Southern California is Home to Four of Beer Advocate's 50 Best New Breweries

Beer Advocate, a leading online and print resource for beer, recently published its list of the 50 Best New Breweries based on information gathered since 2011. The company has documented the successes of various beer establishments throughout the nation, and based on suggestions from experts and beer aficionados, it has compiled a complete list of the country’s most promising new breweries. Four of these 50 breweries can be found in Southern California. 

Below is an in-depth rundown of these new breweries and their home neighborhoods.

Orange

Two years ago, California’s very own Noble Ale Works in Anaheim was awarded the title for best small brewery at the World Beer Cup. The following year in June 2017, Noble Ale Work’s brewmaster Evan Price and CFO Brian Rauso decided to open their own brewery in Orange called Green Cheek Beer Company. The site of the new brewery replaced the former Valiant Brewing Company, which was looking to make a clean exit. 

Price focuses on a range of concoctions from trendy IPAs to traditional beers. Green Cheek Beer Company is known for its favorites, which include New England Style IPA and the coconut milkshake IPA. The brewery’s name “Green Cheek” originated from the fact that Orange County is home to Greek Cheek parrots, which are known for being talkative and social. 

San Diego

While there are many Mexican-American fusion restaurants in San Diego, SouthNorte Beer Company offers craft beer lovers a treat with a fusion brewery. The owner and brewmaster, Ryan Brooks, worked his way up from homebrewing to become a top brewmaster at Coronado Brewing Company. He then moved to Tijuana, began judging homebrewing competitions, settled down, and decided to create a brewery in September 2017 that would bridge his two cultures.

Brooks is now back in San Diego, and SouthNorte Beer Company specializes in blending Mexican ingredients such as chocolate, corn, and fruits. The beer company also partners with Mexican breweries, in order to create a memorable product that rivals Belgian or German beers. SouthNorte is known for its favorites, which include the Agavemente, No Güey Mango IPA, and Sea Señor Mex Lager.

San Marcos

Located at the northern region of San Diego County is the city of San Marcos, which is home to dozens of well-known breweries. However, Wild Barrel Brewing Company, which first opened in September 2017, has been setting itself apart from the pack thanks to the partnership between the renowned beer entrepreneur “Dr.” Bill Sysak and celebrated blender Preston Weesner.

Although Wild Barrel offers its customers a wide range of beer options, its main focus is on barrel-aged wild ales—in other words, sours. In addition to having quality crafted beer with a range of fruity and thoughtful flavors, the brewery is also attached to a batting cage and axe throwing area, which might either be a terrible idea or the best idea ever—depending on how you look at it. Wild Barrel is known for its favorites, which include the Jelly Donut Stout, San Diego Vice sours, and hazy IPAs. 

Torrance

Yorkshire Square Brewery opened in Torrance in May 2017 with a goal to focus on old-school British-style beer and cask-conditioned ales. The venue boasts a large, bright tasting room, a variety of games, a dart board, and an outdoor patio area. 

While many breweries aim to shake up the craft beer world by creating trendy drinks, Yorkshire focuses on more traditional recipes that have longevity. The brewery is known for its Early Doors Pub Bitter, Drift Dark Mild, and the Wuthering Stout Oat Stout.