazine covers from the past 70 years.
- August 16: All three beers will be poured as part of San Diego Magazine’s annual Best of party at Liberty Station, featuring businesses highlighted in the corresponding issue.