As locals ready themselves for the gluttonous treats, free-flying rides, completionist exhibits and concerts that will come with next month’s San Diego County Fair, 11 local breweries have been notified of their outstanding performance at the 2024 edition of the California State Fair’s professional brewing competition. Those operations accounted for 18 awards, three first-place, and eight apiece for second- and third-place.
The San Diego County brewery that brought home the most awards was Barley & Sword Brewing, a tenant at North Park’s lease-to-brew Brewery Igniter facility. That business’ dedication to producing historic and esoteric styles served them well, as it racked up an impressive five awards ‒ including one first-place finish ‒ for Old World beers: Irish Red Ale, English-style IPA, Historical Beer, German-style Wheat Ale. Pizza Port’s brewpubs in Ocean Beach and Carlsbad Village captured two and one award, respectively, with the former earning a gold for its New England-style IPA. Other multi-award-winners included Smoking Cannon Brewery (two total, one first-place) and Mike Hess Brewing (two total). The other local winners were Burgeon Beer Co., El Cid Brewing, Hodad’s Brewing, Julian Beer Co., Northern Pine Brewing, Puesto Cervecería and TapRoom Beer Co.
Last year, San Diego breweries nabbed a total of 23 awards (eight first-place, five second-place and ten third-place). Most of the same brewing companies that placed last year earned accolades this year, as well, save for a pair of small brewpubs which may or may not have entered the competition at all. But before conjuring conspiracy theories as to why local operations’ performance was slightly less impressive than last year, remember that two years ago, San Diego breweries amassed just seven awards total at the 2022 competition.
The following is a complete list of local winners from this year’s event…
FIRST PLACE (3)
Historical Beer: Juniper Flats, Smoking Cannon Brewery (Ramona)
Irish Red Ale: Beoir Dearg, Barley & Sword Brewing (North Park)
New England-style IPA (Hazy IPA): OB Haze, Pizza Port (Ocean Beach)
SECOND PLACE (8)
Belgian Strongs: Apollyon, Pizza Port (Carlsbad)
Berliner-style Weisse: Peach My Other Vice, Mike Hess Brewing (North Park)
English-style India Pale Ale (IPA): The Edwin Fox, Barley & Sword Brewing (North Park) *
German / Vienna-style Märzen: Brewtality, Hodad’s Brewing (Serra Mesa)
Historical Beer: Defence of the Realm Act, Barley & Sword Brewing (North Park)
Other Malt / Grain / Sugar: Rye God Rye, Northern Pine Brewing (Oceanside)
Scottish Ale: Scotty’s Struggle, El Cid Brewing (North Park)
Standard British Ale: Weasel, Julian Beer Co. (Julian)
THIRD PLACE (8)
Belgian-style Witbier: TapRoom White, TapRoom Beer Co. (North Park)
Bohemian-style Pilsner (Czech Lager): Marisi Pils, Puesto Cervecería (Mission Valley)
Chocolate Beer: Joslyn, Smoking Cannon Brewery (Ramona)
Coffee Beer: Coffee Grazias, Mike Hess Brewing (North Park)
German-style Wheat Ale: Der Schwarzwald, Barley & Sword Brewing (North Park)
Gose: Paloma Sour, Pizza Port (Ocean Beach)
International-style Pilsner: Pistil, Burgeon Beer Co. (Carlsbad)|
Scottish Ale: Orkney Ale, Barley & Sword Brewing (North Park)
* indicates category for which no first-place winner was selected
A full list of winners from the 2024 California State Fair Brewing Competition is available online