For locals and visitors alike, San Diego has become synonymous with innovative, high-quality craft brewing. And with over 150 breweries calling this city home, it’s no surprise that San Diego has earned its title as the "Craft Beer Capital of the World!"
But how did ol’ San Diego become a global hub for craft beer enthusiasts?
To really understand how the city earned such an accolade, we need to look back at the history of beer in San Diego and how the craft brewing culture here has evolved over the years.
History of San Diego craft beer culture
San Diego in the late 19th century
Let’s start back in the late 19th century. Back in 1850, California had become an official U.S. state and San Diego had been established as the new seat for San Diego County that very same year. The city was growing rapidly thanks to its prime-time shipping location on San Diego Bay, and with the influx of new residents came a demand for local food and drink!
The San Diego Brewing Company opens
In 1896, the San Diego Brewing Company opened its doors, founded by San Diego founder Alonzo Horton. It was the first commercial brewery in the city at the time, and it ended up being one of the county’s largest commercial businesses!
The brewery, located in what is now known as the Mission Brewery Plaza, was a massive operation for its time. It produced up to 140,000 barrels of beer a year and supplied both local and out-of-town breweries with product, shipping as far away as Arizona and San Francisco. In fact, it used to deliver its kegs via horse-drawn wagons until 1914!
Prohibition & repeal
Unfortunately, the glory days of the San Diego Brewing Company, along with many others in both California and the rest of the nation, came to a halt with the onset of Prohibition in 1920. The nationwide ban on alcohol crippled the brewing industry across the United States, and San Diego was no exception. Breweries everywhere were forced to either shut down completely or switch to producing non-alcoholic products like soda and ice to survive.
Where there’s a will, however, there’s a way, and San Diegans quickly found a way to keep enjoying beer throughout the long years of Prohibition. A quick trip south of the border took many thirsty customers to a tiny town known as Tijuana, where locals quickly capitalized on the Americans’ demand for alcohol. Over 180 cantinas opened in Tijuana in the decade between 1920 and 1930, and the town’s population itself skyrocketed.
When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, it wasn’t as if San Diego's beer scene came roaring back to life right away. At the height of the early San Diego brewery industry, the city boasted seven breweries and 55 saloons — after Prohibition ended, only three breweries remained: Aztec Brewing Company, San Diego Brewing Company and Balboa Brewing Company. Despite the small number, those three breweries managed to supply a quarter of all the beer in California for the next 7 years.
The San Diego Brewing Company managed to stay afloat for a while, but eventually closed its doors in the 1940s, long after the end of Prohibition. By 1944, Aztec Brewing Company was the only one remaining, and the effect of World War II weren’t making things any easier.
The “Big Three” brewing companies
For much of the mid-20th century, San Diego, like much of the country, was dominated by what we now refer to as the “Big Three” brewing companies: Anheuser-Busch, Miller Brewing and Coors. These giants controlled the market, producing mass quantities of pale lagers that were widely available but lacked the distinctiveness of craft brews. They made deals with local distributors, bars and liquor stores to only sell their brands, further quashing any opportunity for small breweries to make it onto the market.
The dominance of these brands meant that local breweries struggled to compete, and craft brewing took a backseat for many years. San Diego, like other cities caught in the Big Three’s web, found itself in a beer rut, with limited options and few opportunities for innovation in brewing.
In 1953, the last local San Diego brewery closed its doors.
Change in California legislation
The tide began to turn in the late 1970s and 1980s, when California made significant changes to its brewing legislation.
One of the most important pieces of legislation passed was the legalization of homebrewing in 1978, followed by laws that allowed microbreweries to sell directly to consumers. These changes created a wave of excitement among beer enthusiasts and budding brewers who were eager to experiment with new flavors and techniques. Suddenly, people could brew their own beer at home, giving rise to a grassroots movement that emphasized creativity, quality ingredients and bold flavors.
San Diego, with its adventurous culinary scene, a population eager for something new and a rich history of craft brewing, was the perfect place for this movement to take off.
Craft brewing returns to San Diego
Up until the mid-1980s, San Diegans had been content with imported beers to quench their thirst and provide a decent variety of drinks. So much so that by 1985, imported beers accounted for a whole 10% of the city’s commercial market! That same year, however, the cost of imported beers grew by around 58% and sent most of the customer base to U.S. brands like Coors, Miller Brewing and Anheuser Busch (the Big Three) or Mexican brands like Corona and Tecate, which were some of the more affordable imports to stock on U.S. shelves.
Though these were cheaper by comparison, many San Diegans grew weary at the lack of variety available and began to look toward microbrews instead. These people believed that beer could be a craft as much as wine could be and that it could, like wine, be paired with foods to create quality experiences.
This early emergence of craft brewery culture led the way to the first post-Prohibition breweries opening in San Diego. The Bolt microbrewery opened its doors in 1986, then Karl Strauss’ Old Columbia Brewery and Mission Brewery in 1989, La Jolla Brewery and Callahan’s Pub and Brewery in 1990 and Pizza Port Brewing Company in 1996. Four more breweries opened in the next two years, and all but two are still running strong today!
San Diego’s craft beer culture was widespread, and breweries and brewpubs became investment opportunities for wealthy San Diegans who were already involved with fine dining and entertainment in Downtown San Diego. The city quickly became known for its beer, wine and food, and the steady influx of people into the city only made the demand for craft beer grow each year.
San Diego’s craft brewery scene today
Today, San Diego’s craft brewery scene is thriving. From small, family-owned operations to large-scale brewers with national distribution, the city is home to some of the most respected names in the industry.
Breweries like Stone Brewing, Ballast Point and AleSmith have gained international recognition for their innovative approaches to brewing and their commitment to quality. Stone Brewing, for example, is known for its bold, hoppy beers, particularly its IPA, which has become a hallmark of San Diego’s craft beer identity. Ballast Point, which started as a homebrewing supply store in the 1990s, has since grown into one of the most successful craft breweries in the country, known for their flagship Sculpin IPA. AleSmith, another local favorite, has been consistently ranked as one of the best breweries in the world, thanks to its exceptional stouts and barrel-aged offerings.
But what truly sets San Diego apart from other beer-centric cities is the sheer variety of breweries and the sense of community that permeates the craft beer scene. Each brewery offers something unique, whether it’s an innovative take on a traditional style or a new hybrid creation that pushes the boundaries of what beer can be. San Diegans are proud of their local breweries, and many are actively involved in the scene through homebrewing, joining beer clubs or simply supporting their local taprooms. The city also hosts several beer festivals throughout the year, including San Diego Beer Week, which attracts brewers and beer lovers from all over the world!
If you live in San Diego near some of our luxury Southern California apartments, then you’re sure to be a block or two away from any one of the 150+ local breweries in the city. Head down to one and bask in the vibrant atmosphere of San Diego’s craft beer culture, knowing that just 30 years ago you wouldn’t have nearly as much choice as you do now. What a time to be a San Diegan!
Cheers!
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Colleen Ford is a South African who now lives on Oahu in Hawai'i. She loves to travel, camp, spearfish and hike. She's also part of a super cool canoe club and is pretty decent at it. Colleen enjoys Star Wars and also not being cold ever.
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