What’s Tapping (5/4/23)

Welcome to San Diego Beer News‘ weekly list of beers tapping for the first time or returning to beer lists at breweries throughout San Diego County. For more details regarding release/tapping dates, times and locations, consult the official website or social-media accounts of the brewing companies listed.

And keep scrolling for Bottlecraft staffers’ recommendations about beers they are excited about that can be found at their bottle shop locations in North Park, Little Italy, Point Loma and Oceanside!

• Abnormal Beer Co. (Rancho Bernardo): Choice Stubbies Triple Dry-hopped Cold Double IPA, 8.2% (collaboration w/ Artifex Brewing)
• AleSmith Brewing (Miramar): Death Star West Coast Double IPA, 7.9%
• AleSmith Brewing (Miramar): Key Lime Gose, 5.5%
• AleSmith Brewing (Miramar): Tower of Flower West Coast IPA, 6.8% (collaboration w/ Beachwood Brewing)
• Belching Beaver Brewery (Oceanside, Vista, North Park): Beav Light American Light Lager, 4.3%
• Belching Beaver Brewery (Oceanside, Vista, North Park): Branded & Barreled Mexican Chocolate Cake Barrel-aged Imperial Stout w/ Chocolate & Cinnamon, 14.2%
• Belching Beaver Brewery (Oceanside, Vista, North Park): Fall of Troy Double IPA w/ Orange & Vanilla, 8.5%
• Belching Beaver Brewery (Oceanside, Vista, North Park): Hazers Gonna Haze Hazy IPA, 6.6%
• Belching Beaver Brewery (Oceanside, Vista, North Park): Tropical Terps IPA w/ Terpenes, 6.6%
• BLAH Brewing (Normal Heights): One Less Car American-Belgian IPA
• Blue Fire Brewing (San Marcos): Lager, 5%
• Creative Creature Brewing (El Cajon): Mango de Verdad Mango & Chamoy Sour Ale, 5%
• Creative Creature Brewing (El Cajon): Teach Me How to Wookie Raspberry Smoothie Sour Ale
• Creative Creature Brewing (El Cajon): ¡Yodale! Mexican-style Lager, 5%
• Culture Brewing (Solana Beach, Encinitas): Jasmine Saison, 6.6%
• Culver Beer Co. (Carlsbad): Pine Driver IPA, 7.9%

• Duck Foot Brewing (Miramar, Leucadia): Beergarita Beer Slushies, 5%
• Embolden Beer Co. (Miramar): Eternal Sol Guava Wheat Ale, 5%
• Embolden Beer Co. (Miramar): Three Day Vacation Margarita-inspired Gose w/ Salt, Lime & Orange, 4.3%
• Fall Brewing (North Park, South Park): Young & Good Looking West Coast IPA, 7.2%
• Groundswell Brewing (Grantville, Chula Vista): Golden Hour IPA, 6.5%
• Harland Brewing (Scripps Ranch, South Park, Bay Park, Carmel Valley): Chew On This 2 Pastry Sour Ale w/ Dragon Fruit, Acai & Kiwi, 6% (collaboration w/ Odd By Nature Brewing)
• Harland Brewing (Scripps Ranch, South Park, Bay Park, Carmel Valley): Mexican Lager w/ Lime, 5%
• Helia Brewing (Vista): No Stress Express New Zealand-style Pilsner
• Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa): Big Fundamental West Coast IPA, 7.2%
• Julian Beer Co. (Julian): Trail Angel New Zealand-hopped IPA, 6.8%
• Karl Strauss Brewing (Downtown, Sorrento Mesa, 4S Ranch, Carlsbad): Blacks Beach Lager Schwarzbier, 4.5%
• Laguna Beer Co. (Vista): Second Reef Blonde Ale, 5.4%
• Nickel Beer Co. (Julian): Cheat Machine Double IPA, 8.2%
• North Park Beer Co. (North Park, Bankers Hill): Digital Jedi West Coast Pilsner, 4.7%
• North Park Beer Co. (North Park, Bankers Hill): Hop-Fu! Double Dry-hopped West Coast IPA, 7.5%
• North Park Beer Co. (North Park, Bankers Hill): Lupulin Collider: Batch 3 Triple Dry-hopped Hazy Triple IPA, 10%
• One Season Brewing (Grantville): 5pm Rush Hour Red Ale, 6.6%
• The Original 40 Brewing (North Park): 2 Legit 2 Wit Belgian-style Witbier, 5.2%

• The Original 40 Brewing (North Park): Space Metal Fantasy Vol. 2 Double Dry-hopped West Coast Double IPA, 8.5%
• Plan 9 Alehouse (Escondido): Positive Mental Radness West Coast IPA, 6.9%
• Poor House Brewing (North Park): 30 Hop West Coast IPA, 7.2%
• Poor House Brewing (North Park): Tangled in Light Mixed-fermentation Saison, 6.7%
• Pure Project Brewing (Vista, Carlsbad, Miramar, North Park, Bankers Hill): Built to Last Mexican-style Lager, 4.7%
• Pure Project Brewing (Vista, Carlsbad, Miramar, North Park, Bankers Hill): Clearer Thinking West Coast Double IPA, 8.5% (collaboration w/ Radiant Beer Co.)
• Pure Project Brewing (Vista, Carlsbad, Miramar, North Park, Bankers Hill): Lucent Shadows Murky Double IPA, 8.7%
• Pure Project Brewing (Vista, Carlsbad, Miramar, North Park, Bankers Hill): Pure Gravity Pale Ale, 5.6% (collaboration w/ Gravity Heights)
• Seek Beer Co. (North Park): Cordial Energy Sour Ale w/ Orange, Guava & Peach, 5%
• South O Brewing (Oceanside): R&D XPA Wing New Zealand-hopped Extra Pale Ale, 6.3%
• South O Brewing (Oceanside): Whaley Street West Coast IPA, 6.8%
• Stone Brewing (Escondido, Downtown, Point Loma, Oceanside): Downunderstruck IPA, 8.7%
• Thorn Brewing (Barrio Logan, Mission Hills, North Park): Sun Soaked West Coast IPA, 7%
• Thr3e Punk Ales Brewing (Chula Vista): Pelotero Imperial IPA, 10%
• Wild Barrel Brewing (San Marcos): Blackberry Jam Imperial Pastry Sour Ale, 8.4%
• Wild Barrel Brewing (San Marcos): Inland Marine Layer Hazy Double IPA, 7.6%
• Wild Barrel Brewing (San Marcos): Vice Mixed Berries Berliner-style Weisse, 5.6%
• Wild Barrel Brewing (San Marcos): Vice Watermelon Apricot Berliner-style Weisse, 5.6%

Gene Fielden | North Park Bottlecraft Manager

Alvarado Street Waimea Skaze Hazy IPA | Hazy IPA (7%): The hops of New Zealand occupy their own vaunted corner of the lupulin world, with aromas and flavors that transcend the pine/citrus dichotomy. Nelson Sauvin (usually shortened to simply “Nelson,” like an old friend) was the varietal that put Oceania on the map, but in the intervening years thereafter, a whole raft of hops have emanated outward from the South Island. Alvarado Street Brewery spotlights Waimea in this latest entry in the “Skaze” series, which boasts a high amount of alpha acids, leading to elevated perceived bitterness for a hazy IPA.

Enegren American Reinheitsgebot | Pilsner (5.2%): Cementing their position at the forefront of innovation in modern lagers, Enegren Brewing showcases domestically sourced ingredients in the annual American Reinheitsgebot release. Every year, a different lager-focused partner brewery joins up with Enegren to create an entirely new recipe. The 2023 offering is a German-style pilsner produced in collaboration with Firestone Walker Brewing, utilizing floor-malted barley from Admiral Maltings on Alameda island for a cheerful cereal-forward pale lager. Prost!

Gueuzerie Tilquin Oude Riesling à l’Ancienne | Traditional Lambic (7.7%): Pierre Tilquin has joined the pantheon of blenders of traditional lambic. Displaying a mastery of classic gueuze as well as the classic fruits of the region, in recent years he has become ever more esoteric in his choice of additions. This iteration embraces the wine-beer hybrid model that has proven so popular for regular consumers of each and both. The natural acidity and vibrant aromatics inherent of the Riesling grape make for an ideal match to the funky, highly carbonated lambic. Op uw gezondheid / À votre santé!

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