Recapping the 2025 San Diego Beer News Awards

Photos by Jenny Mann Photography

The theme of the 2025 San Diego Beer News Awards (SDBNA) ceremony was “We’re Stronger Together”, and that much was proven over the course of the two-plus-hour affair, which saw many members of the county’s craft-beer community come together to present something special for attendees. Presenters included married couples, siblings, parents and their offspring, and others who banded together to build thriving brewing companies and other beer-related businesses, but that wasn’t the only example of combined strength at this year’s ceremony.

The cast of The Indie Beer Show reunited, sharing hosting duties throughout the evening. Their diverse personalities kept the ceremony interesting, while their intermittent bits – which included an Anchorman-style battle featuring members of 91X FM’s “Beer for Breakfast” program, ALT 94.9 FM’s “Rock & Roll Happy Hour” and the cast of I Like Beer the Podcast squaring off a la Ron Burgundy and the Channel 4 News Crew – added some levity.

Conversely, there were emotional moments and even some tears. Midway through the ceremony, Greg Littrell was invited to the stage to honor his longtime partner Katie Earle, a fixture in the beer community who worked for numerous breweries throughout San Diego. Sadly, Earle passed away in January, but in an effort to preserve her memory, from now on the Imperial IPA category will bear her name as the Katie Earle Imperial India Pale Ale Award. That award went to North Park’s Seek Beer Co. It was one of six first-place achievements (Best Customer Service, Best Hazy IPA, Best Imperial IPA, Best Pilsner, Best Collaboration Beer and the inaugural Best Alternative Beverage award) the popular Brewer Igniter tenant earned, the most golds of any brewery this year. That dominance also netted Seek Champion Brewery honors for 2025.

While Seek left the ceremony wearing this year’s all-around crown, the three-year-old upstart was edged out by its neighbors North Park Beer Co. for Best Brewery in the South Region. Regional Best Brewery plaques also went to Burgeon Beer Co. (West), Pure Project Brewing (North), Mcilhenney Brewing (East) and SDBNA host venue Societe Brewing (Central). Meanwhile, the battle of the new kids on the block was won by Santee’s Sunny Grove Brewing, which was named Best New Brewery over Vista oprations Weir Beer Co. and The Roadies Brewing, which took second and third place in that category, respectively.

In another close race, Duck Foot Brewing came out on top in Best Can / Bottle Design with the taco-shop inspired label for its Mexican-style lager, 2AM Tacos. Taking things to the next level, category sponsor WestAir commissioned artist Phoebe Cornog to paint an eight-foot-by-eight-foot mural that was unveiled on the spot as a take-home bonus award for the Miramar-based brewing company.

Beer-style winners included North Park Beer’s “Hop-Fu!” in the West Coast IPA category, Weir’s terpene-infused “I Don’t Get Angry When My Mom Smokes Pot” in Niche IPA, Harland Brewing’s “Japanese Lager” in Light Beer / Adjunct Lager and Societe’s imperial stout “The Butcher” in Strong Beer. Additionally, Karl Strauss Brewing’s Irish-style red ale “Red Trolley“, Burgeon’s pale ale “Carlsbad Crush”, Seek’s Pilsner “Fortune”, Hopnonymous’ Belgian-style golden strong ale “The Dorsty Lion”, North Park Beer’s “Barrel-Aged Macaroons Before Dying” and Athletic Brewing’s non-alcoholic IPA ”Run Wild” repeated as top vote-getters in their respective categories.

Individuals that were recognized at this year’s ceremony included Judith Downie. Best known for her longtime work documenting the history of San Diego’s beer industry through her curation of California State University San Marcos’ Brewchive, Downie was honored for her tireless volunteerism on behalf of the San Diego Brewers Guild, and presented with that non-profit organization’s Outstanding Service Award. 

Meanwhile, Seek Beer Co. Running Club organizer Shade Hartline received the Nate Soroko Community Impact Award, a civilian honor bestowed on individuals unaffiliated with the brewing industry who advocate for San Diego craft beer, bring people together over it and drive business to local breweries.

Last but not least, Douglas Hasker from Puesto Cerveceria was named the 2025 Vanguard Brewer. A veteran brewer of more than 30 years who started his career with Gordon Biersch before local Mexican restaurant chain Puesto took its Mission Valley brewpub over and hired him, Hasker is considered the county’s foremost lager expert. He is also well regarded for having mentored young talents and generously shared his knowledge with scores of local brewers. Last year’s Vanguard Brewer awardee, Karl Strauss Brewmaster Paul Segura, presented this year’s trophy to Hasker, a longtime friend, colleague and fellow musician. During his speech, Hasker singled out his “right-hand man” at Puesto, Brewer Jacob Bauch, expressing his faith in him to someday carry on the torch.

It was another memorable evening in what has become a fun, meaningful tradition for San Diego’s craft-beer community.

The following is a complete list of this year’s winners from the 2025 SDBNAs…

Brewery Awards

Champion Brewery

Presented by Banner Sponsor Yakima Chief Hops

• Winner: Seek Beer Co. (North Park)

Best Brewery – Central Region

Presented by Classic Beverage of San Diego

• First Place: Societe Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Second Place: Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Third Place: Fall Brewing (Miramar)

Best Brewery – North Region

Presented by HRVST

• First Place: Pure Project Brewing (Vista)
• Second Place: The Lost Abbey Brewing (Vista)
• Third Place: Weir Beer Co. (Vista)

Best Brewery – South Region 

Presented by Beer30 by The 5th Ingredient

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

Best Brewery – West Region

Presented by Country Malt Group

• First Place: Burgeon Beer Co. (Carlsbad)
• Second Place: Pizza Port Brewing (Carlsbad)
• Third Place: Green Cheek Beer Co. (Oceanside)

Best Brewery – East Region 

Presented by Premier Stainless Systems

• First Place: Mcilhenney Brewing (Alpine)
• Second Place: Harland Brewing (Scripps Ranch)
• Third Place: Stone Brewing (Escondido)

Best New Brewery 

Presented by TapCraft

• First Place: Sunny Grove Brewing (Santee)
• Second Place: Weir Beer Co. (Vista)
• Third Place: The Roadies Brewing (Vista)

Best Expansion Project

Presented by MiraCosta College BrewTech Program

• First Place: North Park Beer Co. Pizza Shop (Pacific Beach)
• Second Place: Green Cheek Beer Co. Brewpub (Oceanside)
• Third Place: Burgeon Beer Co. “The Grove” Taproom (Vista)

Best Interior / Exterior Design

Presented by Hoppy Beer Gear

• First Place: Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens (Escondido)
• Second Place: The Lost Abbey “The Church” (East Village)
• Third Place: Weir Beer Co. (Vista)

Best Can / Bottle Design 

Presented by WestAir

• First Place: 2AM Tacos – Duck Foot Brewing (Miramar)
• Second Place: Empowering Inclusion – Seek Beer Co. (North Park)
• Third Place: Mr. Padre 2000 – AleSmith Brewing (Miramar)
• Honorable Mention: Second Wind – BattleMage Brewing (Vista)

Best Food / Menu

Presented by Real Nice Merchandise

• First Place: BLAH Brewing / Blind Lady Ale House (Normal Heights)
• Second Place: North Park Beer Co. (Bankers Hill & Pacific Beach)
• Third Place: Craft Coast Beer & Tacos (San Marcos & Oceanside)

Staff & Individual Awards

2025 Vanguard Brewer Award

Presented by RahrBSG

• Winner: Douglas Hasker, Puesto Cervecería

Outstanding Service Award

Presented by San Diego Brewers Guild

• Winner: Judith Downie

Nate Soroko Community Impact Award

Presented by Country Malt Group

• Winner: Shade Hartline, Seek Beer Co. Running Club

Larry Smith Customer Service Award

Presented by Arryved

• First Place: Seek Beer Co. (North Park)
• Second Place: Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Third Place: Sunny Grove Brewing (Santee)

Beer Style Awards

Best West Coast IPA

Presented by Hauck Architecture

• First Place: Hop-Fu! – North Park Beer Co. (North Park)
• Second Place: Treevana – Burgeon Beer Co. (Carlsbad)
• Third Place: Dubious Credentials – Seek Beer Co. (North Park)
• Honorable Mention: Quit Playin’ Games with My Hops – Weir Beer Co. (Vista)

Best Hazy IPA 

Presented by Omega Yeast

• First Place: Frequency Illusion – Seek Beer Co. (North Park)
• Second Place: Art is Hard – North Park Beer Co. (North Park)
• Third Place: Juice Press – Burgeon Beer Co. (Carlsbad)
• Honorable Mention: Diamond Dust – Pure Project Brewing (Vista)

Katie Earle Imperial IPA Award

Presented by John I. Haas

• First Place: Endless Timeline – Seek Beer Co. (North Park)
• Second Place: Double Trouble – Sunny Grove Brewing (Santee)
• Third Place: Doobie – Weir Beer Co. (Vista)

Best Niche IPA 

Presented by White Labs

• First Place: I Don’t Angry When My Mom Smokes Pot – Weir Beer Co. (Vista)
• Second Place: Cool With It – Seek Beer Co. (North Park)
• Third Place: Blood in the Water – Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa)

Best Hoppy Beer (non-IPA) 

Presented by RadCraft

• First Place: Carlsbad Crush – Burgeon Beer Co. (Carlsbad)
• Second Place: Day Drink Believer – Seek Beer Co. (North Park)
• Third Place: Porch It – Sunny Grove Brewing (Santee)
• Honorable Mention: Party Cup – North Park Beer Co. (North Park)

Best Pilsner 

Presented by The Bountiful Bag

• First Place: Fortune – Seek Beer Co. (North Park)
• Second Place: Hoppin’ Pils – Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Third Place: Rain – Pure Project Brewing (Vista)

Best German Beer (non-Pilsner) 

Presented by Admiral Maltings

• First Place: Stein O’ Mite – Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Second Place: Late Night Chat – Seek Beer Co. (North Park)
• Third Place: Lieber Augustine – Burning Beard Brewing (El Cajon)
• Honorable Mention: Mutsch Love – Sunny Grove Brewing (Santee)

Bill Snider Belgian Ale Award

Presented by San Diego Mesa College Fermentation Program

• First Place: The Dorsty Lion – Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Second Place: Lavender Daze – Pure Project Brewing (Vista)
• Third Place: The Harlot – Societe Brewing (Kearny Mesa)

Best U.K. & Irish Ale 

Presented by Two Track Malting

• First Place: Red Trolley – Karl Strauss Brewing (Pacific Beach)
• Second Place: Leaving Without Saying Goodbye – Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Third Place: McNair’s Scottish – North Park Beer Co. (North Park)

Best Light Beer / Adjunct Lager 

Presented by Katalyst Public Relations

• First Place: Japanese Lager – Harland Brewing (Scripps Ranch)
• Second Place: De Oro – Seek Beer Co. (North Park)
• Third Place: Two Amigos – Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Honorable Mention: B.B.R. – Burning Beard Brewing (El Cajon)

Best Sour / Wild Beer 

Presented by CSU San Marcos Brewchive

• First Place: Mount Eden – Pure Project Brewing (Vista)
• Second Place: Thai-me of My Life – Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Third Place: Chaotic Sunshine – Seek Beer Co. (North Park)

Best Coffee Beer

Presented by Bottlecraft

• First Place: Bacon & Eggs – Pizza Port Brewing (Carlsbad)
• Second Place: Port of Coffee – Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Third Place: Milagro – Pure Project Brewing (Vista)
• Honorable Mention: Barrel-Aged Speedway Stout – AleSmith Brewing (Miramar)

Best Strong Beer 

Presented by Dalum Beverage Equipment

• First Place: The Butcher – Societe Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Second Place: Medusa – Black Plague Brewing (Oceanside)
• Third Place: Righteous Son – The Lost Abbey Brewing (Vista)
• Honorable Mention: Indie Roo – Pizza Port Brewing (Carlsbad)

Best Barrel-Aged Beer 

Presented by LHK Noodle Bar

• First Place: Barrel-aged Macaroons Before Dying – North Park Beer Co. (North Park)
• Second Place: Malthead Mayhem – Mcilhenney Brewing (Alpine)
• Third Place: Radder Santa, Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Honorable Mention: Goblin King – BattleMage Brewing (Vista)

Best Non-Alcoholic Beer

Presented by SoCal Brewing Supply

• First Place: Run Wild IPA – Athletic Brewing (Miramar)
• Second Place: Beachside Chill – Pure Project Brewing (Vista)
• Third Place: Non-Alcoholic IPA – AleSmith Brewing (Miramar)

Best Alternative Beverage

Presented by Alternative Strategies

• First Place: Intermission Hop Water – Seek Beer Co. (North Park)
• Second Place: Juice Box Hero Hard Seltzer – Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
• Third Place: Haterade Hard Seltzer – Weir Beer Co. (Vista)

Best Collaboration Beer

Presented by Ale Tales Taproom

• First Place: Sentri Pass – Seek Beer Co. (North Park) & Cervecería Insurgente (Tijuana)
• Second Place: West Coast IPA is Dead – North Park Beer Co. (North Park) & Green Cheek Beer Co. (Oceanside)
• Third Place: Alpine to the BLVD – GOAL. Brewing (North Park) & Mcilhenney Brewing (Alpine)
• Honorable Mention: Everybodies Juicin’ – Hopnonymous Brewing (Kearny Mesa) & Resident Brewing (Downtown)

San Diego Beer News would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to all of the sponsors who made it possible to keep this event free for all to attend and make it the best it can be. And thank you so much to the following individuals for making time in their busy schedules to take part in the ceremony as hosts, presenters and entertainers…

Chris Barry, BattleMage Brewing; Brian Beagle, The Indie Beer Show; Billy Beltz, Lost Cause Meadery / Oddish Wine; Tyson Blake, O’Brien’s Pub / San Diego Brewing Co.; Brian Carl, Fox Point Brewing; Phoebe Cornog, Pandr Design Co.; Esthela Davila, The Indie Beer Show/ Mason Ale Works / The Indie Beer Show; Matt Davis, Home Brew Mart; Jenna & Tony Dellamano, Culture Brewing; Dave Firth, Booze Brothers Brewing / Owl Farm Unique Fermentations; Rachel Fischer, Kilowatt Brewing; Erik Fowler, San Diego Brewers Guild; Abel Garcia, The Indie Beer Show; Brian Grover, Fox Point Farms; Neda Iranpour, CBS 8 / CW San Diego; Jim Johnson, Home Brew Mart; Andrew Kelly, Coronado Brewing; Brian Kelly, Harland Brewing; Kris Ketcham, Stone Brewing; Nina & Simon Lacey, New English Brewing; Derek Laurisden, Home Brew Mart; Charles & Donna Leask; Greg Littrell; Jeff Lozano, Ballast Point Brewing; Christina Lumsden, Dogleg Brewing; Jeremy & Vince Marsaglia, Julian Beer Co.; Amanda & Kelsey McNair, North Park Beer Co.; Garett Michaels, 91X FM; Tod Muilenburg, I Like Beer the Podcast; Mike Nelson, Smoking Cannon Brewery; Jake Nunes, Kilowatt Brewing; Dave & Niki Ohmer, Seek Beer Co.; Julia Peterson, BattleMage Brewing; Natallie Phillips, Smoking Cannon Brewery; Jeremy Pritchard, ALT 94.9 FM; Jeff Riccitelli, I Like Beer the Podcast; Adrian & Agustin Rueles, Brewjería Company; Antonio “Wort Wrangler” Sanchez, Ballast Point Brewing; Ryan Sather, BattleMage Brewing; Paul Segura, Karl Strauss Brewing; Jeff Spanier, I Like Beer the Podcast; Danielle Stuht, Karl Strauss Brewing; Josh Thompson, Booze Brothers Brewing / Owl Farm Unique Fermenations; Laura Ulrich, Stone Brewing; Hayden & Kyndall Weir, Weir Beer Co.

And special thanks go out for significant contributions from event volunteers Tyson Blake, Melody Campbell, Lia Garcia, Doug Hasker, Tom Nickel and Paul Segura.

Companies interested in sponsoring next year’s ceremony, individuals who would like to lend a hand in planning and execution, and venues interested in hosting the event can reach out via email.