San Diego is known as a craft beer city primarily because of its history with nationally-recognized heavy hitters like Stone Brewing and Ballast Point. Both of these breweries were founded in 1996 and helped mold the modern American beer palate with their IPAs. We all remember our first time drinking the insanely hoppy Stone IPA when it came out, as well as their dramatically flavored Arrogant Bastard Ale. And we all remember drinking the amazingly well balanced Sculpin IPA from Ballast for the first time too. These were landmark beers in the craft brewing scene that went national and international and helped put San Diego on the map.
But today Stone Brewing is owned by Sapporo and Ballast Point is owned by Kings and Convicts Brewing. Modern Times is owned by Maui Brewing Co and Alpine Beer Company is owned by Tilray (whatever that is). So who is out there carrying the torch of the local San Diego independent craft brewing scene? As it turns out, like, shit tons of places. (See a full list of San Diego breweries here, and check if they are independent here).
For one, oldies and still-goodies Pizza Port and Karl Strauss are still independently and locally owned. And then over the last decade or so dozens of other small microbreweries have opened and thrived in and around San Diego county. Thankfully for you, if you happen to be in the neighborhood, many of these places either started or opened locations in North Park. So here is our guide to hitting some of our favorite breweries in a day – all within safe walking distance. Because a brewery guide that requires driving seems like a recipe for losing a lot of money on Ubers. Or getting a DUI.
The Itinerary
1. Have A DDH IPA At North Park Beer Co.
2. Have A Continental Beer At Barley & Sword Brewing Company
3. Have A Guilt-Free Beer At Pure Project
4. Drink Some Water
5. Optional: Go To Original 40 For A Beer And Food
5. Have A Beer At Thorn St. Brewery
6. Have A Beer At Fall Brewing
7. A Map to this Itinerary
Have A DDH IPA At North Park Beer Co.
Yes okay the hazy IPA craze is a little over the top, but don’t lie. You love them. And we do too. North Park Beer Co is producing some of the best IPAs in San Diego and they have been for years now. Opened by a local video game designer in 2016 and gradually expanding ever since, North Park Beer Co is definitely one of the top breweries in all of San Diego, if not Southern California (or the world!).
Their three locations are all great spaces to have a beer and some food. For this itinerary, you’ll head to their flagship brewery in the heart of North Park – a large, rustic open space with plenty of seating and a restaurant (Mastiff North Park) inside it. We like their Art Is Hard DDH Hazy IPA, but they are always coming out with newer and crazier and hazier and hoppier beers, so go nuts. We don’t know what DDH stands for, but it’s probably something like deliciously dank hops.
Have A Continental Beer At Barley & Sword Brewing Company
The term craft beer probably doesn’t make sense to Europeans because they have been drinking “craft beer” their entire lives. They just didn’t know it. In Europe they have pilsners and heffeweisens. Stouts and kolschs. Porters and dunkels and saisons and brown ales and red ales and regional beers. Every town has a local brewpub and every brewpub has a favorite beer they make using only local ingredients. At least that is how we picture Europe – we have never actually been there.
But we have been to Barley & Sword Brewing Company here in San Diego and we assume this is the closest you can get to an old world brewpub without an expensive plane ticket.
Opened in 2023 by some local euro-beer enthusiasts, this place has quickly gained a reputation as delivering solid beers that you will not find at your more traditional American breweries. At Barley & Sword they specialize in British, German, Czech, and Belgium beers. So if you are sick of IPAs and in the mood for a bitter English or a crisp pilsner or a sour goze this your place. They do keep an IPA on tap, but this is for profiling purposes and that is not what you should be drinking here.
Barley & Sword has a cozy seating area inside, as well as a large courtyard out front and on most days of the week there is a food truck parked right outside. The place has a communal feel and the people who work there are incredibly friendly. So take a break from the IPA train and get back to the roots of beer-craft by experiencing the more subtle notes of a Belgian saison.
Have A Guilt-Free Beer At Pure Project
Pure Project opened in 2016 and quickly became a San Diego favorite. They brew a wide range of beers, but are probably best known for what they call their Murky IPAs, similar to hazy IPAs… but murkier. Pure Project is locally owned and is a brand with a mission, donating 1% of all their sales to environmental causes. They too have several lovely locations throughout San Diego, including their North Park Taproom on El Cajon Boulevard – a cozy courtyard with indoor/outdoor seating. They typically have a food vendor on site.
Drink Some Water
Nothing more to it. Go ask the bartender for a glass of water. And drink it. Heck, drink two. Ok now you can continue.
Optional: Go To Original 40 For A Beer And Food
Original 40 Brewing is owned by local North Park residents Steve and Patricia Billings. The place serves delicious beer, but it is also just as good for its food alone. At Original 40 they have taken the time to focus on their menu and the place stands on its own as a restaurant. The bonus is that they happen to brew delicious beer here too.
Have A Beer At Thorn St. Brewery
Thorn St. Brewery, located on Thorn Street in North Park, is in our opinion a near-perfect local spot. The brewery was opened in 2012 by a group of home brewers who essentially used the building to experiment with making different beers and sell them to local clientele, but they gained such a dedicated local following that they gradually turned the space into a bigger taproom and drinking space. Today Thorn St Brewery retains its small and local feel – they host trivia nights and heavy metal yoga and other events, the people who come their routinely are all from the neighborhood, and though you can find Thorn Brewing Co beers on the shelves of lots of different retailers, this original location on Thorn St feels like it never expanded beyond its humble roots. And we like that. Long live the local un-gussied up brewery.
Have A Beer At Fall Brewing
Fall Brewing in South Park is a locally owned brewery that has a broad tap list and does pretty much all of their beers well. It is a straight-forward brewery with a punk and music-themed vibe. They do not serve food here, but it is located near the many restaurants of South Park so it is a good place to stop for a beer or two before heading out to one of these. The patio is great for people watching on the busy street next to it, but inside is expansive and comfortable and they are almost always playing good music.
Map To This Itinerary
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