What’s Tapping (8/3/23)

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, including links where you can find additional info or purchase the beers online. 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!

• AleSmith Brewing (Miramar): Mr. Padre 2000 San Diego-style Double Pale Ale, 8% – BUY ONLINE
• AleSmith Brewing (Miramar): Mr. Padre 3000 San Diego-style Triple Pale Ale, 11% – BUY ONLINE
• Ataraxia Aleworks (Kearny Mesa): The Great Deliverer Porter, 7%
• Athletic Brewing (Miramar): Tropical Sour Non-alcoholic Sour Ale, < 0.5% – BUY ONLINE
• Ballast Point Brewing (Miramar, Morena, Little Italy): Crazy Dream IPA, 6.6%
• Barley & Sword Brewing (North Park): Orkney Ale Scottish-style Ale, 4.7%
• Bear Roots Brewing (Vista): Mood Indigo Blueberry Pale Ale, 5.2%
• Belching Beaver Brewery (Oceanside, Vista, North Park)): Caramel Mocha Latte Blonde Stout, 6%
• Belching Beaver Brewery (Oceanside, Vista, North Park)): Czech Crown Czech-style Pilsner, 5%
• Belching Beaver Brewery (Oceanside, Vista, North Park)): Lucky You Japanese-style Rice Lager, 5%
• Booze Brothers Brewing (Vista, Oceanside, Fallbrook): Pushing Daisies Czech-style Pilsner, 5%
• Breakwater Brewing (Oceanside, Vista): Helles German-stye Lager, 4.9%
• Burgeon Beer Co. (Carlsbad, Escondido, Little Italy): Kelvin Strong IPA, 6.5%
• Burgeon Beer Co. (Carlsbad, Escondido, Little Italy): Universal Secret Hazy IPA, 6.8%
• Creative Creature Brewing (El Cajon, San Marcos): Conejo Hazy IPA, 7%
• Culver Beer Co. (Carlsbad): Street Walker West Coast IPA, 7.2%
• Duck Foot Brewing (Miramar, Leucadia): Platypug Belgian-style Amber Ale, 7.5%
• Duck Foot Brewing (Miramar, Leucadia): Strawberry & Lime Beergarita Slushie, 5%

• Eppig Brewing (Vista, Point Loma, La Jolla): Festbier, 6% – BUY ONLINE
• Fall Brewing (North Park, South Park): Grapefruit Let’s Go! IPA, 7%
• Groundswell Brewing (Grantville, Chula Vista): AMF Mexican-style Lager, 5.4%
• Harland Brewing (Scripps Ranch, South Park, Bay Park, Carmel Valley): Starlight Watermelon Lager w/ Salt & Lime, 5%
• Helia Beer (Vista): Cacktiki Sour Ale w/ Prickly Pear, Yuzu & Hibiscus, 4%
• Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa): Daddios Pale Ale, 5%
• Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa): School of Flocc West Coast IPA, 7.1% (Homebrew Summer collaboration)
• Jacked Up Brewery (Escondido): El Gato Mexican-style Lager, 5%
• Jacked Up Brewery (Escondido): Hazy Talk Hazy IPA, 6.5%
• Julian Beer Co. (Julian): Where’s Vera Amber Lager, 5.3%
• Karl Strauss Brewing (Downtown, Sorrento Mesa, 4S Ranch, Carlsbad): Grey Area Cold IPA, 6.2%
• Modern Times Beer (Point Loma, North Park, Encinitas): Forest of Sight Foeder-aged Mixed-culture Saison w/ Raspberry
• Mother Earth Brew Co. (Vista): Uncommon Ground West Coast Pilsner, 5% (collaboration w/ Abnormal Beer Co.)
• My Yard Live Beer Co. (San Marcos): 4DUDESBREW Quatro Amigos Mexican-style Lager
• New English Brewing (Sorrento Valley): Whole Lotta Hazy IPA, 6.7%
• Nickel Beer Co. (Julian): Lion About My Age Farmhouse Ale, 6% (collaboration w/ San Diego Beer News)

• North Park Beer Co. (North Park, Bankers Hill): Aroma Constrictor Double Dry-hopped Hazy IPA, 7.2% – BUY ONLINE
• North Park Beer Co. (North Park, Bankers Hill): Ice-Fu! Double Dry-hopped Cold IPA, 7% – BUY ONLINE
• North Park Beer Co. (North Park, Bankers Hill): NZ-Fu! Triple Dry-hopped West Coast IPA, 7.4% – BUY ONLINE
• Pacific Beach AleHouse (Pacific Beach): Capt. Jack West Coast IPA, 6.7%
• Pizza Port Brewing (Carlsbad, Solana Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach): Everyday Enjoyment IPA, 7%
• Poor House Brewing (North Park): Kenny Spaghetti Italian-style Pilsner, 5%
• Poor House Brewing (North Park): Low Life Pilsner, 5.2%
• Poor House Brewing (North Park): Purple Sunset Ube Hard Seltzer, 5%
• Poor House Brewing (North Park): Soft Vibes Only Hazy IPA, 6%
• Pure Project Brewing (Vista, Carlsbad, Miramar, North Park, Bankers Hill): Euphorik with Mangoes Oak Barrel-aged Feral Ale w/ Mango, 6.3% – BUY ONLINE
• Pure Project Brewing (Vista, Carlsbad, Miramar, North Park, Bankers Hill): Hazelsaurus Rex Imperial Stout w/ Coffee & Hazelnut, 12% – BUY ONLINE
• Resident Brewing (Downtown): Piña ColIPA IPA w/ Coconut & Pineapple, 7%
• Rip Current Brewing (San Marcos, North Park): Bodysurfing Belgian-style Blonde Ale, 7%
• Rouleur Brewing (Carlsbad): Radleur Grapefruit Ale, 4.9%
• Seek Beer Co. (North Park): Careless Whisper Fruited Sour Ale w/ Raspberry & Banana
• Seek Beer Co. (North Park): Fun Fact Hazy IPA, 7.2%
• Stone Brewing (Escondido, Point Loma, Downtown, Oceanside): Two Kiwis Double IPA, 9.5%
• TapRoom Beer Co. (North Park): Spruce Willis Spruce Tip Pale Ale, 5.2% (Homebrew Summer collaboration)
• Wild Barrel Brewing (San Marcos, Temecula): Vice Strawberry Lemonade

Gene Fielden | North Park Bottlecraft Manager

Cerebral Rare Trait | Hazy IPA (6.4%): It has been four years almost to the day since we received any Cerebral Brewing cans in San Diego…and that was hand-in-glove with a hoppy beer festival only. This celebrated brewery has ben a favorite of visitors to Colorado since it opened in 2015, but availability in Southern California has hitherto never been part of the conversation. I cannot say one way or the other whether the arrival of Rare Trait (and a hazy double IPA alongside, Simulation Theory) is a one-time occurrence or the start of more regular distribution, but either way, pick some up now! Cerebral’s flagship hazy IPA is liberally dosed with Citra, El Dorado and Mosaic. Fans of fellow Colorado brewery Weldwerks will recognize the same hops-signature found in Juicy Bits. Join me in welcoming Cerebral back in town!

Enegren 12th Anniversary | Dortmunder-style Export Lager (5.5%): Bottlecraft and Enegren Brewing opened just months apart, so our trajectories inadvertently move in parallel. For their twelfth anniversary, Enegren has brewed up an export lager in the Dortmund style. Distinct from lighter Helles lagers from Bavaria, which tend to be brewed with Pilsner malt, Dortmunders utilize 2-Row and aim a touch higher in ABV (alcohol by-volume) for a little more body and heft. The last surviving hometown exemplar of the style, DAB (Dortmunder Actien-Brauerei) has seen distribution on the East Coast but I cannot recall ever espying it around here, so we must rely on the work of American craft breweries to recreate it. Prost!

Alvarado Street Paloma Pizzazz | Imperial Kettle Sour Ale (8%): I have nothing against Margaritas, but more frequently mix up a paloma at home. Particularly in the summertime, the combination of agave, fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice and lime is just the ticket. My personal recipe also adds a glug of Campari (or another red aperitivo) and a pinch of salt, which lowers the perceived bitterness of the citrus. The folks at Alvarado Street Brewery are clearly also devotees of the paloma, for they have attempted to backwards-engineer one in beer form! Dangerously drinkable at 8%, enjoy this one outside in the sunshine.

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