Craft beer is booming in Baja California. What was once a grassroots network of passionate homebrewers clandestinely sharing their brews with family and friends has transformed into a multimillion-dollar industry representing nearly one-fifth of Mexico’s entire economic output of cerveza artesenal.
In October 2019, the Mexican Association of Beer Makers (ACERMEX), an organization similar to the United States’ Brewers Association, estimated the country would surpass 1,000 craft beer companies by the start of 2020, many of whom are based in the state of Baja California. But this persistent rise of beer businesses has been fraught with roadblocks, forcing scrappy entrepreneurs to fight tooth and nail to operate openly.
These obstacles range from a near-complete stranglehold of the market by Anheuser-Busch InBev–owned Grupo Modelo and Heineken-owned Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma to prohibitively expensive import taxes on ingredients. When asked what’s stifling Baja breweries’ growth, Collin Corrigan, a San Diego native and founder of Ensenada’s Cervecería Transpeninsular, just laughs. “Do you have a couple days to listen? I could go on for hours.”
But these challenges have done little to stem the tide of small, independently owned craft breweries opening across Baja California, especially in cities like Tijuana, Mexicali, and Ensenada. Early pioneers like Cervecería Insurgente and Wendlandt Cervecería helped spark the revolution with a hefty dose of influence from San Diego.
“If it wasn’t for our proximity [to San Diego], not only would we not have been exposed to all the beers that marked our career, creatively and technically, but we wouldn’t have access to the fresh and readily available ingredients,” says Ivan Morales, cofounder of Insurgente. “The community of brewers between both cities have done a very good job of working together.”
Arguably, San Diego’s biggest contribution to Baja’s burgeoning beer scene is exposing drinkers to super-hoppy beers like IPAs. Mexico’s best-selling beer has long been Corona from Grupo Modelo, which is also one of the top five most consumed beers in the world. Now, brewers hope these historically flaccid lagers will serve as a gateway to more adventurous brews. Other styles that have fallen out of fashion in the US, like robust porters and amber ales, are prevalent on Baja tap lists.
But as I, a pretty frequent drinker of San Diego craft beer, began to explore the Baja beer scenes in earnest, a few obvious differences unfurled. Quality is sporadic—an issue most brewers openly admit. More than once, a brewer has poured me a not-quite-right splash straight from the tanks with a shrug and a promise that they’ll tweak it the next time. Nothing’s undrinkable, but there’s a lot that wouldn’t fly in the US.
The biggest and more attractive difference is a feeling, a vibe, an excitement—that unspoiled naivete about collectively building something from the ground up and giving the big boys of beer the middle finger at the same time. Experimentation and innovation are encouraged, and while the results don’t always land, it’s intoxicating to witness. Baja brewers are unfettered by expectations (although with a decent amount of awards already earned, that’s sure to change). Still, it must be difficult to define oneself in the shadow of San Diego beer.
Cervecería Transpeninsular
“[Baja beer] is still trying to find its spot,” Corrigan says. “We have not established our own uniqueness.”
Morales is confident that not only will Baja get there, but they’re already there. “I think Baja will continue to be the bastion of craft beer in Mexico because of our openness and confluence of new ideas. Tijuana, in particular, is a sort of melting pot that has always allowed for an influx of different currents; it’s an ever-changing city that does a very good job of adapting to changing contexts.”
As beer quality increases and logistical barriers decrease, it’s likely that more breweries across Baja will open and garner further international recognition in competitions like the World Beer Cup. If the current course of pressure on the government to relax restrictions on independent breweries continues, the number of craft breweries exporting to the US and other countries will probably rise as well. But my one hope for the future of Baja beer isn’t “better” beer or more styles. It’s that they maintain that sense of camaraderie that we’ve somewhat lost under the weight of the crown. In that vein, long may Baja reign.
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
This is the question I posed to Erik Fowler, executive director of the San Diego Brewers Guild. He and his wife Shannon just announced they’re opening Good Pressure Brewing Company in Allied Gardens at the end of the year.
Don’t get me wrong—this is fantastic news coming from great people. But I’m sure I’m not the only incredulous inquirer. The latest Brewers Association report says more breweries are closing than opening across the country, and craft’s overall volume has dropped 5 percent since 2024. Even San Diego, the self-proclaimed “Capital of Craft,” isn’t immune.
Goal Brewing pulled out of the Brewery Igniter space in North Park in March. Little Miss Brewing shuttered all nine locations earlier this year. Half Door Brewing sold to Villains Brewing Company. Division 23 Brewing closed in May. The owners of Jacked Up Brewery retired. Border X Brewing tried launching a GoFundMe before closing up shop in Barrio Logan. It feels a little bleak out there.
But Fowler is far from a naive beer newbie. On the sensory side, he’s a certified Cicerone and BJCP beer judge with sommelier training. He’s studied beer at UC Davis, and gone through the San Diego State University Professional Certificate in the Business of Craft Beer program. He worked in wine retail before managing the taproom and distribution for ChuckAlek in Ramona. He was a taproom lead at Stone Brewing, head of education and hospitality at White Labs for nine years, and the executive director for the Guild for two years. He just had one more thing to cross off his beer bucket list—open his own brewery.
“I’ve always wanted to own a business in the beverage space,” he says. “That’s been a goal since I turned 21. I’ve always had the entrepreneurial mindset, and I’m at an age and an experience level where the leap and the risk makes sense.”
The Fowlers had been looking for a space to realize their dream for 18 months, hoping to stay close to their home in East County. Of all of San Diego’s 150-plus breweries, less than 10 percent of them are in East County. El Cajon, La Mesa, Valley Center, and Ramona have one apiece; Julian and Alpine each have two; there are three in Santee; and a couple production facilities that aren’t even open to the public.
“There’s still a lot of opportunity there, especially for underserved neighborhoods,” he explains.
But after a year without any luck, they decided to expand their search slightly. When they saw the former Poochie’s Hooch Urban Cidery space in Allied Gardens that came with two patios, a cellar, existing tasting room, infrastructure for a kitchen, and a wine license, it just fit. “It’s in a great neighborhood that doesn’t have a whole lot to offer,” says Fowler. “We wanted a spot that could be family-friendly, and it just ended up working out.”
Despite an address in the city of San Diego, Fowler says they plan to focus heavily on serving the eastern side of the county, both in distribution and in their marketing approach. As residents of East County, the San Diego stereotype of beaches and surfing doesn’t always resonate with them.
“San Diego to a lot of people is the beach, but from growing up and being in East County, the San Diego that we know and see isn’t that at all,” he explains. Shannon works for the Escondido-based nonprofit Center for Plant Conservation, which inspired them to incorporate a more nature-based, plant-inspired motif for the brand that better reflects the San Diego East County locals might feel more attuned to.
They’ll initially launch with food trucks and mostly beer, but hope to expand to other beverages like wine and cider and eventually build out an in-house food program. Fowler says they want to first and foremost be a place for families, and an approachable destination for people who aren’t beer experts.
“I want somebody like my mom to be able to come in and feel comfortable, and be comfortable ordering, and just be focused on themselves and having a good time,” he says. He already took the tests at beer school—guests won’t need to feel like they’re taking a quiz to place an order.
“We never want anybody to have to pull out a phone to look something up,” he says. “We want people to come in and have a good time… we want to be the brewery that people are wrapping up their kids’ soccer games.”
Good Pressure Brewing Company will open in late 2025 at 7559 Mission Gorge Road in Allied Gardens.
Courtesy of Taste of College Area
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
The Second Annual Taste of College Area Arrives This September
For decades, College Area has been more defined by fast-casual concepts and taco shops than as a serious dining destination. (I totally get why—who else remembers being a broke college kid without a car?) That’s completely changed over the last couple of years, and the College Area Business District is showing off the restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and other eateries along El Cajon Boulevard—like Scrimshaw Coffee, The Luau, The Mesa Bar & Grill, and more. The second annual Taste of College Area starts at 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 28, with stops between 54th Street and 73rd Street. Don’t want to walk? Hop on the free trolley that runs until the event ends at 3 p.m.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times—San Diego needs more pupuserias. It seems the Salvadoran food gods have heard my prayers, and opened FiveO3 Pupusas at Fashion Valley Mall. It’s the second location for the Cathedral City-based restaurant, and if the business license is to be believed, another is on the way to Las Americas Premium Outlets. May all our pupusa dreams continue to come true!
You don’t have to work in the beer industry to attend the 2025 Craft Beer Con at Mira Costa College’s San Elijo campus, but you should probably be a pretty big beer nerd. The annual half-day conference kicks off at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 5 and offers multiple education tracks for attendees to learn about how beer competitions operate, what makes a wet hop beer, how alcohol distribution works, and more. And don’t worry—after a day of learning, there is a happy hour at 4 p.m.
Breakers in Encinitas is officially open! Pro surfer Benji Weatherley revived his family’s former restaurant in Hawai’i, bringing Hawaiian-inspired drinks and food to the coastal neighborhood as an all-day respite for locals (and I’m sure plenty of visiting surfers, as well). I’m on my way for a midafternoon Mai Tai…
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Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
Swimming above a thousand bluefin tuna in the deep waters of the Pacific, one feels a dizzying calm. Below, the fish move in endless, unhurried loops, slowly growing plump in their monotony. Weighing around 170 pounds each, the fish in this net-pen are considerable. Heavy as a man and as wide as a surfboard, they move like hydrodynamic refrigerators, pewter backs reflecting water-filtered light like suncatchers.
Not long ago, these fish were in the open ocean, gunning 18 miles an hour through cold currents, possibly detecting our planet’s magnetic field using mineral deposits in their snouts, and tracing ancient migration patterns through the largest ocean on Earth. But here, with a gringo in a wetsuit bobbing above them, the fish merely draw lazy loops inside a giant aquaculture cage tethered far offshore, awaiting their fate as some of the most sought-after and expensive cuts of protein on the planet.
This is Baja Aqua Farms (BAF). Located in Mexican waters southwest from San Diego, BAF is, at any given time, home to tens of thousands of tuna worth tens of millions of dollars, making it one of the largest tuna ranching operations in the world and a major player in a modern global fish farming industry that now supplies more than half of the world’s seafood.
Courtesy of Baja Aqua Farms Anchored in the deep waters of the Pacific, the main feeding vessel at Baja Aqua Farms pumps thousands of pounds of small fish into dozens of net pens filled with slow-circling bluefin tuna.
If one were to, say, fly a helicopter over this operation, the view through the omnipresent cloud of gulls would prove impressive. Thirty Olympic pool–sized net-pens float in an open-water grid, each filled with a single school of a thousand or more bluefin. Some are huge, weighing more than 400 pounds, and some are smaller, around 45 pounds (still a lot of fish). And anchored in the middle of it all is a sizable, computerized central feeding vessel where specialists sit on aging rolling chairs inside an air-conditioned cabin, monitoring each school’s food consumption and their pen’s water quality on screens 24/7. A ship that thousands of pounds of feeder fish visit briefly each day after being offloaded from sardine boats and before being pumped into the bellies of tuna.
I ventured here on an educational mission. As a lover of both the ocean and tuna, I wanted to find out how bluefin—an animal fished nearly to extinction within my lifetime—makes its way into the tartares and chirashi bowls of today. My search led me here, face down in the water, listening to the sound of my breath through a snorkel and contemplating the vast machinations that keep these incredible fish churning through the global food system.
Silent as they are, these tuna tell a story about the future of fish and the future of how we interact with the ocean.
All of which we’ll get to. But first, let’s eat.
Courtesy of Baja Aqua Farms Workers separate a select number of tuna from the school and stun them with electricity before bringing them aboard the harvest boat.
By the time the bluefin arrives on my plate as glistening, fatty slices of pink otoro at Ophelia restaurant in Ensenada, it has already crossed oceans, boundaries, and moral terrain.
This fish was part of a school of tuna born in the open Pacific from eggs laid off the coast of Japan, captured as juveniles in Mexican waters by BAF boats in vast purse seine nets, towed for months to the BAF ranch, and fattened for many more months with feeder fish harvested from our coastal ecosystem by the BAF sardine fleet, then efficiently and bloodily killed, refrigerated, and brought to shore here in Ensenada to be packaged and driven over the border to LAX, where they either get exported—mostly to Japan— or eaten in high-end omakase and strip-mall sushi joints throughout San Diego, once the world’s tuna fishing capital.
Bluefin tuna, recent developments have shown, is both a symbol of past overfishing and a surprising conservation success. And its future now lies in operations like Baja Aqua Farms, which represent the next phase of human seafood consumption.
With me at the table, talking tuna, is Rodrigo Armada Tapia, the head of sustainability at BAF. Having grown up in Ensenada, Tapia speaks with pride about the region’s food culture—where tuna is often a star ingredient. Before taking me to the farm the next day, he wanted me to try the product, which BAF packages under the name Bluefiná.
Photo Credit: Mateo Hoke Otoro at Ophelia in Ensenada.
“You can’t understand the fish until you taste it,” he tells me.
Ophelia is Michelin-recognized. It sources bluefin from BAF, as do some notable restaurants in San Diego.
With more than 100 wineries in Valle de Guadalupe, knowing where to go and which to try can feel overwhelming. Luckily, we took the guesswork out of the task and put together a list of our favorite wines in the region from organic pours to a husband-and-wife team, and a century-old icon, here’s what to drink in Valle.
Finca La Carrodilla
The first organic and biodynamic winery in Mexico (with certifications from CCOF and the USDA) is best known for its Árbol line—the 2021 grenache rosé is fresh and acidic, with notes of strawberries and red fruit.
Vena Cava
A highlight of winemaker Phil Gregory’s vision is the 2020 Ambar, a skin-contact chardonnay that is aged for two months in neutral oak barrels, yielding a smooth trip toward the tannic pleasures of an otherwise hackneyed grape.
Started by ex-veterinarian Pau Pijoan, this sleeper hit of the valley is best known for “El Carbónico,” a playful take of the known grapes of the region—grenache, tempranillo, and syrah—fermented through carbonic maceration.
L.A. Cetto
Channeling the body and depth of Super Tuscans, the 2018 Petite Sirah from this nearly 100-year-old icon is a hearty red whose grapes hail from the Rhône Valley in France but feel just as at home in the arid landscapes of Valle de Guadalupe.
Danielle is a freelance culture journalist focusing on music, food, wine, hospitality, and arts, and founder-playwright of Yeah No Yeah Theatre company, based in San Diego. Her work has been featured in FLAUNT, Filter Magazine, and San Diego Magazine. Born and raised in Maui, she still loves a good Mai Tai.
Stake Chophouse & Bar isn’t your average steakhouse. Blue Bridge Hospitality’s Coronado outpost is a modern interpretation of a big-city steakhouse nestled in the heart of the small coastal community. The team at Stake has reimagined the whole steakhouse experience. By prioritizing a seasonal farm-to-table sourcing philosophy, a personalized guest experience, and unique service touches, like a formal steak presentation and a bespoke knife selection process, Stake distinguishes itself in a sea of steakhouses.
Exceptional steaks, including Wagyu from Japan, Australia, and the U.S., and fresh seafood flown in daily form the core of Stake’s culinary identity. The menu features a five-course omakase-style steak experience highlighting house favorites, plus an array of cuts, and classic steakhouse staples—think a wedge salad, baked potato, or pasta carbonara—refined for a contemporary palate without losing their traditional appeal. Stake focuses on seasonal sourcing from the region’s best family farms and specialty purveyors, and incorporates intentionally unexpected touches to create something truly unique.
“I challenge our chefs and myself to take it a step further in sourcing,” says Chef Ronnie Schwandt. “It’s important to us to highlight different farms, unique one-off farms—whether it’s cattle, strawberries, a local fisherman or from anywhere in the United States, we’re always trying to find that niche.”
Beyond the menu, Stake emphasizes outstanding service, says Vinny Spatafore, Director of Hospitality Operations. Staff maintains detailed notes, allowing them to remember guests by name, recall previous orders such as a favorite martini (also memorable for the customer since it’s served in an extra tall, distinctly-shaped glass), and celebrate special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.
“When you have those points of topic that you remember about a guest, they appreciate that,” he says. “Our servers are really good with that—we have a couple servers who have been here since the beginning and they’ll remember somebody from years ago, their name, their kids’ names, where they live. I’m really thankful to have a great front of house staff.”
Award-winning wines, rare whiskeys, special events, and a complementary black car service that provides transportation for guests throughout Coronado add to Stake’s appeal.
Schwandt stresses that Stake offers more than a meal; they aim to give patrons something unforgettable.
“It starts when you walk up the stairs and are greeted by the hostess—that sets the tone for the night. Then you’re greeted by a server, who may know you by name, and can guide you through the menu and curate as they get to know you,” says Schwandt. “Most people leave kind of blown away; they leave feeling like they just had an experience. That’s the goal, right? Whether you’re serving smash burgers or high-end steak, you want somebody to leave thinking, Wow, that was awesome.”
No trip to TJ is complete without tacos by the kilo, so we asked TJ native Angel Miron, who runs the tour company Let’s Go Clandestino, to do the impossible: narrow down a list of great tacos in his hometown. Here are five of his favorite.
Tacos Machatlán
“These guys serve fried fish and shrimp tacos” on a bustling corner in El Centro de Tijuana, Miron says. “Don’t leave without trying the BBQ-grilled smoked marlin taco on a smoky tortilla.”
Tacos Fitos
Miron likes the tacos dorados de birria from this Tijuana shop. “The taquero is known for pumping them out super fast and does a trick with the consomé—pouring it onto the taco without looking,” Miron says.
While Tacos El Franc’s addition to the Michelin Guide has brought an influx of attention, Miron has long been familiar with its charms. “This is the place I used to go to all the time growing up in Tijuana, especially after a night out with the boys,” Miron says. “[Its] specialty is adobada. I really like the suadero taco.”
Tacos A Vapor El Güero
Founded in 1960, this place keeps it simple with three taco options: shredded beef, beans and cheese, or chicharrón. “They’re what you would call ‘steamed tacos’ because they are prefilled and then kept hot or steamed in pots,” Miron explains. “Then [the restaurant staff] slaps ’em with shredded cabbage, onion, and salsa roja.”
El Tío Pepe
While this casual spot has multiple locations, its original outpost in the Gabilondo neighborhood is still considered the best. “Not only [does it] have tacos dorados de birria, but amazing carnitas—get the masisa with guacamole,” Miron recommends. “And another specialty here is the torta ahogada [or ‘drowned sandwich’] with birote shipped from Guadalajara.”
Amelia Rodriguez is a writer and journalist and winner of the San Diego Press Club's 2023 Rising Star Award and 2024 Best of Show Award, she’s also covered music, food, arts and culture, fashion, and design for Rolling Stone, Palm Springs Life, and other national and regional publications. After work, you can find her hunting down San Diego’s best pastries and maintaining her five-year Duolingo streak.
San Diego is the craft beer capital of America—and that’s not just my opinion, it’s a fact. Already home to hundreds of breweries across the city, San Diego’s beer scene is ever-changing with new breweries emerging, old favorites experimenting with bold flavors, and local tap lists continuing to surprise even the most seasoned enthusiasts.
We all have our favorites, and that’s okay. No two beer drinkers are the same, and consensus in the craft beer world is almost as rare as a bad pint in San Diego. (Though we can probably all agree that Keystone Light belongs nowhere near a tasting flight.)
So, let’s lower our inhibitions and take a tour of San Diego breweries, with a brew worth ordering from each. From sours to stouts, pilsners, and porters, here are our top breweries in San Diego.
Courtesy of Hauck Architecture
North Park Beer Company
Yes, everyone should have their own opinion, but anyone who doesn’t also include North Park Beer Company in their own personal shortlists is wrong. With consistently high-quality brews and 360-degree approach to hospitality, those who wish to see how to run an award-winning brewery need only glance in North Park’s direction.
Locations in North Park, Crown Point, and Bankers Hill
AleSmith has been a giant in San Diego beer for decades, and there’s no sign of them slowing down. Their mammoth tasting room and brewery should be on any beer lover’s pilgrimage list, but don’t just stop your wanderings at the bar. Meander around the Tony Gwynn museum, pop into their not-very-hidden speakeasy Anvil & Stave, and grab a few packs of their housemade Cheesesmith cheese curds on your way out.
9990 AleSmith Ct., Miramar
Courtesy of Nickel Beer Company
Nickel Beer Company
After 10 years, Nickel Beer Company is still going strong. Helmed by local beer pioneer Tom Nickel, his reach extends to a number of beer-centric businesses around the county, but this rustic outpost is a lovely oasis smack in the middle of cider and wine country, offering a wide variety of both esoteric and traditional beers on tap.
1485 Hollow Glen Rd., Julian
Courtesy of Old Town San Diego
Societe Brewing
Societe takes its time, focusing on perfecting what they’re doing before moving onto the Next Big Thing. That’s why it took them 10 years to open a second location, and yes, it was worth the wait. Hype chasers may be left wanting, but those who value consistently excellent beer without gimmick will be more than satisfied.
It’s rare to find a place that self-identifies as “punk rock” that doesn’t end up either seeming pretentious or for posers, but Fall Brewing manages to embrace edginess without either. Whether you’re in Doc Martens or docksiders, all beer lovers are welcome at their two Mid City locations. Come for the IPAs, stay for the stout on nitro.
Locations in North Park and South Park
Courtesy of Kairoa Brewing Company
Kairoa Brewing Company
San Diego doesn’t have nearly as many rooftop patios as it should, but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. Perch yourself above University Heights with a pint in hand, but don’t forget to come hungry—Kairoa’s kitchen is as good as their brewhouse.
4601 Park Blvd., University Heights
Courtesy of Hopnonymous Brewing Company
Hopnonymous Brewing Company
Located in the heart of the Convoy District, Hopnonymous is the perfect post-KBBQ wind-down spot. With 18 beers on tap, highlights include the Two Amigos Lime Mexican Lager—a refreshing alternative for Pacifico and Buenaveza fans. If you’re looking for something richer, Leaving Without Saying ‘Goodbye’ is a red ale that pays homage to the classic Irish goodbye with a hint of caramel. Whether you’re capping off a feast or looking for a dog-friendly brewery, Hopnonymous is the place to be.
7705 Convoy Court, San Diego
Courtesy of Pure Project
Pure Project
Pure Project opened in San Diego in 2016, but it seems like they’re been a part of the local brew scene for far longer than that. With 150+ breweries in the county, achieving icon status of this magnitude is no small feat, and I for one am thrilled that they keep opening new spots to make grabbing a pint (or two) easy.
Locations in Carlsbad, Bankers Hill, Miramar, North Park, and Vista
Courtesy of Craft Coast Brewing Company
Craft Coast Brewing Company
Good tacos deserve good beer, and both can be found at this Oceanside hot spot. With Pizza Port brewing alums at the helm and amazing birria coming out of the kitchen, this divine duo is a can’t-miss stop along the coast. Try Craft Coast Brewing Company‘s award-winning Old West IPA alongside a couple of tacos for a meal that’s hard to top.
While glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agents have been used to treat Type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, their recent emergence as weight-loss wonder drugs marked a new frontier in medicine. But their effectiveness has left some patients wondering what to do once they’ve reached their goal. Stopping the medication could mean regaining some, if not all, of the weight. A Scripps Clinic internal medicine physician recently conducted a small study of whether GLP-1 patients who had reached their goal weight could maintain that weight by taking their regularly prescribed injection every other week instead of weekly. Spoiler alert: 30 of 34 patients did. Read more about the study here and what that may mean as pharmaceutical companies roll out oral GLP-1s.
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