Behind a growing and thriving independent craft brewing and beer scene in San Diego, the San Diego Brewers Guild is finding yet more ways to roll out the barrels.
The nonprofit San Diego Brewers Guild, founded in 1997 to support the production and distribution of craft beer, will be hosting its second annual San Diego Beer Weekend at venues across the county from June 9-11.
Prelude to Beer Week
Head of Education and Craft Hospitality
White Labs
The weekend event is a prelude to the San Diego Brewers Guild’s popular San Diego Beer Week that is slated for later this year, its dates still to be determined. San Diego Beer Week has typically been held in November.
“Beer Weekend is a general awareness campaign to draw awareness to the importance and impact of San Diego breweries,” said San Diego Brewers Guild Board Director Erik Fowler. “The weekend is about driving traffic to taprooms. We will be celebrating more than beer, showing communal spaces that offer themselves to the community.”
The weekend includes live music, different types of entertainment and “elevated culinary” offerings, said Fowler, head of education and craft hospitality for White Labs, which produces yeast for fermenting purposes in San Diego, North Carolina, Denmark and Hong Kong.
‘The Capital of Craft’
Its local tasting room, White Labs Brewing Co., is in the Miramar area, where several other breweries are located. White Labs will be one of dozens of local craft breweries participating in the weekend. San Diego County is home to more than 150 local breweries. According to the Guild, San Diego County, known as “The Capital of Craft,” has the most craft brewery locations among all counties in the United States.
Participating breweries include Chula Vista Brewery, Eppig Brewing in Vista, Carmel Mountain’s Second Chance Beer Company and The Original 40 Brewing Company in North Park. (For a full list of participating breweries, visit sdbeer.com/sdbeerweekend)
Top Craft City
“San Diego is one of if not the top craft beer cities in the United States, along with Portland and Denver,” Fowler said. “A big part of why it’s big in San Diego is culture-based, because of the active culture and active lifestyles in San Diego that fit with artisan products.”
Fowler said that as part of the June weekend of all things hoppy, local breweries will offer beer specials and serve their various craft brews in limited edition commemorative pint classes featuring San Diego-themed artwork by local designer Tyler Cristobal. Cristobal, who does brand development for craft beverages, is the founder of Cristobal Design, a web design business.
The glasses will be sold at participating breweries throughout the county to promote San Diego and highlight the weekend’s festivities.
Fun Initiative
Former Executive Director
San Diego Brewers Guild
San Diego Beer Weekend is also a fundraiser, with Wisconsin-based Boelter, the maker of the custom branded glassware, donating a portion of the proceeds from pint glass sales back to the non-profit Brewers Guild.
“Beer Weekend is simply another fun initiative we created to urge San Diegans to go out and support this great industry in our city,” said Brewers Supply Group, Inc. Sales Administrator and Support Analyst Paige McWey Acers who until April had held executive positions with the San Diego Brewers Guild for 10 years and was its most recent executive director. “It serves as a great start to San Diego’s impeccable summer as well.”
San Diego Brewers Guild
FOUNDED: 1997
PRESIDENT: Haley Smith
HEADQUARTERS: Vista
BUSINESS: Nonprofit supporters of the production and distribution of craft beer
REVENUE: $158,000 (2019)
EMPLOYEES: 1
WEBSITE: sdbeer.com
CONTACT: info@sdbeer.com
NOTABLE: The SDBG says the San Diego region is home to more than 150 independent craft beer manufacturers.
