SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
Three miles west of Oggi’s Pizza inside Mission Valley’s congested mall zone, friendly sports-pub SAN DIEGO BREWING is a true crown jewel discovered April ‘07. Opened in ’94 by the same folks who operate similar-styled Callahan’s, its tremendous tap selection (Belgians, Cali microbrews, etc.) and diligent original brews will please anyone with a thirst.
Mid-sized open space included wraparound L-shaped left side bar, sundry arcade games, several televisions, and a few stool tables. Reasonably priced food complemented brewer Dean Rouleau’s representative libations.
Steep woody-hopped orange peel bitterness saturates apple-peach tang of rapturous Admiral Baker Bitter. Even better, Hopnotic IPA’s piney grapefruit profundity and perfumed hop bitterness subtly catapult its tangy orange-apricot-peach blitz, finishing more dryly embittered than Admiral Baker.
Buttered nuts soften tea-like Old Town Nut Brown; Belgian candied yeast absorbs complex floral-banana respite of equally buttery Hefe Oscuro; bitter hop fizz recession leads to wild oats-sowed wheat-straw backed Grantville Gold; and a subtly hop-spiced blueberry-raspberry tartness spangles Callahan’s Blueberry Wheat.
For dessert, Chocolate Porter’s sweet hazelnut easement led to mild brown chocolate, vanilla bean, and ground coffee sedation.
Only unacceptable brew was enzyme-like phenol-hopped stone-fruited alcohol-burned San Diego Amber.