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The ninth annual San Diego Beer Week (SDBW) is upon us. Coordinated by the nonprofit San Diego Brewers Guild, the extra-long, 10-day “week” runs from Friday, November 3 to Sunday, November 12, and spans more that 500 events throughout San Diego County. It is a deep dive into the local craft beer scene and a gauntlet for intrepid drinkers. It’s also a prime opportunity for restaurant, breweries, chefs, brewers to partner on one-of-a-kind food and beer collaborations. Here are our picks for where to eat and drink during SDBW.
Friday, November 3
VIP Brewer Takeover at the Port Pavillion on Broadway Pier
What: This official kickoff to San Diego Beer Week is also the largest gathering of local craft brewers, who will be on hand pouring rare and specialty beers for their peers and fellow beer lovers. Among the limited edition beers is the Capital of Craft IPA, a San Diego-style IPA created to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the San Diego Brewers Guild and collaboratively brewed by eight of the guild’s over 100 brewery members. Tickets holders have access to unlimited beer and food samples from Urge Gastropub, Ciro’s Pizzeria, DoggosGus and more.
Saturday, November 4
Boat to Belly with Puesto, AleSmith and Tuna Harbor Dockside Market
What: Puesto will be taking over The Heaquarters courtyard, turning fresh seafood sourced from the nearby Tuna Harbor Dockside Market into three different tacos, cooked on a plancha, a fryer, and a grill. $35 tickets include the three tacos each paired with a 12-ounce beer from AleSmith Brewing Company.
Sunday, November 5
Green Flash Brewing Co. Smokeout at the Knotty Barrel
What: The ninth annual edition of this SDBW favorite will be hosted at the East Village’s Knotty Barrel. Four dishes showcasing the culinary power of smoke will be offered along with beer from Green Flash and Cellar 3. Ironside Fish & Oyster will be there shucking oysters and The Heart & Trotter will be on hand doing live butchering demos.
Monday, November 6
Meatless Monday at Blind Lady Ale House with Modern Times Beer
What: Modern Times Beer, including its Meyer lemon sour Lightning Helix and kumquat-infused witbier Elf Quarters, will be pouring at the Normal Heights restaurant, which will be donating twenty percent of all sales of its vegan and vegetarian pizzas to nonprofit mentoring program Girls Rise San Diego.
Tuesday, November 7
Apps Flights with Abnormal Beer Company at The Cork and Craft
What: The in-house brewery at the Rancho Bernardo restaurant, which also houses a winery, will be pairing a flight of three beers with a flight of chef’s choice of three mini appetizers from The Cork and Craft’s executive chef Scott Cannon and team for $18.
Wednesday, November 8
Cutwater Spirits Dinner with Second Chance Beer Co.
What: Cutwater Spirits’ chef Luke Johnson will cook up a four course dinner that includes cream of parsnip soup and duck confit, with each course paired with both a beer and a cocktail. Drink pairings will include Second Chance’s Mulligan Irish Style Red Ale aged in a Cutwater rum barrel and negroni cocktail featuring Cutwater’s Old Grove Gin.
Thursday, November 9
Council Brewing Company and Nomad Donuts Pairing
What: Council Brewing’s head brewer Liz Chism and Nomad Donuts’ head pastry chef Kristianna Zabala are collaborating on three sweet and savory beer/doughnut pairings that include Council’s Third Anniversary Biere De Miel with a champagne-style honey doughnut and the Separate Haze IPA with a Scotch quail egg savory doughnut. $17 tickets include three mini donuts and three four-ounce beer tasters.
Friday, November 10
BYOBIB: Beer and Seafood Boil at Coronado Brewing Company
What: Bring your own bib to Coronado’s Knoxville Street, where Big Front Door will be serving up a michelad-based seafood boil that includes fresh crab, shrimp, clams, mussels, linguiça sausage, roast corn, red potatoes with tortillas, rice, and black beans on the side. The brewery will be offering specially paired beer flight to go with the boil, and BFD will have other non-seafood items available.
Saturday, November 11
Beerfish’s Veteran's Day Grill Out with Hanis Cavin
What: Carnitas’ Snack Shack owner Hanis Cavin his bringing his Santa Maria grill over to Beerfish for the ultimate surf and turf barbecue extravaganza. The eateries taps will dedicated to veteran San Diego breweries including Karl Strauss, Stone, Ballast Point, Green Flash, Coronado and AleSmith.
Sunday, November 12
The Beer Garden at The Lodge at Torrey Pines
What: The official closing event for San Diego Beer Week, set on the beautiful lawn at The Lodge at Torrey Pines, teams up 28 local breweries with 14 San Diego’s top chefs and raises funds for Chef Celebration Foundation and the San Diego Brewers Guild. Pairings include Urban Solace’s Matt Gordon with Monkey Paw Brewing Co. and Black Plague Brewing Co. Phillip Esteban of CH Projects with North Park Beer Co. and Amplified Ale Works, Amy Dibiase of Grand Restaurant Group with Societe Brewing Co. and Killowatt Brewing and Trust’s Brad Wise with Coronado Brewing Co. and Thunderhawk Alements.
