From festival to the breakfast table, classroom to cycling route, San Diego Beer Week offers events for everyone.
San Diego has been declared by many beer aficionados as the “Craft Beer Capital” with its abundance of local brews spanning the county. Now the beverage gets a week all its own, dedicated to the glory of the beer industry that’s exploded into international markets. The 10-day event featuring more than 500 beer-centric events at 100+ breweries, kicks off Friday, Nov. 6 and winds down Sunday, Nov. 15.
With so many events taking place, be sure to check out the full list of participating venues and breweries at the San Diego Beer Week website. Meanwhile, here’s a teaser of some of the events we’re looking forward to:
For the Impatient:
San Diego Beer Week Eve: Best of San Diego on Tap
Nov. 5. The celebrations just get earlier and earlier and Ritual Kitchen wants to be the very first to toast to another annual beer week. Enjoy local beers on tap including Lost Abbey Red Poppy, Mother Earth Wet Hop IPA, Stone Black Enjoy by IPA and AleSmith Evil Dead Red. 4095 30th St., North Park, 619.283.1720. ritualtavern.com
For Breakfast:
Rare Beer Breakfast
Nov. 6. Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens knows in order to indulge in craft brews all week, you’ve got to start with a hearty breakfast. Executive Chef Tausha Lopez will cook up a delicious breakfast with food at multiple stations including frittatas, pork belly cachaca manatee, kimchi burritos, bacon cinnamon rolls and more, while “Dr.” Bill Sysak presents a lineup of rare and hard-to-find brews. Guests will enjoy fifteen 3oz tasters, a commemorative glass, food and live jazz. $65/pp. 1999 Citracado Pkwy., Escondido, 760.294.7899. brownpapertickets.com
For the Festival Junkies:
13th Annual San Diego Brewers Guild Festival
Nov. 6-7. Head to the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier for the two-day event kicking off San Diego Beer Week. Friday night, the VIP Brewer Takeover showcases San Diego’s finest, rare and specialty beers from local breweries paired with unlimited food samples from local craft-beer friendly restaurants. 6-9 p.m. On Saturday, make your way back to the pier for another round of beer tastings, food trucks and restaurant vendors as well as live musical entertainment. 1000 North Harbor Dr., San Diego Marina. eventbrite.com
For the Beer “Student”:
Beer Savvy Session Class & Tasting
Nov. 7. No need for textbooks as OB Warehouse turned classroom allows guests to sit down with Cohn Restaurant Group’s beverage manager Maurice DiMarino. The hands-on class focuses on learning the basics of evaluating flavors in beer, as well as tasting various beer styles. Enjoy beer friendly bites from the OB Warehouse kitchen including sopresata and kalamata flatbread, crispy artichoke hearts and Arnie’s blue cheese meatballs. $45/pp. 4839 Newport Ave., Ocean Beach, 619.222.1700. cohnrestaurants.com
For the Cyclist:
Bikes, Brews & Brats
Nov. 7. Green Flash Brewing Company hosts the third annual Bikes, Brews and Brats as part of San Diego Beer Week. Participants will burn calories before imbibing at the after-party. The ride starts at Cal Coast Cycles then weaves through Florida Canyon and Balboa Park before finishing at the Regal Beagle to enjoy brews from Green Flash Brewing Co. 3020 Cal Coast Cycles, North Park. eventbrite.com
For Dessert:
Ice Cream Social with Belching Beaver Brewing Co.
Nov. 8. Stella Public House in East Village is completely on point by serving up two of our favorite things: ice cream and beer. Even better is when the two are mixed together; try the ice cream float with the award winning peanut butter milk stout starting at 3 p.m. on the patio. Additional featured beers from Belching Beaver include the “Countdown Tripple IPA,” “Mango Berlinerweiss” and the “Maple Bacon Barrel-aged Horchata Imperial Stout.” 1429 Island Ave., East Village, 619.234.0808. stellapublichousesd.com
For the Foodies:
Societe Brewing Company Beer Dinner
Nov. 11. CUCINA enoteca Del Mar teams up with Societe Brewing Company for a food and beer pairing experience. Enjoy mixing and mingling through the preset stations that feature porchetta, pumpkin risotto, sausage and more while sipping on Societe brews. $65/pp. 2730 Via de la Valle, Del Mar, urbankitchengroup.com
For the Ladies:
Chicks for Beer
Nov. 12. The High Dive features a monthly event that perfectly coincides with SD Beer Week. The event at San Diego’s quintessential high class dive bar is designed specifically for women to experience, taste and celebrate craft beer in a fun, social setting. The evening includes a 5-course dinner by Chef Rose Peyron and 5 paired tasters from Faction Brewing. $45/pp. 1801 Morena Blvd., Bay Park, 619.275.0460. highdivesd.com
For the Beach Dwellers:
FIREHOUSE American Eatery + Lounge- $15 Beer Flights
Nov. 6-14. Enjoy a cold one (or several) at this Pacific Beach hot spot. The $15 flights allow you to branch out and try a couple new beers while keeping cozy near the fireplace lounge. Take in the view with the new floor-to-ceiling panoramic glass doors. 722 Grand Ave., Pacific Beach, 858.274.3100. firehousepb.com
For the Finale:
The Beer Garden
Nov. 15. The finale of this year’s Beer Week takes place on the Arroyo Terrace of the Lodge at Torrey Pines. Enjoy samples from 24 breweries and 12 local chefs in a luxurious and beautiful setting. 12 p.m.-3 p.m. $85/pp. 11480 North Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla, eventbrite.com
