Winners from the 2024 San Diego Beer News Awards

The 2024 San Diego Beer News Awards (SDBNA) Ceremony was a jam-packed affair, from record attendance to tributes to members of the craft-beer community from the past, present and future. The event took place last night in an outdoor courtyard on the south end of Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station in Point Loma, and was attended by members of the San Diego brewing industry as well as their partners, supporters and fans. 

The roughly two-hour affair took its theme of “celebrating the next generation” in a number of directions. Award presenters included young brewing talent from companies like Puesto Cerveceria, Pure Project Brewing and WestBrew, as well as veterans taking operations like Embolden Beer Co., Harland Brewing and The Lost Abbey in new directions. Also honored were locals working to bring new breweries online and educators teaching the next generation of brewers via institutions such as SDSU, MiraCosta College, San Diego Mesa College and Home Brew Mart.

Prior to the start of the ceremony, banner sponsor Yakima Chief Hops (YCH) put on a panel discussion featuring young hop-farmers representing the next generation of their family farms in Washington State. Moderated by San Diego Beer News (SDBN) Education Columnist Chris Leguizamon, it covered the challenges and considerations each panelist faced as they worked to effectively take over their family’s multi-generational farms and situate them for future success. It was an eye-opening look behind the bines and into the hop business.

Next-generation hop varietals so new to the scene they have yet to be given official brand names were the focus of a special-edition beer brewed especially for the event. Dubbed SDBNA IPA, the San Diego-style India pale ale was brewed with HBC 586, HBC 638, HBC 630 and HBC 1019 hops. HBC stands for the Hop Breeding Company, a joint venture between YCH and fellow hop supplier, Haas, which has yielded such popular varietals as Mosaic (which was included in the beer and cited by its HBC number 369), Citra and Sabro. With its essence of peach and pineapple followed by a touch of dankness and notes of citrus candy in the finish, SDBNA IPA highlighted what the latest generation of HBC hops have to offer. The beer recipe was developed by Stone Senior Manager of Brewing & Innovation, Kris Ketcham and SDBN founder Brandon Hernández, who were joined by brewers from 14 local beer companies on the collaboration brew day at Stone’s Liberty Station brewhouse.

Even with an eye trained on the horizon, the SDBNAs came through on their goal of celebrating breweries, brewery staff and beers in the here and now. Winners were announced in 32 categories covering beer styles, design, service, food offerings, overall quality and personal achievements. A trio of awards covered the latter, including two honors that were brand new for the 2024 SDBNAs.

Members of the local brewing industry voted Karl Strauss Brewing’s Paul Segura (pictured at right) as the recipient of this year’s Vanguard Brewer Award. A 30-year veteran of the local industry, Segura started his career working at Hops! Bistro & Brewery and Hang Ten Brewing, before embarking on a 24-year tenure at Karl Strauss as the company’s brewmaster. Well known in craft-beer circles, in part for his years co-hosting 91X FM’s Beer for Breakfast segments highlighting the work and products of San Diego County breweries and time as an instructor for UCSD’s Brewing Certificate Program, he was introduced on-stage by Karl Strauss co-founder and CEO Chris Cramer. When accepting the award – which has been won in previous years by The Lost Abbey co-founder Tomme Arthur (2022) and Green Cheek Beer Co.’s Jeff Bagby (2023) – Segura thanked Cramer for hiring him, acknowledged his contemporaries and spoke of the importance and significance of connecting with craft-beer fans.

Christina Lumsden, the co-founder of Vista’s golf-themed Dogleg Brewing was presented with the first-ever Outstanding Service Award by the San Diego Brewers Guild. Of the many industry volunteers that assist that non-profit trade organization, Lumsden was selected for her work helping to coordinate and maximize the profitability of the SDBG’s annual golf tournament, which, thanks in large part to her efforts, has grown into the organization’s biggest fundraising event of the year.

The inaugural winner of the Nate Soroko Community Impact Award was chef and entrepreneur Mike Arquines. Introduced by his business partner, Mostra Coffee co-founder Sam Magtanong, Arquines was a close friend and frequent collaborator with the individual the award was named after. Soroko was an energetic champion of local beer that worked hard from outside the industry to promote, assist and support local breweries and beer-centric businesses. This award recognizes people who are not employed by a brewery but advocate for and help to advance San Diego beer in a significant way.

The brewery and beer categories were dominated by Burgeon Beer Co., which notched a total of 15 medals, eight of which were gold. That dominant performance, which included wins in the West Coast IPA, Hazy IPA and Imperial IPA categories, earned the Carlsbad-based business the 2024 Champion Brewery award. Vista-based Pure Project earned the second-most medals with 11, while North Park’s less-than-a-year-old GOAL. Brewing garnered nine medals, five of which were gold. North Park Beer Co. (NPBC) and Seek Beer Co. tied for fourth-most medals with seven apiece.

Regional best-brewery winners included Burgeon in the west, Pure Project in the north, NPBC in the south, Mcilhenney Brewing in the east and Harland in the east. GOAL. was named best new brewery, with its next-door neighbor at North Park’s Brewery Igniter lease-to-brew facility Barley & Sword Brewing, coming in second in that category, and Oceanside’s Heritage Brewery & Barbecue taking third.

The trophy for the Larry Smith Memorial Award recognizing excellence in customer service will return to Burgeon after a three-year hiatus. NPBC’s Bankers Hill kitchen and taproom was named the best expansion project of 2023, while Pizza Port took Best Food / Menu for the second straight year and Best Interior / Exterior Design stayed with the only venue ever to win it, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido. Best Can / Bottle Design went to Burgeon for the design adorning its collaboration cold IPA with Mcilhenney, Chilly Bin.

For the second straight year, the SDBNAs recognized smaller-sized brewing companies that performed admirably for their size, with Barley & Sword, BattleMage Brewing, Craft Coast Beer & Tacos, GOAL., Hopnonymous Brewing, Jacked Up Brewery, The Lost Abbey, Seek and Wild Barrel Brewing achieving “Small Brewery Standout” status in several categories.

At the close of the ceremony, Societe Brewing co-founder and CEO Douglas Constantiner (pictured at right) took to the stage to announce that the 2025 SDBNA ceremony will take place at his company’s Kearny Mesa headquarters. Look for more information on that event as well as next year’s nomination and voting processes come December.

The following is a list of all of the winners from the 2024 SDBNAs…

BREWERY CATEGORIES

Champion Brewery
Presented by Yakima Chief Hops

Winner: Burgeon Beer Co. (Carlsbad)

Best Brewery – Central
Presented by Classic Beverage Distribution of San Diego

• First Place: Harland Brewing (Scripps Ranch)
• Second Place: AleSmith Brewing (Miramar)
• Third Place: Societe Brewing (Kearny Mesa)

Best Brewery – North
Presented by HRVST

• First Place: Pure Project Brewing (Vista)
• Second Place: The Lost Abbey (Vista)
• Third Place: Eppig Brewing (Vista

Best Brewery – South
Presented by Freestyle Hops & Phantasm

• First Place: North Park Beer Co. (North Park)
• Second Place: Seek Beer Co. (North Park)
• Third Place: GOAL. Brewing (North Park)

Best Brewery – West
Presented by Country Malt Group

• First Place: Burgeon Beer Co. (Carlsbad)
• Second Place: Pizza Port Brewing (Carlsbad)
• Third Place: Belching Beaver Brewery (Oceanside)

Best Brewery – East
Presented by Premier Stainless Systems

• First Place: Mcilhenney Brewing (Alpine)
• Second Place: Stone Brewing (Escondido)
• Third Place: Abnormal Beer Co. (Rancho Bernardo)

Best New Brewery
Presented by TapCraft

• First Place: GOAL. Brewing (North Park)
• Second Place: Barley & Sword Brewing (North Park)
• Third Place: Heritage Brewery & Barbecue

Best Customer Service
Presented by Arryved

• First Place: Burgeon Beer Co.
• Second Place: GOAL. Brewing
• Third Place: Seek Beer Co.

Best Expansion Project
Presented by CLTVT

• First Place: North Park Beer Co. – Bankers Hill Kitchen & Tasting Room
• Second Place: Fall Brewing – Miramar HQ Tasting Room
• Third Place: Black Plague Brewing – “Dearly Departed” North Park Tasting Room

Best Interior / Exterior Design
Presented by Hoppy Beer Gear

• First Place: Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido
• Second Place: Burgeon Beer Co. – “The Arbor” Little Italy Kitchen & Tasting Room
• Third Place: Pure Project Brewing – North Park Tasting Room

Best Can / Bottle Design
Presented by Westair

• First Place: Chilly Bin – Burgeon Beer Co. / Mcilhenney Brewing
• Second Place: AMG – GOAL. Brewing
• Third Place: Dragon Fruit IPA – Jacked Up Brewery

Best Food / Menu
Presented by Real Nice Merch

• First Place: Pizza Port Brewing – San Diego County Brewpubs
• Second Place: North Park Beer Co. – Bankers Hill Kitchen & Tasting Room
• Third Place: Stone Brewing – Stone Brewing World Bistro & Garden Restaurants
• Small Brewery Standout: Craft Coast Beer & Tacos

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Vanguard Brewer Award
Presented by BSG

Honoree: Paul Segura – Karl Strauss Brewing

Nate Soroko Community Impact Award
Presented by Country Malt Group

Honoree: Mike Arquine – Mostra Coffee / The LAB Dining

San Diego Brewers Guild Outstanding Service Award
Presented by the San Diego Brewers Guild

Honoree: Christina Lumsden – Dogleg Brewing

BEER-STYLE AWARDS

West Coast IPA
Presented by Hauck Architecture

• First Place: Treevana – Burgeon Beer Co.
• Second Place: Hop-Fu! – North Park Beer Co.
• Third Place: Incognito – Jacked Up Brewery
• Small Brewery Standout: Refined Exploration – Seek Beer Co.

Hazy IPA
Presented by Beer30 by The 5th Ingredient

• First Place: Juice Press – Burgeon Beer Co.
• Second Place: Chicago Ones, GOAL. Brewing
• Third Place: Diamond Dust – Pure Project Brewing

Imperial IPA
Presented by Omega Yeast

• First Place: Mixed Greens – Burgeon Beer Co.
• Second Place: No Further – Seek Beer Co.
• Third Place: Double Dust – Pure Project Brewing

Niche IPA
Presented by The Brewers Taproom

• First Place: Ube Haze – GOAL. Brewing
• Second Place: Dragon Fruit IPA – Jacked Up Brewery
• Third Place: Kōkua – Burgeon Beer Co. / Maui Brewing

Hoppy Beer (Non-IPA)
Presented by RadCraft

• First Place: Carlsbad Crush – Burgeon Beer Co.
• Second Place: .394 Pale Ale – AleSmith Brewing
• Third Place: 3 Times a Lager – Seek Beer Co.

Pilsner
Presented by Bottlecraft

• First Place: Fortune – Seek Beer Co.
• Second Place: Clever Kiwi – Burgeon Beer Co.
• Third Place: Rain – Pure Project Brewing

German Beer (Non-Pilsner)
Presented by White Labs

• First Place: Helles – GOAL. Brewing
• Second Place: Bavarian Gold – Burgeon Beer Co.
• Third Place: Schwarzbier – Eppig Brewing
• Small Brewery Standout: Night Swim – Seek Beer Co.

U.K. & Irish Ale
Presented by SoCal Brewing Supply

• First Place: Red Trolley Ale – Karl Strauss Brewing
• Second Place: McNair’s Scottish – North Park Beer Co.
• Third Place: Leaving Without Saying Goodbye – Hopnonymous Brewing
• Small Brewery Standout: Beoir Dearg – Barley & Sword Brewing

Belgian Ale
Presented by San Diego Mesa College

• First Place: The Dorsty Lion – Hopnonymous Brewing
• Second Place: Emmeline – Pure Project Brewing
• Third Place: Les Saisonniers – Barley & Sword Brewing

Sour Ale (Non-Barrel-Aged)
Presented by Alternative Strategies

• First Place: Juice+ Double Mango – GOAL. Brewing
• Second Place: Scenic Route – Seek Beer Co.
• Third Place: Thai-me of My Life – Hopnonymous Brewing

Barrel-Aged Sour / Wild Beer
Presented by Katalyst Public Relations

• First Place: Cuvee de Tomme – The Lost Abbey
• Second Place: Infinite Falls – Pure Project Brewing
• Third Place: Lief – Pure Project Brewing
• Small Brewery Standout: Cherry Flanders – Wild Barrel Brewing

Strong Beer
Presented by The Bountiful Bag

• First Place: Aweeee – GOAL. Brewing
• Second Place: Forgotten Brilliance – Pure Project Brewing
• Third Place: The Butcher – Societe Brewing
• Small Brewery Standout: Hooded Assassin – BattleMage Brewing

Light Beer / Adjunct Lager
Presented by SDSU Global Campus

• First Place: Kampeon – GOAL. Brewing
• Second Place: Invita – Burgeon Beer Co.
• Third Place: Buenaveza – Stone Brewing
• Small Brewery Standout: Two Amigos – Hopnonymous Brewing

Barrel-Aged Beer
Presented by Beer30 by The 5th Ingredient

• First Place: Bourbon Barrel-aged Macaroons Before Dying – North Park Beer Co.
• Second Place: Barrel-aged Dutchman’s Pipe – Burgeon Beer Co.
• Third Place: Corylus 2023 – Pure Project Brewing
• Small Brewery Standout: Rum Barrel-aged Serpent’s Stout – The Lost Abbey

Coffee Beer
Presented by LHK Noodle Bar

• First Place: Speedway Stout – AleSmith Brewing
• Second Place: Dutchman’s Pipe – Burgeon Beer Co.
• Third Place: Bacon & Eggs – Pizza Port Brewing
• Small Brewery Standout: Same Squad, GOAL. Brewing

Non-Alcoholic Beer
Presented by TapWyse

• First Place: Run Wild IPA – Athletic Brewing
• Second Place: Cereza Athletica – Athletic Brewing
• Third Place: Non-Alcoholic IPA – AleSmith Brewing

Collaboration Beer
Presented by Ale Tales Kitchen & Taproom

• First Place: Chilly Bin – Burgeon Beer Co. / Mcilhenney Brewing
• Second Place: Back to the Phuture I, II & III – Harland Brewing / North Park Beer Co. / Pure Project Brewing
• Third Place: Coordinated Reprise – Seek Beer Co. / Lake Arrowhead Brewing

The 2025 San Diego Beer News Awards will take place next March at Societe Brewing in Kearny Mesa