What’s Tapping (4/3)

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): Ever Faithful Hazy Double IPA, 8%
• Athletic Brewing (Miramar): Ripe Pursuit Non-alcoholic Radler, < 0.5%
• Ballast Point Brewing (Little Italy, Miramar): Black Marlin Porter, 6.3%
• Barley & Sword Brewing (North Park): Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) British-style Golden Ale on Cask, 5.1%
• Barrel & Stave Brewing (Vista): Peanut Butter Jelly Time Hefeweizen w/ Black Currant & Raspberry, 4.5%
• Black Plague Brewing (Oceanside, Escondido, North Park): Gothica Mexican-style Lager, 5.5% – PURCHASE ONLINE
• Black Plague Brewing (Oceanside, Escondido, North Park): Medusa Imperial Milk Stout, 8.5% – PURCHASE ONLINE
• Black Plague Brewing (Oceanside, Escondido, North Park): Stay Chill Gluten-reduced Blonde Ale, 4.8% – PURCHASE ONLINE
• Black Plague Brewing (Oceanside, Escondido, North Park): Trouble Maker IPA, 6.8% – PURCHASE ONLINE
• Blue Fire Brewing (San Marcos): Padre Pils Hoppy Pilsner, 5.3%
• Creative Creature Brewing (San Marcos): Metalachi Mexican-style Lager, 5%
• Deft Brewing (Bay Park): Sunset in Bruges Flanders-style Sour Red Ale, 5.7%
• Division 23 Brewing (Miramar): Waves Crashing Cold IPA, 6.8%
• Docent Brewing (Carlsbad): Hefty Fee Session IPA, 4.8%
• Dos Desperados Brewery (San Marcos): Right on Time Extra Pale Ale, 5.2%
• Duck Foot Brewing (Miramar, Leucadia): Bowling Knight American Stout, 6.5%
• Duck Foot Brewing (Miramar, Leucadia): Fruity Pebbles Beer Slushie, 5%

• East Village Brewing (East Village): Ballpark Special American Lager, 5.2%
• Embolden Beer Co. (Miramar, North Park): Platinum Record West Coast IPA, 7.5%
• Five Suits Brewing (Vista): Planet Nectaron Hazy IPA, 7%
• Harland Brewing (Scripps Ranch, Carmel Valley, Bay Park, South Park): Mind Field Extra Pale Ale, 5.6% (collaboration w/ Craft Coast Beer & Tacos)
• Harland Brewing (Scripps Ranch, Carmel Valley, Bay Park, South Park): Waiheke West Coast IPA, 6.7%
• Harland Brewing (Scripps Ranch, Carmel Valley, Bay Park, South Park): White Peach Lilikoi Sour Ale w/ Peach & Passionfruit, 6%
• Helix Brewing (La Mesa): Deep Thinker Hazy IPA, 7.5%
• Helix Brewing (La Mesa): Stoner Moment IPA, 7%
• Home Brew Mart (Morena): Droppin’ Düss Altbier, 5.4% 
• Home Brew Mart (Morena): Exploding Suns Double Dry-hopped Double IPA, 8.5%
• Home Brew Mart (Morena): Sleeps with the Fishes Hoppy Pilsner, 5.4%
• Itza Brewing (Ocean Beach): Mount Laguna American IPA, 5.4%
• The Lost Abbey Brewing (Vista): Duck Duck Gooze American Gueuze, 7%
• Mason Ale Works (Vista, Point Loma, Barrio Logan): Chosen One Hazy Double IPA, 9.9%
• Mason Ale Works (Vista, Point Loma, Barrio Logan): LFG Hazy IPA, 6.9%
• Mason Ale Works (Vista, Point Loma, Barrio Logan): Millennial Falcon West Coast IPA, 7%

• Mcilhenney Brewing (Alpine): Nectaron Express West Coast IPA w/ Terpenes, 6.5%
• Mcilhenney Brewing (Alpine): Pineberry West Coast IPA, 6.3%
• North Park Beer Co. (North Park, Bankers Hill, Pacific Beach): Hop-Fu! Double Dry-hopped West Coast IPA, 7.5% – PURCHASE ONLINE
• North Park Beer Co. (North Park, Bankers Hill, Pacific Beach): Simcoe Slammer West Coast Pilsner, 4.5% – PURCHASE ONLINE
• North Park Beer Co. (North Park, Bankers Hill, Pacific Beach): TDH Aroma Constrictor Triple Dry-hopped Hazy IPA, 7% – PURCHASE ONLINE
• The Original 40 Brewing (North Park): Go Fast Turn Left Pale Ale, 5.1%
• Pizza Port (Imperial Beach): Southbound & Down West Coast IPA, 7.1%
• Pizza Port Brewing (Carlsbad, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Ocean Beach, Imperial Beach): Nami IPA, 6.8% (collaboration w/ Pure Project Brewing)
• Prey Brewing (Vista): Tres Rondas Light Mexican-style Lager, 4.2%
• Pure Project Brewing (Vista, Carlsbad, Miramar, North Park, Bankers Hill): Limitless Light Murky Double IPA, 8.5% (collaboration w/ Radiant Beer Co.) – PURCHASE ONLINE
• Pure Project Brewing (Vista, Carlsbad, Miramar, North Park, Bankers Hill): Neon Bloom West Coast Pale Ale, 5.3% – PURCHASE ONLINE
• Pure Project Brewing (Vista, Carlsbad, Miramar, North Park, Bankers Hill): Sakura West Coast IPA, 6.8% (collaboration w/ Pizza Port Brewing) – PURCHASE ONLINE
• Quantum Brewing (Kearny Mesa): Red Velvet Cake Project Hard Seltzer, 6.6%
• San Diego Brewing Co. (Mission Valley): Hey Beer Me! West Coast IPA, 7.5%
• Seek Beer Co. (North Park): Pivotal Pivot West Coast Pilsner, 5.4%
• South O Brewing (Oceanside): Children of the Internet Fruited Sour Ale, 7.7%
• South O Brewing (Oceanside): Just for Kicks West Coast IPA, 6.6%

Gene Fielden | Bottlecraft North Park Manager

Kern River Kern Krush | West Coast IPA (7%): Longtime readers of this column will have been familiar with the hops varietal known as HBC-586. This first debuted in our neck of the woods with the 2022 harvest and quickly implanted itself in IPAs all around over the place. At last having been graced with a name “Krush”, brewers can commence with incorporating it into the titles of their beers. And so join me in welcoming Kern Krush as an early spring release by Kern River Brewing. At its best, Krush reminds me of the berry-tones of Mosaic crossed with the resinous elements of Simcoe, alongside a pile of mango. Mark my words: many more beers will be showcasing this creation by the Hops Breeding Company in the coming years.

Wayfinder Jaws of Damnation | Rice Lager (5.3%): A new lager from Wayfinder Beer is a must-try, no thinking necessary. And what a beer! Having just tasted a bevy of rice lagers during my time in Tokyo and Taipei over the last couple of weeks, I can attest that there is a wide range even within the style. Wayfinder has opted for a fuller-bodied (yet highly carbonated) take, to great effect. Immensely refreshing with food or as such! We just tapped a keg of this at Bottlecraft North Park an hour before these words were typed, so stop on by and ask for a taste?

Great Notion Twisty | Smoothie Sour Ale (6%): Great Notion is at it again! This one is for those who enjoy heaps of fruit in their kettle-sours. With an abundance of blueberries, strawberries, some lemon zing and a touch of marshmallow for density, this beer is a parfait in a glass. Enjoy through a crazy straw, as the label recommends?

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