Snack Break – City Tacos
Not much needs to be said about City Tacos except that it’s awesome. Read the Yelp reviews. It makes for a great way to break up a day of beer tasting, it’s affordable, and there’s something for everyone. Seriously, just order anything on the menu and you’ll be happy. We tried 5 different tacos between the two of us and loved them all!
Home Brewing Co.
After our brief taco break, we took a 10 minute or so walk up to Home Brewing Co. on El Cajon Blvd. We walked past Belching Beaver and Rip Current on the way and had originally planned to visit both, but figured we’d reassess after Home Brewing. We loved the set up at Home Brewing Co, which was originally just a retail store for home brewers but expanded into a tasting room last year. Everyone was so helpful and informative, both in the tasting room and in the adjoining store that we walked through after tasting.
We initially ordered 5 tasters here for $2 each, including the American Stout where we had a choice of 3 variations on the same beer. It was available on standard CO2, on nitro and through coffee. It was a tough decision, so we went with standard CO2 and were pleasantly surprised when we were offered free tastes of the other 2 versions. Sure, why not?! We loved the creaminess of the nitro stout but also liked the kick of the coffee version. It was great being able to compare them side by side with the standard CO2. We decided we had it in us to do one more brewery, so after walking around the store a bit, we headed out to find our next victim!
Rip Current Brewing
We were initially going to stop at Belching Beaver first, but the sun was setting and the crowds were growing. A food truck had just pulled up and it was packed, so we decided to check out Rip Current instead. Rip Current had a decent crowd, but there were plentiful seats available and it just seemed a bit more laid back. We sat at the bar and ordered our last round of tasters, beers number 27-32 for the day! The 5 tasters were just over $10 total and were served in a cool little surfboard. Before I get to the fave beers, let me mention that they have a dedicated women’s restroom here! Hallelujah! I was so tired of stepping on man pee in the shared restrooms all day, what a relief! Thank you Rip Current for thinking of us ladies!
Now onto the beer. My first note for this final stop actually reads “I’m drunk”. Followed by “Lupulin Lust” and “Orange Honey Cream Ale tastes kinda like Cali Creamin”. I’m assuming I wrote those down because they were faves and I do like Cali Creamin quite a bit (from Mother Earth Brewing), so it all sort of makes sense. I have to go by notes at this point because, well, we had been tasting beer for like 7 hours and the details are hazy. I promise we’ll come here earlier next time so I can pay more attention! Rip Current is adjacent to a restaurant too, so you can order food here which is always a plus when you’re drinking. We however decided to go grab dessert afterwards instead (my idea, naturally).
North Park Brewery Tour in a Nutshell
This North Park brewery tour was an awesome way to spend a sunny San Diego afternoon. Heck, it would be an awesome way to spend a gloomy day too. We got some decent walking in, tried 32 beers, met some cool people and just had a blast. I think my fave brewery of the day was Thorn St. Brewing, mostly because it had just opened and was quaint and quiet. It was also our first stop, so our palettes were clean and craving beer. They have a great open rooftop sort of area that would be fun with a group and we saw a few kids here too so it appeared very family friendly. Perhaps we’ll end at Thorn St. next time, and we definitely want to add in stops at Fall, Poor House and Barn and try again to hit up Belching Beaver.
If you want to socialize with a large group, Hess is your place. If you want a retro throwback experience with a robust selection of IPAs, try Modern Times. If beer education is your thing, don’t miss Home Brewing Co. And if you love the surfer vibe, Rip Current might be the place for you. Or, do like us and try them all in one day! I’d love to hear about your fave breweries here in San Diego and beyond, who knows where our next tour might lead us!
NICE