San Diego- Day One Report
This winter has been absolutely brutal, so when my parents invited me along for a quick San Diego getaway I jumped at the opportunity. I got in late Tuesday night...just enough time for dinner at Coronado Brewing and a few drinks at our gorgeous hotel the Del Coronado. Wednesday I awoke early and joined my parents for a leisurely morning walk and a delicious Baileys Tart for breakfast before hitting the poolside for some sun.
The weather was awesome. It honestly got so warm I couldn't take anymore direct sunlight by the time 11:00 AM rolled around. Luckily I had more than a few pit stops in mind to fill the rest of the day. First a trip up to Alpine Beer Company. I was worried this would be quite a hike from the hotel but the drive only took about 45 minutes and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. We walked into the roadside first and I was immediately struck by the 1980's decor.
The weather was awesome. It honestly got so warm I couldn't take anymore direct sunlight by the time 11:00 AM rolled around. Luckily I had more than a few pit stops in mind to fill the rest of the day. First a trip up to Alpine Beer Company. I was worried this would be quite a hike from the hotel but the drive only took about 45 minutes and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. We walked into the roadside first and I was immediately struck by the 1980's decor.
Maybe it was the fact that Journey was playing on the speakers or the tiny pink shorts the waitresses were wearing but I really felt a bit transported back in time. The kitschy decor was great but the beers made it truly amazing.
I've tried a few Alpine beers before but I've never had the chance to do a sampling of all their IPA's in one sitting. They were all fantastic- the Duet being my favorite of the lot. We split a Pulled Pork Sandwich and a crisp, buttery Smoked Gouda Grilled Cheese before hitting up the brewery next door to pick up a few bottles. Then it was off to the 2nd destination of the day Toronado Bar. This place wasn't much to look at from the outside. It has an old exterior and a slightly dingy inside but the beer list was absolutely incredible. They had so many great beers on draft from breweries like Russian River, Kerns and Societe but I went straight for the bottles and one beer in particular.
The Cable Car from Lost Abby had that funky, tart peach flavor I absolutely love and just seeing the bottle in my hand was enough to fill my happiness quota for the day. The bartender there was fantastic. He gave us some IPA's to sip along side the sour and we spent the afternoon drinking beer and playing cards. I was honestly ready to stay there all day but there were still so many more fabulous spots to visit!
We drove over to the Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens Liberty Station. I imagine this is what Walt Disney would have envisioned for a brewery if he had the chance. The inside feels like an enormous German beer hall while the outside is more akin to a beautiful botanical garden. The beer list was phenomenal. All the great Stone beers were on draft so of course I did a flight to try our the most. We split a plump lobster and some crispy kettle chips as the sun set before heading on to our actual dinner destination Ballast Point Brewing Co.
I didn't get any pictures of our food and drink at Ballast Point but let me tell you their fish tacos may be the best I've ever tasted. I did one crispy fried and one grilled...both were absolutely amazing. Add on a few more citrusy IPA's and I was officially in heaven. I couldn't think of anything that could make this day better...but then again there's always dessert!
Just a few blocks from Ballast Point we capped off the night with a luscious Creme Brulee Cake from Extraordinary Desserts. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.
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