SD Beer Weekend Returns: Three Days of Craft Beer Paradise

Summer just got a whole lot more interesting with the Fourth Annual SD Beer Weekend rolling into town. The San Diego Brewers Guild knows how to throw a party, and this warm-up to fall’s Beer Week promises to deliver everything we love about San Diego’s craft beer scene in one epic weekend.

The Main Event: Rhythm & Brews

Saturday’s Rhythm & Brews festival in Downtown Vista is where we’ll be spending our afternoon. In the parking lot at Citrus Avenue and Broadway, more than 30 local independent craft breweries will be serving unlimited tasters while live bands Soulseller and LOOM keep the energy high.

DJ Goldie rounds out the musical lineup, creating the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon of beer exploration. The brewery lineup reads like a who’s who of San Diego craft beer. We’re talking Abnormal Beer Co., Belching Beaver Brewery, Pure Project, Fall Brewing Company, and Thorn Brewing Co., just to name a few.

These aren’t just any breweries either – several recently took home medals at the California Brewers Cup and World Beer Cup, so we know the quality will be top-notch.

Food That Matches the Beer

No great beer festival is complete without food that can keep up, and Rhythm & Brews delivers. 7 Siblings will bring the heat with their hot sauce creations, Meche’s Fish Tacos will satisfy those post-beer munchies, and Ms. Potato Food Truck will round out the options.

It’s the kind of lineup that pairs perfectly with unlimited beer tastings.

Beyond the Festival

While Rhythm & Brews is the weekend’s marquee event, SD Beer Weekend extends far beyond Vista. Individual breweries throughout the county will be hosting their own events and specials, giving us plenty of reasons to explore different neighborhoods and discover new favorites.

The Brewers Guild’s calendar has all the details, but honestly, half the fun is stumbling upon unexpected gems during brewery hops.

Tickets and Logistics

VIP tickets include an extra hour of special pours. Designated driver tickets are available for $20 cash at the door, which we appreciate—everyone deserves to join the fun, whether they’re drinking or not.

A Growing Legacy

This marks the fourth year for SD Beer Weekend, which started in 2022 to celebrate the Brewers Guild’s 25th anniversary. The numbers tell an incredible story—San Diego County has grown from just 15 independent craft brewery locations in 1997 to more than 150 today.

There’s a reason we’re known as The Capital of Craft™, and weekends like this remind us why that title fits so perfectly.