SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego Beer Week returns for the 12th annual celebration of America’s finest independent craft brewers, Nov. 6-15, 2020, with a live stream concert and virtual beer-paired dinner. In partnership with Sycuan Casino Resort, the official co-producing partner of San Diego Beer Week 2020, the 10-day event promotes more than 150 local craft breweries in San Diego County — the Capital of Craft.
While San Diego Beer Week celebrations may look slightly different this year due to COVID-19 precautions, the San Diego Brewers Guild and local breweries have taken a refreshing approach, providing both virtual and in-person celebratory options that prioritize the health and safety of all participants, without compromising on the excellent brews for which the county is known.
“This year has brought endless challenges, but also immense victories and relentless ingenuity, highlighting the depth of loyalty from our local beer community,” said Kris Anacleto, president of the San Diego Brewers Guild, “Craft brewers are tough; they’ve proven that this year, especially, and we’re ready to celebrate.”
Though hurdles there may be, San Diego’s craft brewery family and its affiliates have doubled down on their dedication to providing incomparably superb craft beer. During this week, they celebrate those efforts, bringing some much-needed positivity to the local community and reigniting a sense of pride in what sets the region apart.
A virtual kickoff toast marks the beginning of San Diego Beer Week Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. Those interested in participating are invited to go live on their social channels and cheers the week by posting how they’re celebrating and tagging @sdbrewers, or using #sdbeer, #sdbw and #sdbw2020. Other events will include both virtual and in-person celebrations, again, all with safety and physical distancing practices at the forefront.
Replacing San Diego Beer Week’s annual kickoff extravaganza, Guild Fest, will be an energy-packed virtual Hops + Harvest dinner and live concert on Nov. 7, starting at 6:30pm. The interactive event, expected to sell out, will pair special release Burgeon beers with eats by MIHO Catering Co. Adding to the excitement will be San Diego Beer Week’s first virtual livestream concert, in partnership with The Casbah, featuring two high-octane bands, Low Volts and Jonny Wagon and The Tennessee Sons. Each Hops + Harvest ticket includes free access to The Casbah live virtual concert and culinary discussion with MIHO’s culinary director, Chef Ryan Bullock and Burgeon’s head brewer, Anthony Tallman.
General admission tickets ($65) will include a four-course dinner with four paired beers, and VIP tickets ($105) will include a five-course dinner paired with five beers, including a special release barrel-aged imperial stout from Burgeon Beer Co. Guests will have the option to pick up their dinner from Burgeon Beer Co. or have the meal delivered ($10). Tickets will be sold in advance of the event at burgeonbeer.com. Visit sdbw.sdbeer.com for updates and a detailed event schedule.
Anticipation for San Diego Beer Week began on Oct. 2 with the annual Capital of Craft IPA collaboration brew at Burgeon Beer Company. Participating breweries included both well-established and rising breweries: Burgeon Beer Co., South Park Brew Co., Modern Times Beer, Resident Brewing, Automatic Brewing Co., Northern Pine Brewing, Five Suits Brewing and Chula Vista Brewing. The collaboration brew will be canned at Burgeon Beer Co. and will be the featured beer for both the virtual kickoff toast and the Hops + Harvest dinner. During SDBW, beer fanatics can find where to purchase the brew using the Capital of Craft Beer Finder.
Participating local craft breweries will also host their own San Diego Beer Week events that can be found on the San Diego Beer Week event calendar and watch for updates on social media: Facebook: /SDBrewersGuild, Instagram: @sdbrewers.
About San Diego Brewers Guild
The San Diego Brewers Guild is proud to be a source for breweries, tradespeople, restaurants and craft beer aficionados. Founded in 1997, the Guild is a nonprofit organization that seeks to promote San Diego breweries and create an open line of communication among brewers — connecting a strong and vibrant community. As the American craft beer movement becomes further ingrained in the mainstream marketplace, our local brewing scene will continue to play an important role in the developing conversation as well as the history of craft beer as a whole. For more information visit sdbw.sdbeer.com.