Our nation’s craft brewery market is ever-flourishing, especially in San Diego, California. With over 120 local breweries in San Diego, there’s no question why hoards of craft brew lovers flock to the city for beerfests and beer tours throughout summer and beyond. Over the weekend, Rockstar Beer (the undisputed kings of SoCal brewery festival production) teamed up with 91X FM radio for the one beerfest no one wanted to miss: Beer X San Diego. Taking place at Liberty Station in San Diego, the event connected local and national brewery labels with hoards of beer lovers.
Local breweries dominated Beer X San Diego, with favorites like Thorn Street Brewery, Mission Brewery, AleSmith Brewing Company, and Fat Cat Beers stealing the scene. Everyone also flocked to the tents for San Diego treasures like Helm’s Brewing Co. and Groundswell Brewing Company (known for their exquisite, well-balanced beer with nuanced flavor). The beer lovers also swarmed the booths for breweries in cities just outside of San Diego, like Legacy Brewing Company in Oceanside, California. Legacy Brewing Company is famous for their many award-winning brews, some of which have won Gold in the Los Angeles International Beer Competition!
Breweries from beyond the San Diego county line were also popular at the beer festival. Festival-goers lined up for the booths for Iron Fist Brewing Co. and Left Coast Brewing Company in San Clemente. Left Coast is world-renowned for their tasty Hop Juice Double IPA and remarkable Del Mar St. Dortmunder Style Export Lager. In addition to beer, hard cider breweries like Common Cider Co., Honest Abe Cider, and ACE California provided tangy and sweet drinks for those craving a more fruity flavor. Whether you wanted a malty stout beer, a crisp Belgian brew, or a strong IPA, there were sips to satisfy any taste.
The countless beer options weren’t the only highlight of the festival–attendees were also treated to exhilarating live music from various bands. Orange County’s own Zebrahead amped up the beer lovers with their punk rock vibe and raging instrumentals. The attendees also loved jumping up and down to the tunes by Rifftide (a San Diego cover band) and rocking out to excellent tribute bands like Blink 180True and Green Today. Dead Feather Moon, a San Diego blues rock band, also dazzled the crowd with their distinguished sound that combines rock with alt-country and psychedelic blues.
Throughout the day, festival-goers also enjoyed munching on mouthwatering eats from the many food trucks in attendance. One of the top favorites was the Falafel Wrap by buqqa Gourmet Food Truck, based in Irvine, California.
From the countless brews to the appetizing food options, to the riveting music acts, Beer X San Diego was definitely one for the books. Not only was it an awesome event for craft brew lovers to attend for a fun evening of beer sampling, but it also allowed San Diego’s top beer entrepreneurs to connect with each other and other top dogs in the national scene. If you own your own beer label in San Diego or are thinking of starting one, definitely add Beer X San Diego to your festival tour for next year. It will bring you an influx of loyal new followers and invaluable business opportunities.
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