SD celebrates craft beer with Beer Week
CHRISTOPHER REYES
BUSINESS EDITOR
@cdrey
San Diego is world-famous for its huge craft beer culture and community. From everyday people brewing in their garage to breweries making a name for themselves in world beer competitions, San Diego is gathering attention as one the most important cities for the industry.
23-year-old senior Kevin O’Reilly is a fan of San Diego’s craft breweries.
“San Diego is definitely one of the craft brewing hubs in the United States,” O’Reilly said. “Many of the beers brewed in our area are some of the best I have tasted, and I know that they are sold across the country.”
O’Reilly has noticed that students of legal drinking age at University of San Diego appreciate the beer being produced locally.
“I think that students take full advantage of the quality beers that are brewed and sold in the area,” O’Reilly said. “College students on most campuses tend to stick to their Keystones and Natty Lights, but I see people drinking everything from Stone, to Karl Strauss, to Coronado Brewing Co. beers.”
To celebrate and promote San Diego’s growing beer culture, the San Diego Brewers Guild holds an annual event. San Diego Beer Week, a 10-day event, is in full swing and offers craft beer fans a chance to attend a wide range of beer-related events. Events include beer trolley tours, beer brunches, beer gardens and more.
The president of the San Diego Brewers Guild, Brian Scott, is expecting a huge turnout at the events.
“We’re going to see upwards of 3,000-plus people at the Guild Fest event,” Scott said. “Sixty-plus breweries, 3,000 people, San Diego beer, food. All that fun stuff.”
Attendees of the many Beer Week events can expect craft beer food pairings, samples and new brew releases. Organizers say the events are meant to bring more attention to San Diego’s beer heritage and showcase the best breweries in the county that have given San Diego a reputation as the craft beer capital of America.
Ballast Point, a brewery founded just down the street on Linda Vista, has 13 events scheduled for the week.
Fans can also look forward to big-name breweries such as Alesmith, Stone and Karl Strauss. For those looking to experience something new, they are sure to be satisfied at one of the nearly 200 events.
San Diego’s breweries are unique and have a strong following among students at the University of San Diego, according to 22-year-old senior Brennan Vance.
“San Diego breweries definitely have a bigger following than in other cities,” Vance said. “Students at USD are really into it too. At most schools students buy whatever is cheapest but a lot of students here drink craft beer.”
Students are excited about the beer week events.
“San Diego Beer Week sounds really awesome,” Vance said. “I think it’s a really good way to promote the culture. I really want to get out to some of the events with some friends and enjoy it.”
San Diego Beer Week offers a fun, social way for students over 21 to enjoy the unique brews that are coming out of San Diego. The full list of events is available on sdbw.org.