Two of this year’s major competitions — one international and one statewide — had mixed messages for San Diego’s brewing industry.
The World Beer Cup, often called “the Olympics of beer,” ended May 1 in Indianapolis without local brewers winning a single gold medal. Instead, San Diego County breweries received three silvers and three bronzes for beers and another bronze for cider. Also scoring in this international competition: Tijuana’s Insurgente, taking bronze for Dragula, an oatmeal stout.
This represented a decline from the 2024 World Beer Cup, when county brewers won 12 medals, including four golds.
“San Diego didn’t have quite the showing we’re used to having the last few years at this competition,“ said Erik Fowler, the San Diego Brewers Guild executive director, “but I would say that is testament to the quality of craft beer from all over the world and the competitiveness we face.”
Our north-of-the-border winners:
Craft Coast of San Marcos, silver for XPA, an Australian-style pale ale.
Pizza Port Imperial Beach, silver for Schwarzbier, a German-style Schwarzbier.
Pizza Port Solana Beach, silver for Oscar Wanted a Brown Ale, an English-style brown ale.
North Park Beer, bronze for House of Fu!, an imperial India Pale Ale.
Pizza Port Ocean Beach, bronze for Junk in the Trunkel Dunkel, a South German-style dunkel weizen.
TapRoom Beer, bronze for Modern Love, a New Zealand-style India Pale Ale.
Coronado Brewing, bronze for Guava Hard Cider, a fruited cider.
A complete list of winners is at worldbeercup.org.
Two weeks earlier at the Brewer’s Cup of California competition, local brewers enjoyed greater success, scoring six gold, four silver and five bronze medals at the Sacramento awards ceremony.
“From Carlsbad to El Cajon, craft breweries across San Diego County showed well once again in our state capital,” Fowler said.
The gold medalists:
In Praise of Bacchus, from El Cajon’s Burning Beard, in the Sour/Brett/Other Yeast category.
Sweet Resistance, from San Diego’s Fall Brewing, a New Zealand-Style IPA.
Throwback, from Hodad’s in San Diego, an American-Style Brown Ale.
Irish Hello, from Carlsbad-based Pizza Port, an Irish-Style Red Ale.
Double Dust, from San Diego’s Pure Project, an Imperial Hazy IPA.
True Dark, from San Diego’s TapRoom, a Specialty Stout.
More than 200 breweries entered 1,360 beers in the Brewer’s Cup of California. Complete results can be found at brewerscupofca.com/2025-winners.
A toast to ‘Voice’
Anniversaries call for toasts, so it’s fitting that Voice of San Diego’s 20th anniversary is being saluted with a Mexican-style lager.
Chula Vista’s Thr3e Punk Ales brewed the beer to honor Voice, a nonprofit online news organization. To sample its work, visit voiceofsandiego.org. To sample the beer, head to either of the Punks’ two tasting rooms at 259 Third Ave., Chula Vista, and 2021 India St., San Diego.
For every pint sold, $1 will be donated to Voice.
The next round
Saturday: Bay City Brewing will host the Midway Marauders Racing Car Show from noon to 5:30 p.m. Expect a fleet of hot rods and race cars, plus giveaways, a raffle and fresh beer. Bay City Brewing, 3760 Hancock St., San Diego. baycitybrewingco.com/events
May 21: “The Future of Beer Styles,” a seminar led by Black Plague’s Aeryk Heeg and Pure Project’s Winslow Sawyer, is scheduled for 2:30 to 4 p.m. at Barrel & Stave, 2129 Industrial Court, Unit 2, Vista. at sdbeer.com.
Quick Sips, ’Tis the Saison edition
Beer: Saison d’Erpe-Mere
From: Kleinbrouwerij de Glazen Toren, Erpe-Mere, Belgium
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 6.9 percent
Style: Saison
Drink or Dump: Drink. American craft brewers helped rescue from obscurity the saison, a bubbly, crisp, gently spiced beer. (Two domestic examples: Ommegang’s Hennepin and Boulevard’s Tank 7.) Still, these are quintessentially Belgian beers. A worthy rival to the famed Saison Dupont, Saison d’Erpe-Mere has pinprick bubbles, a soft body, an appealing breadiness and notes of pepper, coriander and ginger.
Apex Predator
From: Off Color Brewing, Chicago
ABV: 6.5 percent
Style: Saison
Drink or Dump: Drink. Off Color’s flagship beer, Apex Predator pours with a sturdy head over a sunny yellow body, resembles a slice of lemon meringue pie in a glass. After iring this lovely beer, savor the herbal, yeasty aromas, Champagne-like bubbles, a malt-forward body and splashes of lime and pineapple on the finish.
Ayinger Maibock
From: Brauerei Aying, Aying,
ABV: 7 percent
Style: Maibock
Drink or Dump: Drink. A light-hued cousin to Celebrator, Ayinger’s dark and brawny doppelbock, Maibock is a golden lager. There’s a malty body and spicy Hallertau hops, the latter lending the beer its distinctive minerality and pepperiness. The name suggests its seasonal roots — “Mai” is German for “May.”
