The craft beer capital of the United States — San Diego County has more craft breweries per capita than any large county in America, a scene that began with Karl Strauss in 1989 and exploded through Stone, Ballast Point, and the North Park neighborhood's concentration of independent taprooms into a national destination for serious beer culture.
Why It’s Worth Your Time
San Diego's claim to be the craft beer capital of the US is not contested by much of the industry — the county has produced more award-winning craft beers, more influential breweries, and more per-capita brewery density than any other major US metropolitan area. The story begins with Karl Strauss (1989, downtown), runs through Stone Brewing (Escondido, 1996), Ballast Point (which sold for $1 billion in 2015), and the explosion of the past decade's independent taproom culture. North Park is the current epicenter: North Park Brewing, Thorn Brewing, Modern Times (now widely distributed), and a dozen others within walking distance of each other. Mission Hills, Little Italy, and Ocean Beach have their own concentrations. The North Park Festival of Beers (June) is the annual celebration of the form. For visitors whose primary interest is beer, San Diego offers a one-city syllabus in modern American craft brewing.
What Stands Out
- Craft beer capital of the US — more award-winning breweries per capita than any large US metro
- North Park: the walkable brewery concentration in the county — 10+ taprooms in one neighborhood
- Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens (Liberty Station): the architecturally impressive brewery restaurant in San Diego
- North Park Festival of Beers (June): the annual celebration of San Diego's defining culinary tradition
- Karl Strauss (1989) through Ballast Point ($1 billion, 2015) — the full arc of American craft brewing happened here