{"id":12176,"date":"2015-11-06T09:00:56","date_gmt":"2015-11-06T17:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/?p=12176"},"modified":"2015-11-06T11:57:45","modified_gmt":"2015-11-06T19:57:45","slug":"san-diego-beer-week-2015-publishers-picks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archives.csusm.edu\/westcoastersd\/2015\/11\/06\/san-diego-beer-week-2015-publishers-picks\/","title":{"rendered":"San Diego Beer Week 2015: Publisher’s Picks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"sandiegobeerweek2015-1\"<\/a><\/p>\n


\n<\/a>Each year, San Diego Beer Week<\/a><\/strong> arrives and rains down a myriad of events. Like a Vegas buffet, planning and strategy are key. Otherwise, you\u2019ll end up asleep somewhere and missing out on the fun.<\/p>\n

This list is subjective. I focused on events that have uncommon beers and especially beers from out of San Diego. I also really want to check out some of the newest beers\/breweries\/spots in town. In other words, I\u2019m fixing to learn what\u2019s up on the cutting edge of San Diego beer and tasting the best that America\u2019s Finest Beer City\/County can produce. I’m also trying to not die in the process, so this list is biased towards central-San Diego as that’s where my bed is.\u00a0<\/span>My sources: our <\/span>WC<\/span><\/i> online beer event calendar<\/a> at westcoastersd.com, Beer Week\u2019s official website SDBW.org and our generous advertisers (make sure to check out the ads in this issue, for there are plenty of amazing happenings in there).<\/span><\/p>\n

San Diego\u2019s finest are also avid local beer fans and well aware of San Diego Beer Week. Don\u2019t be a drunk driving dickhead, use your phone to talk to space and summon a Lyft or Uber. Uber lets you split fares now so you can break up the fare with the squad.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>I only regret that I have but one liver to lose for my county<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/i>-Jerry Sanders<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Friday, November 6th<\/span>
\n<\/b>VIP Guildfest<\/a><\/b>
\n<\/b>Verily, this event\u2019s grown a bit since it\u2019s cozy inception in 2013. That said, I\u2019m expecting a state-of-the-union for how SD beer is tasting while enjoying a sunset on the water. Details are slim as to who is pouring what exactly, but there will be unlimited food, beer and access to local brewing community folks.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re attending both days, I recommend hunting the whales during the VIP. See below for my tip on the 2nd day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amplified Ale Works 3-Year Anniversary<\/a><\/b>
\n<\/span>There\u2019s a growing number of adults in Pacific Beach who choose local beer over vodka slushies and our resident brewery is Amplified. Cy Henley makes amazing beers out of his seaside brewhouse, the biergarten patio overlooks the ocean and the food is amazing. When people ask me why I moved from North\/South Park to PB, I take them here (then Crushed, TapRoom and Iron Pig afterwards if it\u2019s one of those nights).<\/span><\/p>\n

Saturday, November 7th<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/b>San Diego Brewers Guild Festival<\/a><\/b>
\n<\/b>I will most likely be slightly woozy from the previous evening, but nothing will keep me from this festival. This is because this festival is awesome. While there won\u2019t be unlimited food, there will be even more beer and friends present, and I can get a better view of the boats floating around the bay during the day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The general Saturday Guildfest session is a great time to check out just-opened breweries, as this is their first ever Guild Fest and they\u2019re going to want to impress. As of late October, brand new breweries that opened this year are: Abnormal, Bay Bridge, Bay City, Division 23, Duck Foot, Guadalupe, Half Door, Helix, Home, Kilowatt, Magnetic, Novo Brazil, Pacific Islander, Prodigy, Second Chance and South Park. Be gentle with your Untappd ratings; remember all breweries were once baby breweries \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>Sunday, November 8th<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/b>Baja Beers @ Bottlecraft Little Italy<\/a><\/b>
\n<\/span><\/i>I was going to type some remark bemoaning the old Bottlecraft, but then I remembered the old location sucked compared to the new one. This will be the first Beer Week for Bottlecraft Little Italy 2.0, and Baja breweries are ON FIRE right now. While I couldn\u2019t get a hold of the tap list for this event, based on the above facts I know Bottlecraft will put on a good event. Ballast Point Little Italy is a catty-corner away, and they have beer, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Epicurean Beer Geek Tours @ White Labs, Brothers Provisions, Stone Farms and Societe<\/a><\/b>
\n<\/b>A new face launching for SDBW, Epicurean San Diego is an outfit that promises beer, food and education while ferrying you to White Labs, Brothers Provisions, Stone Farms and Societe. I don\u2019t get to visit White Labs, Brothers and Societe enough, and I\u2019ve never actually had a beer at Stone Farms. The cost is $115, and if there\u2019s food and beer involved that\u2019s a pretty good price especially since it includes transportation and a meal. Great event for out-of-towners and if Sunday doesn\u2019t work the same tour runs daily November 5th-8th & 12th-15th from 10:30AM-3:45PM<\/span><\/p>\n

Monday, November 9th<\/span>
\n<\/b>Brews, Views & Chews @ Tom Ham\u2019s Lighthouse<\/a>
\n<\/b>It\u2019s not just about beer, folks. Beer Week brings a lot of stellar foodie events, and this is one of them. Tom Ham\u2019s Lighthouse is an iconic San Diego landmark that underwent a significant remodel and has stepped up their beer program in 2015. This event features six breweries such as Ballast Point, New English and Belching Beaver paired with six plates from the chefs of Soda & Swine, Carnitas Snack Shack and The Little Lion Cafe. Live music and a killer view of my lovely hometown\u2019s downtown seal the deal for me.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abnormal Beer Co. \/ Cork & Craft Beer Pairing Dinner featuring Modern Times & Almanac<\/a><\/b>
\n<\/span>Another equally killer option is up north at Abnormal Beer Company \/ Cork & Craft. A proper sit-down beer dinner, this multi-course meal will have beers paired from Modern Times, Almanac and Abnormal paired with the skilled Cork & Craft Kitchen. While I don\u2019t know the particulars of this event, I was lucky enough to attend an outstanding AleSmith beer dinner early in 2015. It\u2019s a safe bet that with months worth of practice this will be worth every penny.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tuesday, November 10th<\/span>
\n<\/b>The Full Table @ Benchmark Beer<\/a><\/b>
\n<\/span>Like any San Diegan, I dig my badass hoppy Single\/Double\/Triple\/Quadruple IPAs. That said, as my palate evolves (and my liver ages), I find myself appreciating gentler, more subtle beers. Benchmark Brewing Company\u2019s Table Beer is a fine example of what I\u2019m talking about, and this night will feature 12 different variations of the slightly roasty belgian style ale. This event is a great way to tune your tastebuds. Grab a pint of regular Table for a control beer, and then taste the versions that have been barrel-aged and brettanomyces-brewed. Check out how slight changes in ingredients can create such dramatic differences. Within walking distance is the rest of the developing Grantville neighborhood beer cluster which includes Groundswell and San Diego Brewing Co.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wednesday, November 11th<\/span>
\n<\/b>Sour Tap Takeover @ Rip Current North Park<\/a>
\n<\/b>Unlike most non-brewing satellite tasting rooms, 2015 Great American Beer Festival Very Small Brewery of the Year Rip Current\u2019s North Park location serves guest taps in addition to the beer brewed in the San Marcos production facility. Rip Current has deep connections with local homebrewing club QUAFF (Quality Ale and Fermentation Fraternity). Thus, the staff is pretty enthusiastic about quality brews – even if they don\u2019t brew it themselves. Guest taps will be pouring a tart selection from Almanac, Toolbox, Council, DogFish Head & more starting at 3PM.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thursday, November 12th<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/b>7th Fling w\/ Green Flash @ Hamilton\u2019s<\/a><\/b>
\n<\/b>Like the Hajj, all San Diego beer faithful should attend this event once in their lifetime. The morning starts at Morley Field with a brunch. While you munch, Hamilton\u2019s proprietor Scot Blair and his staff are busy matching up players to create even teams of four. After a brief talk regarding rules, the shotgun disk golf tournament starts. Disk golf is the de-facto sport of San Diego Beer, and expect several brewers to be in attendance. While all skill levels are welcome and the fun level is high, there is stiff competition. Comradery and silliness are expected by all attending. Winners get to tap the cask at the afterparty which takes place at Hamilton\u2019s. The afterparty is closed to non-Flingers, boasts lunch and a hosted bar until 3PM (when Hamilton\u2019s normally opens). <\/span>
\n<\/b>
\n<\/b>Craft Beer + Bites @ SILO<\/a><\/b>
\n<\/b>Maker\u2019s Quarter is a slick venue located right off where the 94 freeway ends. $35-$40 ticket gets you unlimited tastings of beer from 15 breweries, with food, craft cocktails and wine available for purchase. Proceeds benefit the San Diego Brewers Guild, and this event is also a graduation celebration for the recent batch of students from the San Diego State Business of Craft Beer Program. Across the street is Monkey Paw and both Half Door and Mission are within walking distance (along with the rest of downtown).<\/span><\/p>\n

Friday, November 13th<\/span>
\n<\/b>Beer Without Borders @ Machete Beer House<\/a>
\n<\/b>As I mentioned, the Mexican craft brewers are doing some great stuff. It\u2019s much easier to get to National City than Tijuana, and Machete is one of the bright stars of the growing South Bay beer scene. All 30 taps will be taken over by breweries such as Insurgente, Agua Mala, Border Psycho and Wendlandt. For those lucky enough to have a designated driver, don\u2019t forget to check out La Bella Pizza, Manhattan Bar and Third Street Ale House while you\u2019re in the area to understand #SouthBayUprising.<\/span><\/p>\n

Battle of the Guilds @ Toronado<\/a><\/b>
\n<\/b>This event ruled last year. Try beer from the greater Los Angeles and San Francisco first. Breweries that will be included from LA: Three Weavers, Beachwood, Ladyface, Monkish, Phantom Carriage + more. From the Bay Area: Magnolia, Cellarmaker, Thirsty Bear + more. Last year had lots of brewers in attendance from San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco; this is a good event to mingle! Stop in early if you\u2019re looking for the rarer beers, or pop in while roaming 30th. Don\u2019t forget to cast your vote for San Diego!<\/span><\/p>\n

Saturday, November 14th<\/span>
\n<\/b>Three Amigos @ O\u2019Brien\u2019s Pub<\/a><\/b>
\n<\/span>Former Pizza Port brewers Tom Nickel, Jeff Bagby and Tomme Arthur have each staked their own claims at Nickel Brewing Co., Bagby Beer Co., and Lost Abbey, respectively. An event with these three dudes present is a treat. If you wanted a chance to hang out with the best of the business while tasting some insane beer, this is it. Early afternoon is probably the best time to hit this event up. O\u2019Brien\u2019s is within the Kearny Mesa brewery cluster, which means Societe, Council, Kilowatt and Helm\u2019s are all within striking distance. For food, across the street are two cool new beer pubs Common Theory and Dumpling Inn.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sunday, November 15th<\/b><\/span>
\n<\/b>The Beer Garden at the Lodge at Torrey Pines<\/a>
\n<\/b>Located on the grounds of the 5-star Lodge at Torrey Pines, the endpiece event of San Diego Beer Week is not to be missed. Gaze upon the majesty of the Torrey Pines golf course and the Pacific Ocean while stuffing your unmajestic, Beer-Week weary maw with unlimited, expertly matched food & beer pairings. This last official San Diego Brewers Guild event of the year explains to all senses why San Diego is awesome. <\/span><\/p>\n

As this article was written late October for our November 2015 issue, numerous events have surfaced. West Coaster Editor Ryan Lamb has worked very hard to compile the best list of events in existence<\/a>, so check that out along with SDBW.org<\/a> and choose your own adventure!<\/em><\/p>\n

San Diego Beer Week 2010 was when our first edition of\u00a0<\/i>West Coaster\u00a0was published.\u00a0<\/em>It’s our fifth anniversary month this November. From all of us at WC: Thank you for reading!<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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