The State of Craft Brewing in San Diego County
With more than 100 breweries now operating in San Diego, the region now boasts the second-highest number of breweries per capita in the United States. The booming economy and heavy tourism industry make it an ideal environment for craft brewing. San Diego County is home to Stone Brewing Company, which operates a brewery and restaurant at Liberty Station; Port Brewing Company & The Lost Abbey, both located near Downtown; Alesmith Brewery in Miramar; Karl Strauss Brewing Company in Pacific Beach; Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits in Scripps Ranch and Little Italy respectively. These are just some examples of how this county has become a hotbed for artisanal brewers who create quality libations using organic ingredients sourced locally when possible.
San Diego County has become a hotbed for artisanal brewers
San Diego is an ideal location for craft brewing because it provides plenty of year-round sunshine and moderate temperatures, which allows brewers to create beers with distinct flavors not found elsewhere. The county’s Mediterranean climate also makes it perfect for growing hops and barley needed to make beer. Most importantly, there’s no shortage of thirsty residents eager to drink up their creations!
There are more than 100 breweries in the San Diego region
San Diego County is home to some of America’s most highly acclaimed and award-winning brewers, including Stone Brewing Co., The AleSmith Brewing Company, Coronado Brewing Company and Mission Brewery – just to name a few. These five breweries are all ranked among RateBeer’s Top 50 Breweries on Planet Earth for 2017. This recognition has resulted largely from their continued commitment to quality brewing innovation that has earned them 10 World Beer Cup awards since 2010 as well as 11 medals at this year’s Great American Beer Festival.
And while San Diego’s reputation for quality craft brewing dates back to the late 1980s, the region has seen an explosion of new breweries in recent years. More than 100 small and independent brewers now operate within its borders; roughly double the number that existed just four years ago.
The booming economy and heavy tourism industry make San Diego County an ideal environment for craft brewing
The booming economy and heavy tourism industry make San Diego County an ideal environment for craft brewing. The region now boasts the second-highest number of breweries per capita in the United States, with more than 100 operating within its borders. With over 6 million people visiting San Diego every year, there is no shortage of customers to purchase locally made beer, wine and spirits.
Additionally, San Diego’s proximity to Mexico provides a steady stream of ingredients used by many local brewers including coriander seeds, chiles and Mexican limes. These flavorings are often combined with traditional American hops to create distinctive brews that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. As one of only two places where barley can grow without artificial irrigation (the other being the Yakima Valley in Washington state), San Diego County is uniquely situated to become a major player in the craft brewing industry.
The area has given rise to many of the most popular American craft beer styles including India Pale Ale (IPA) and Imperial IPA, which are now available all over the world. San Diego’s brewers produce dozens of these distinctive brews, with some even creating variations of beer styles that are unique to this area. Ballast Point Brewing Company’s Bonito Blonde Ale is based on the German Kolsch style but it includes Mexican coriander and is made with all Californian ingredients. It is only available in San Diego County because there aren’t enough hops or barley grown elsewhere to make it.
In conclusion, San Diego is an ideal location for craft brewing because it provides plenty of year-round sunshine and moderate temperatures, which allows brewers to create beers with distinct flavors not found elsewhere. The county’s Mediterranean climate also makes it perfect for growing hops and barley needed to make beer. Most importantly, there’s no shortage of thirsty residents eager to drink up their creations! As one of only two places where barley can grow without artificial irrigation (the other being the Yakima Valley in Washington state), San Diego County is uniquely situated to become a major player in the craft brewing industry.
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