Last year, San Diego County’s craft brewers had a record-best showing at the U.S. Open Beer Championship professional brewing competition. Beers from eight local producers amassed 20 medals, 11 of which were gold, and Carlsbad-based Burgeon Beer Co. ranked tenth overall after racking up three gold medals.
Recently, winners of the 2025 U.S. Open Beer Championship were announced. Beers from San Diego brewing companies earned nine total medals, six of which represented first-place categorical finishes. This year’s strongest local contender was Stone Brewing, which brought home four golds and a silver between its Escondido production headquarters and the pilot brewery at its Point Loma location, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station.
North Park’s TapRoom Beer Co. also struck gold for its coffee-infused golden stout while sharing a silver with Seattle’s Ravenna Brewing for a collaboratively concocted lager. Meanwhile, Hodad’s Brewing took gold for its brown ale, which has won numerous awards over the years. The county’s other silver was awarded to a Flemish-style sahti from Julian Beer Co. that’s also garnered an impressive number of awards in recent years.
While not as popular among beer fans, the U.S. Open Beer Championship is well known among industry professionals, so having such a strong showing at the 2024 edition of the competition was a big deal. Coming off such a performance, San Diego brewers’ medal count at this year’s event might not seem nearly as impressive, but, in fact, it is. Prior to 2024, the county’s breweries brought home 11 medals in 2023 (five of which were gold), seven medals in 2022 (three gold), and six medals in 2021 (two gold).
Based on total medals won, this year’s Brewery of the Year recipients were Sun King Brewery (15,001 or more barrels produced), Confluence Brewing (5,001-15,000 barrels), Third Eye Brewing (2,001-5,000 barrels), Bull & Bush Brewery (1,001-2,000 barrels), Hop Dogma Brewing (501-1,000 barrels), Wild Barley Kitchen & Brewery (251-500 barrels) and BierKraft (1-250 barrels). Bull & Bush Brewery was named the 2025 Grand National Champion.
The following are all of the locally produced beers that won medals at the 2025 U.S. Open Beer Championship…
Gold Medals (6)
- American Brown Ale: Throwback Brown, Hodad’s Brewing (Serra Mesa)
- American Stout: Cimmerian Portal, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station (Point Loma)
- American-style Fruit Beer – Lime: Buenaveza, Stone Brewing (Escondido)
- Golden Stout: The Breakfast Klub Vol. 2, TapRoom Beer Co. (North Park)
- Near Gluten Free/Gluten Reduced Beer: Hefe No-Wheat-Son, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station (Point Loma)
- Pink Boots Hop Blend: She’s the Brewer, Stone Brewing (Escondido)
Silver Medals (3)
- Collaboration Beer – Lagers: Al Pastor Tacos, TapRoom Beer Co. (North Park) & Ravenna Brewing
- Historical Beer: Juniper Flats, Julian Beer Co. (Julian)
- Session Beer: West Specific Pilsner, Stone Brewing (Escondido)
A full list of this year’s winners is available online