San Diego visit

I will be in San Diego on April 8 and 9, I would greatly appreciate recommendations for bars to visit. I'm a hug fan of Green Flash, Ballast Point, Alesmith, and Stone. Really looking forward to this trip. You guys have an incredible selection of breweries.

Also, I am glad to bring some beers with me. If there are beers that don't distribute to SoCal that I can bring for trade, let me know. I can get all the MI beers and in Ohio have Elevator, Columbus brewing, Fat Heads, Rust Belt, Rockmill, Brew Kettle, Thirsty Dog, Great Lakes, and Buckeye to name a few. Space is limited.

Make sure you check hours - some of those breweries are closed Mondays. I'd highly recommend Societe if you can work it in (and they're open every day). It's SD's best little not-so-secret secret.

first check the search function as this a very common question in the Pacific forum so there is already a wealth of knowledge out there. also in my profile I have a link to a map with the vast majority of beer place in SD

Alesmith and Green Flash are definitely closed Mondays. Ballast Point and Stone will be open. Tuesday is a good day to hit Alesmith - low traffic and (usually) a new cask has been tapped. Tuesday is cask day at Green Flash too, IIRC. Also, you should hit Societe on Monday.

And Nanobrew is the sh&t.

Thank you. I appreciate the responses.

Also, thanks for pointing out your map, nanobrew. That is awesome!

Just go to alpine

If you want to sample a lot of beers, (relatively) then as you mentioned a bar is a better bet than trying to hit multiple individual breweries. Where are you staying? There's likely a spot with a good tap list nearby.

Staying at the Bay Tower at Sheraton on Harbor Island Drive. It is a business trip and I will not have much time and want to do some sampling, and hopefully pick up some bombers.

Bottlecraft on India Street in Little Italy is a reasonable cab ride and a decent bottle shop, and you can purchase and consume on premises.

If you need local and close I'd suggest Slater's 50/50...over 100 taps. If you want a quick cab ride, head over to Ocean Beach and go to Pizza Port then (or before) also visit Olive Tree for bottles to go. Between the 3 you'd be set. Bottlecraft isn't a bad idea either.

@ MNC, I can't recall the name, but didn't some smaller, nautical themed place open up somewhere along the water? Maybe near Pt Loma Seafood, or on a pier, or farther towards downtown? It looked cool, but I never got to check it out. Sound familiar at all?

Fathom Bistro

check out Lost Abbey - 5 mins from Stone

Yes it's Fathom, out on Shelter Island, no sinage but it's the only pier as you go west on the island, kinda hard to miss but the size of a shoebox. There are 21 seats inside and it would be elbows-to-assholes if they were all taken. 15 taps though, good stuff! Outside seating as well and a small menu.

Thanks. I recall the name now. Maybe the OP wants to hit it up.

You all are awesome! Thank you!

So where are you going to go?

Bottlecraft and Fathom seem like obligatory visits. I am not sure which will be on Sun and which will be on Monday.

Any locals out early in the week? 395er? Patrick?

I'm outta town this weekend and next week. But post up your experience here for sure.

I just made the trip recently, Alpine is a can't miss. Don't go to Stone Friday or Saturday night, absolute shit show. AleSmith was great too.

If you have time to hit 1 brewery, I highly recomend Pizza Port OB. They have guest taps as well and there are other craft beer bars right in the area. Fathom is cool, but so tiny.

I agree with this.

Fathom is not open on Monday.

Go to Fathom on Sunday,awesome view and beer,the explodo dog is the shit. Slaters 50/50 sucks,100 taps=85 oxidized beers. Bottlecraft or Krisp for bottles. Neighborhood,Monkey Paw,Toronado,Blind Lady, for beer. Alesmith,Societte,Green Flash,Ballast for breweries. GO TO Carnitas Snack Shack and have the three pork sandwich and grab a beer on their patio. You will not be disappointed. Good Luck. Drink Local.

I'm not a local. I just wish I was.

You guys are killing me. Just booked another night for my trip.

Couldn't agree with you more. Not to mention their burgers are seriously overhyped.

I randomly stumbled into the Regal Beagle few weeks back and it had some great beers on!

I started at Fathom. Terrific recommendation. Tried the Pupil, Apprentice, and the Butcher. Loved the Apprentice and the Butcher, which is easily a top three Stout for me (and this week I've had KBS and Pt5). The Pupil is solid.

Then I went to Bottlecraft and scored a number of great beers. Bottom photo are some of the beers I snagged from Bottlecraft. Also, tried Bottleggers Knucklesandwich- an impressive IPA!

Many thanks for the recommendations!

Hope to try a few others tomorrow!

Thanks again for the great suggestions!


Awesome visit and sampling at Bottlecraft.


Nice time at Toronado. Had Persevernace, Row 2 Hill 56, and Alpine's McIhenney's Irish Red.