What’s Tapping (2/9/23)

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): Darth Pivo Czech-style Dark Lager, 4.9%
• AleSmith Brewing (Miramar): Lil’ Devil Session Belgian-style Ale, 5.8%
• AleSmith Brewing (Miramar): My Bloody Valentine Hoppy Red Ale, 6.7%
• Ataraxia Aleworks (Kearny Mesa): Hazing the Rookie Hazy IPA, 6.9%
• Ataraxia Aleworks (Kearny Mesa): Winter Hawk Spiced Doppelbock, 7.8%
• Athletic Brewing (Miramar): Soul Sour Non-alcoholic Sour Ale w/ Blueberry, Lemon & Mango, < 0.5%
• Ballast Point Brewing (Miramar, Morena, Little Italy): Manta Ray Double IPA, 8.9%
• BattleMage Brewing (Vista): Thunderfury Blessed Blade of the Wind Seeker West Coast IPA, 6.5%
• Black Plague Brewing (Oceanside, Escondido): In My Darkest Sour Raspberry Kettle Sour Ale, 4.6%
• BLAH Brewing (Normal Heights): Black “Coffee” Celebration Black IPA, 7%
• BLAH Brewing (Normal Heights): Love Boat Belgian-style IPA, 7%
• Blue Fire Brewing (San Marcos): My Precious New Zealand-hopped Triple IPA, 10.2%
• Burgeon Beer Co. (Carlsbad, Escondido, Little Italy): Cabana Time Fruited Kettle Sour Ale, 5.8%
• Burgeon Beer Co. (Carlsbad, Escondido, Little Italy): Timber! West Coast Double IPA, 8.3%
• Burning Beard Brewing (El Cajon): Where Vultures Fare German-style Pilsner, 5.5%
• Craft Coast Beer & Tacos (Oceanside): Beast of the Northeast Triple Dry-hopped Hazy Double IPA, 9%
• Craft Coast Beer & Tacos (Oceanside): 275 Single-hop West Coast IPA w/ Mosaic, 6.9%
• Creative Creature Brewing (El Cajon): 1784 La Costa Wheat IPA, 7.5%
• Creative Creature Brewing (El Cajon): Strawberry Smackers Gose, 5%
• Culture Brewing (Solana Beach): Zwickelbier w/ Mandarin Orange, 5.1%
• Deft Brewing (Morena): Scrummy Suds British-style Dark Mild Ale, 3.1%

• Dos Desperados Brewery (San Marcos): Hazy Daisy Hazy IPA, 6.5%
• East Village Brewing (East Village): Red Reaper Double Red Ale w/ Carolina Reaper Chilis, 9%
• Eppig Brewing (Vista, Point Loma, La Jolla): Pilsner German-style Lager, 5.1%
• Fall Brewing (North Park, South Park): Oh So Pretty West Coast IPA, 6.7%
• Groundswell Brewing (Grantville, Chula Vista): S.M.A.S.H. Centennial Pale Ale, 5.8%
• Helix Brewing (La Mesa): Electric Skies IPA, 7%
• Helix Brewing (La Mesa): N & N’s New Zealand-hopped IPA, 7%
• Helix Brewing (La Mesa): Puff Puff San Diego Pale Ale, 5.5%
• Kairoa Brewing (University Heights): Jandals in January West Coast IPA
• Karl Strauss Brewing (Downtown, Sorrento Mesa, 4S Ranch, Carlsbad): Peanut Butter Cup Porter, 5.4%
• Laguna Beer Co. (Vista): West Friends West Coast IPA
• Mujeres Brew House (Barrio Logan): La Soltera Single-hop West Coast IPA w/ Soltana, 7.2%
• Nickel Beer Co. (Julian): Lion’s Blood Triple IPA, 11.2% (collaboration w/ San Diego Beer News)
• Nickel Beer Co. (Julian): Wreck It Greg West Coast IPA, 5.7%
• 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): Poets in the Park Triple Dry-hopped Triple IPA, 10% (collaboration w/ Long Live Beerworks)
• North Park Beer Co. (North Park, Bankers Hill): Triple-Fu! Triple Dry-hopped West Coast Triple IPA, 10.5%
• One Season Brewing (Grantville): Bundled Up at 65 Cold IPA, 7.2%
• Pacific Beach AleHouse (Pacific Beach): Gold Coast Belgian-style Amber Ale, 6.3%
• Pacific Beach AleHouse (Pacific Beach): Twin Fin IPA, 7%

• Pizza Port Brewing (Carlsbad, Solana Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach): Dieguito Hoppy Pilsner, 5.5%
• Pizza Port Brewing (Carlsbad): Nora the Explorer Mexican-style Lager, 5%
• Pizza Port Brewing (Ocean Beach): Flyin’ Hawaiian Hefeweizen, 5.5%
• Pizza Port Brewing (Solana Beach): Passion Assassin Kettle Sour Ale w/ Passionfruit, 6.5%
• Pizza Port Brewing (Solana Beach): Rivermouth Raspberry Wheat Ale, 5%
• Pizza Port Brewing (Imperial Beach): Silver Strand Blonde Ale, 5.3%
• Pizza Port Brewing (Imperial Beach): Southbound, 7.1%
• Pizza Port Brewing (Solana Beach): Too Much Fun Double IPA, 8.1%
• Plan 9 Alehouse (Escondido): Daywalker Irish-style Red Ale
• Poor House Brewing (North Park): West Coast Forces Rotating-hop IPA, 6.8%
• Pure Project Brewing (Vista, Carlsbad, Miramar, North Park, Bankers Hill): Brewing Bridges West Coast Triple IPA, 10.3% (collaboration w/ Barebottle Brewing)
• Pure Project Brewing (Vista, Carlsbad, Miramar, North Park, Bankers Hill): Esoteric Knowledge Murky Double IPA, 8.4%
• Seek Beer Co. (North Park): No Further Hazy Triple IPA, 10%
• South O Brewing (Oceanside): Belching Biscuits Chocolate Milk Stout, 6.2% (collaboration w/ Belching Beaver Brewery)
• TapRoom Beer Co. (North Park): Mosaic Starburst Double Dry-hopped Double IPA, 8%
• TapRoom Beer Co. (North Park): Super Starburst Triple Dry-hopped Double IPA, 8.2%
• WestBrew (Vista, Del Mar, East Village): Creeeature Energy Drink Hard Seltzer, 5%
• Wild Barrel Brewing (San Marcos): The 4th Dimension of Hops Hazy IPA, 5.5%
• Wild Barrel Brewing (San Marcos): In Stereo Hops West Coast IPA, 6%
• Wild Barrel Brewing (San Marcos): White Rabbit Belgian-style Witbier, 5.5%

Gene Fielden | North Park Bottlecraft Manager

Burgeon Keep It Mosaic | West Coast IPA (6.5%): Burgeon Beer Co.’s “Keep It” series of rotating line of single-hop IPAs is an exemplary canvas upon which to paint the possibilities of a given hop varietal. With a backdrop of 2-row and pale wheat malts forming a foundational layer, the hops are allowed to come to the foreground. Despite only joining the roster on the open market scarcely over a decade ago, Mosaic has ascended to the pantheon, with ever-popular notes of overripe pineapple and blueberry plus brisk bitterness.

Heater Allen Helles | Helles Lager (5%): Heater Allen always has a home on our shelves with their outstanding lager, but their Helles is a rare treat. Soft and pale with a kiss of herbal and spicy Hersbrucker hops from Bavaria, Helles heralds the onset of the coming spring. Lagers such as these prove that a beer can be simultaneously light-bodied and full-flavored; no easy feat!

Russian River Beatification | Oak-aged Sour Ale (6%): A tribute to the traditional lambics of the Pajottenland in the environs of Brussels, Beatification is a spontaneously fermented creation. No yeast was pitched at the inception of this beer. Rather, the local microflora (yeasts of all stripes as well as bacteria) began the miraculous process of fermentation, imparting funky and acidic tones as well as vigorous carbonation. A sure and steady hand in blending is another layer of this art form after the beer is aged up in used wine casks. Beatification is a magnum opus of craft-beer and a testament to both talent an patience. 

Click here to explore the quality beers at Bottlecraft’s four San Diego locations.