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- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 9 pm
Sun 11 am - 6 pm
- Price Range:
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$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
125 reviews for Ballast Point Brewing
Review Highlights
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"Sculpin ipa is one of my new favorites." In 26 reviews -
"Then there is the Victory at Sea." In 14 reviews -
"but we also got to try their Imperial Red and Wahoo Wheat." In 11 reviews
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125 reviews in English
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Review from Javier J.
2/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
When it comes to the craft beer scene, you're gonna have to get used to drinking in strange places. While your average wino will be drunk off his ass in front of a liquor store or in some back alley, your local craft beer drinker will be drunk off his ass in some industrial parkway.. which, to be honest, is okay with me.
Ballast Point Brewing is one of these. To get here you sort of need to go to what is clearly an empty looking business center. Empty because it's probably only open on the weekends when the other office centers are closing up, if not done for the week.
It's pretty much like any other building except maybe a sign or two and an open door. Once you go in and you see the tables that you can rest your drinks on while relaxing here, you'll come to appreciate the fact that you're probably not going to be leaving here sober.
This is a good thing.
Well, unless you don't have a sober driver. In which case, shame on you! shame shame shame! You should always drag along one of your friends and properly compensate their good non-drunken behavior by picking them up a growler of beer that they can enjoy later once they get your clearly intoxicated ass home at the end of the day.
This place does growler fills.. and it's growler fills of some pretty rare stuff some time. You'll just have the check the board. They recently got a new bar top, so it means that all those drinks you knocked over in the past here no longer count. You're going to have to start over.
This is also a great place to get their rare beers. You know, direct from the source. It's like getting the freshest of the fresh. In fact, there's a little window you can look into the brewing area and see how your beer is made.
They sell all the Ballast Point gear, and if they have the Tiki mug, you best bet that you should get it. It's really neat and goes great with their three sheets rum in terms of making some really great tiki drinks.
The board is updated regularly with their offerings and at about a buck or so per tasting, it's well worth shooting a couple of these samples back through out your visit here.
I may not always make it down this far when going on my beer pilgrimages, but I know I'm going to be shooting to make it down this far just for Ballast Point. They have some amazingly good beer and a wide way of enjoying them. -
Review from Kristen F.
San Diego, CA
5/17/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Love this place. I try to go at random times, though because on Saturdays (especially) there are a TON of tours that come through. I tend to just get my growlers filled and come home.
Service has seemed a little faster with the bigger bar, but I think they could use more help on some days. They now have a huge tap line so I expect it all to just get better!
They also have a ton of merchandise, from bottle openers to hats to sweatshirts. -
Review from Mike C.
5/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
This brewery is a must visit if you live in San Diego. It's smaller than the other breweries in SD and it can even feel a lot smaller with a lot drinkers in the room. Not a lot tables, and it's pretty much standing room only.
The brews are very refreshing and the brewery itself is in the back where they offer tours throughout the day. Convenient and cheap, this place deserves a future visit.
My favorite is the Sculpin IPA. -
Review from Kailey S.
4/27/2012
As I have said before I am not a huge beer fan.
Why I like this place:
-Variety of beers outside of the norm
-small cheap tasters
-you get to pick the number of your tasters and the beer you taste.
I recommend trying this place if you haven't quite found a beer that you like. I was that way and at this place I was 3 for 3 of the ones I tasted.
This place also has a ton of stuff for starting your own brewing. -
Review from Julie P.
5/13/2012
Ballast Point has some hits and some misses. The beers are, in general, mediocre, with a few standouts. The sculpin IPA is very good, and we had a seasonal stout that was out of this world. Then there was the really bad stand out, the Thai chili stout with - prepare yourself - coconut, kaffir lime, and chili. Those ingredients go on pork, not in stouts! Yuck! -1 star for crummy atmosphere. This place is in an office park; it's very odd. Yet another -1 star for the sarcastic bartender.
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Review from Ofelia G.
San Diego, CA
5/12/2012
good place, nice beers, generous pours and friendly staff. I took one star because the place is very small and gets very crowded. and they do not offer anything to eat. After a few beer tastes you want at least some chips. If they do not want to make them they should at least have a vending machine with some in it. They should make it bigger. Nice place though.
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Review from Adam O.
San Diego, CA
4/12/2012
Love their beer, and no better place to get all the styles in one place. They have recently started distilling spirits as well, and I believer their Bourbon just won a gold in a competition in Kentucky, the heart of Bourbon distillers, so you know it must be good.
Victory at Sea is not to be messed with, have a DD with you if you want more than a pint, because a lot of their beers have high ABV. Make this a stop along with Alesmith and Green Flash and you've got a fine Saturday afternoon. Ballast Point is just one more reason why SD is the craft beer capital of the world. -
Review from JJ L.
Annandale, VA
5/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
What a great time. Excellent fresh beer. They had 3 food trucks outside for good selection of food.
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Review from Nathan P.
Irvine, CA
3/15/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Been here a few times, and decided to write a review this time because every time i come here i like it a little bit more. Im normally a budwieser drinker, but I enjoy tasting many different types of beer. This last visit I started to crave the Sculpin IPA, its one of my favorite IPAs for sure, it has a very high IBU (91), which gives it a very nice aroma and super hoppy taste.
If your on your way down to San Diego, stop by and try some of their beers, you deffinatley wont be disappointed. -
Review from Nicholas T.
Los Angeles, CA
3/20/2012
Ballast Point was another one of the brewery tasting rooms recommended to us by our San Diego native when we were on a tour of SD's fine brewers. The selection was ample and varied, with some unique and delicious seasonal brews available when we visited. Parking is not much of a hassle, as the street had plenty of space to park and it was not overly crowded due to being in a business park.
The venue itself is on the small side, however, when staying there we noticed that people tend to be in and out pretty quick. The place would fluctuate between capacity and a handful of people quite regularly. The staff was helpful, but, not as friendly as many of the other tasting rooms we went to. This could have been that we were there fairly late on a Sunday, which is understandable.
The selection was great. The options were varied, sometimes with multiple choices for each style. There was a particular seasonal, a curry stout, that was incredibly unique and I couldn't think of anything else I had tried that was like it. The prices and options were standard compared to any of the other tasting rooms we visited, which is to say very affordable.
While not my favorite brewery of our weekend bender, it was among the best. I will be remembering the curry stout for months to come. Highly recommended for any beer enthusiasts. -
Review from Christopher E.
Del Mar, San Diego, CA
4/6/2012
Drink the IPA. Take the tour. Support local breweries.
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Review from Erin S.
Santa Rosa, CA
1/7/2012
I never thought much of Ballast Point before because of the fish labels. I just thought they were tacky, but I shouldn't have judged it by its cover. Our visit to the brewery changed that. We ordered the sampler as usual:
Wahoo Wheat
Pale
Brother Levonian Saison
Calico Amber Ale
Sculpin IPA
Big Eye IPA
Black Marlin Porter
Black Marlin Porter - Bourbon Barrel Aged
Victory at Sea Imperial Porter
The beers were all pretty good. The Sculpin IPA and Saison were great. Also if you are a Porter fan check this place out. They pour three! Ballast Point also distills Gin & Rum and their own Bloody Mary mix with Calico Amber Ale. The tasting room really changed me image of Ballast Point. I'm now a fan.Listed in: IPA Journeys
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Review from Andrew D.
Scottsdale, AZ
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Stopped here as apart of a beer tour we had for a buddies birthday party. The beers were cold the service was great and the place was nice. What more can you ask for?!
However it is in the middle of no where so drinking and driving could be a probably if you are coming from any but the neighborhood its in. -
Review from Rene G.
Chula Vista, CA
4/10/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Amazing craft beer! Waahoo and Sculpin IPA are some of my favorites now. The free tour was really cool. And the pretzels were great, specially after a few beers.
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Review from George P.
1/16/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I'm a fan of Craft Beers and Ballast Point is doing it pretty well... My only complaint is not allowing growler fills on the specialty brews. I can understand not selling Kegs of the "limited" styles that aren't produced as often. But Growler fills would be nice.
The tasting room is great and once the restrooms are renovated it will be even better, (Right now gotta use Port-a-johns outside).
Amber is great in the tasting room. This place is close to my home, affordable and a cool place to hang out. I stopped in here on Saturday and and near lunch time a great Food Truck showed up. If this is regular practice that is really cool especially if the Good trucks rotate in and out. This wasn't your run of the mill roach-coach with pre-packed warmed sandwiches. This was a great truck looking truck cooking food on site. Wish I would've been able to hang out and try them... but because I couldn't I will just mention it. Maybe next time I can review them...
If you like good beers, a good atmosphere and a friendly staff, this is a cool place to stand around and taste or drink a few pints!
Sláinte! -
Review from Janice W.
3/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
By far my favorite brewery we visited in San Diego. Not only was the beer delicious (try the specialty IPA the Tongue Buckler) but also the staff was friendly, courteous and seemed to really like being at work. They also offered the best of the tours all the breweries offer. It was only about 20-30 minutes long, but was fun and informative. Also, ask them about the artwork on their beer labels, its a good story.
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Review from Olivia T.
San Diego, CA
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
I really like Ballast Point's tasting room in Linda Vista. I've been to this Scripps Poway location several times, the most recent time being last Saturday. They've renovated this location, making it roomier. However, I felt like it was a downgrade. A lot of the fun nautical/fish themed decorations were gone.
There were probably 30 people in the place and it was super loud. They should have added some sound-deadening materials in their renovation. Also, the front door was broken and continually stayed open, which was frustrating since it was cold outside. There was no place in the bathroom for a girl to put her purse. And, finally, and most importantly, there were no unique or special brews available. For local San Diegans already familiar with Ballast Point's offerings, it was a disappointing experience. -
Review from Mike B.
Los Angeles, CA
4/1/2012
Went here as part of the San Diego Brewery Tour group. We went to Ballast Point, San Marcos, and Stone Brewery and this place was our favorite out of the three. The choices of beers were plentiful and generous with how many tastings we could get. My favorite was the Calico Amber and my Wife's was the Sculpin IPA. The servers were very friendly and the atmosphere was very laid back. The building itself was not much to look at since it was in a business park but beer is awesome!
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Review from Lisa C.
Chicago, IL
11/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Whenever I try and take someone to the tasting room at Ballast Point they inevitably think I'm leading them to a hinterland of light industrial hell. Nestled in the suburban wasteland known as Scripps Ranch, it's not the easiest place on the planet to find.
Once you do, however, it's hard to not stop once a week, especially if it is on your way home from work, like it is for me.
Sure draft beer and pretzels may not count as dinner for *most* people, but I'm a single girl and my diet is mostly centred in the 'red wine' section of the food pyramid, so both items make a refreshing change.
The menu features their standby local favourites, plus a revolving selection of limited edition and/or special brews. Pints are served with a smile. The clientele is usually comprised of people sneaking in for a glass, delaying the inevitable slog down the 15.
My only complaint is that they don't have anything more to nosh than pretzels, but let's not kid - I've eaten worse. Plus they do sometimes have a food truck that parks out front, so I can feel like I'm getting some real nourishment, now and again. -
Review from Sandy M.
Poway, CA
3/11/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Great place to meet your friends after work. The staff are very friendly and helpful.
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Review from Frances S.
San Diego, CA
3/20/2012
Luckily I live about 42 steps from here (or a 5 minute crawl). Love the vast selection of brews. It takes a few visits to sample them all. Hard to find. You wouldn't expect to find a brewery in the middle of an industrial park, but it's worth the search. This place is a real gem.
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Review from Jade W.
9/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ballast has some of my favorite local beer and I was excited to visit this quaint place. I like the sea fare decor and the place is inviting.
Our beertender was very nice and she joined in on the conversation with us and a few patrons and made for a pleasant tasting. It quickly filled up as one tour ended and another was gathering. We tried a few offerings, but I really like one of the limited offerings- the Habanero infused Sculpin IPA. DELISH! It's not for everyone but I have a thing for spicy things that normally aren't (IE spicy chocolates). The spice actually comes through and I had a happy warmth and had a really impressive balance of spicy and the creeping of fresh hops. The BF took a few sips, but decided that taster was all mine.
Then our beertender asked if any of us want to try their bloody mary mix. I'm normally not into mixes, but this tasted quite nice. Probably one of the better mixers I've tried. Then she told me to mix it with my habanero Sculpin and it made it really burn down, but was a perfect blend together.
We also were on the search for beer swag on this trip and they have a small, but nice selection. A friend requested to grab them a beer tin sign and we were having trouble finding them. Here they had beer tins for every beer! We grabbed a Sculpin sign for them, a Sea Monster sign for us. Score!
This was one of my favorite stops on our trip. It was just such a comfortable place to grab a drink. Definitely will make this a must every time were in town! -
Review from Albert W.
8/23/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Best known for their Yellowtail beers seen on local grocery store shelves, Ballast Point's actual brewing operations are located deep in the industrial parks of Poway. It's a sweet setup and definitely the coolest tasting room any brewery has in San Diego. Their tasting room is well defined as a separate area that feels more like a standing room only bar than something affiliated with a large scale brewery. It's got a very inviting feel to it and isn't intimidating for people who don't think of themselves as beer snobs.
Our hero has actually come here fifteen minutes before their advertised closing time at 9 PM on a work night and they were surprisingly still open and serving with only one other customer at the counter. A lot of respect goes out to their staff who are very friendly and operate a tasting room that late into the night on weekdays!
PROS:
- Their tasting room is nicely decked out and has a lot of local SoCal flavor.
- Very good rotating seasonal selection.
- Tasters, half pints, full pints, take home bottles, growlers, and kegs all available for a wide range of serving sizes.
- Free pretzels.
CONS:
- The bottle prices for take home beers aren't that much better than BevMo.
- The standard line-up of their beers that you may recognize from Vons and your neighborhood liquor store isn't all that great. Their seasonal beers (listed "below the line" on the chalkboard) are really where it's at.Listed in: What's Brewing?
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Review from Rae Jo K.
Minneapolis, MN
12/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Every beer is delicious (especially liked the Big Eye) and the service is fantastic. The tasting room isn't anything fancy but who needs fancy when you have beers like that?? This place blew Lost Abbey out of the water for service and beer and I though Stone has an impressive interior, I still think Ballast Point has better beer.
It's off the beaten path and there was no problems finding parking. A must-try if you're into beer and you're in San Diego. -
Review from Gina C.
Torrance, CA
3/5/2012
I was only disappointed because I thought there were going to be other specific beers on tap. But we really liked the Honey Apricot and I loved the Thai beer (chili, ginger, lime). Tasted like Tom ka kai soup.
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Review from Nimai K.
Northridge, CA
11/23/2011
Been meaning to post my review of Ballast Point. Have visited with a group of friends as part of a beer brewery tour of our own design. (rented van, DD, etc.) 2 years in a row now, After having visited Alesmith and Hess, this was the next stop.
Thankfully when we were there, they had Victory at Sea on tap, which is one of my favorites of their offerings, (also like Habanero Sculpin and Sea Monster of course) So of course, it was the first taster I ordered.
The tasting room is rather small, about the size of space you would see in a medium sized Subway (restaurant). No chairs, just a few tables. They have whats on tap just above the bar on a chalk board, where they also list the ABV, and IBU's of each beer. Had to seperately for each taster, and they don't do flights either ( at least not when I was there)
Picked up a bottle of fresh Sculpin while I was there too, since they were out of Victory at Sea, also got a T-Shirts for their Three Sheets Rum, since they were also out of T-Shirts of Victory at Sea (obviously it's popular)
Service was friendly, and prompt. It was a bit busy when I was there, but no one had to wait long at all to get a fill either.
Had a brief but good time. -
Review from Jonathan V.
San Diego, CA
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Habanero Sculpin. I know it sounds like a travesty to suck a great IPA but when I tried it on tap it was absolutely amazing and I think it actually made me not able to drink it in its regular form. This is one of the great qualities of Ballast Point because they are not afraid to push the boundaries in beer making. The tasting room is pretty small so be sure to get there early to grab a table or some place near the walls.
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Review from Kellie A.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
What a neat hole in the wall!!!
Nesteled in a neighborhood of only business parks, this "tasting room" features their signature craft brews for your drinking enjoyment. No chairs, no food, just beautifully crafted beer, including VICTORY AT SEA, and ABANDON SHIP!
I really dig their nautical theme.
Aside from trying 6 of their on tap specials, we bought 2 bottles of Victory, and 2 bottles of Sculpin to take home with us, along with an awesome metal Victory at sea metal bar sign, reasonably priced.
O yes, the prices are fabulous too for being craft brews. We didn't stay long, as we had other places to visit and I didn't feel well, but it was an awesome experience. I can't wait to return!
Just a quick note before I end, you may notice the people bulging out of the door way from the street view: that's the place, otherwise you may pass it right by, it looks so much like a corporate office. Also, just park on the street. Even if you're a ways up, it's not a far walk. :) Happy drinking! -
Review from Mel S.
San Diego, CA
11/13/2011
Cannot believe this place has been right under my nose all of these years! This was our 3rd stop on a limo bus brewery tour. This was the last of 3 stops, and including the limo bus cost, tasting fees for all breweries and tip, we paid $40/person.
This place is a little hidden gem. It is in an older scripps ranch business park so it is not as impressive as other local breweries but has a natural feel to it.
Unfortunately, when our 40 person party arrived, there were probably already 15 or 20 people in this tiny tasting room, so it was PACKED. Not so fun. The staff of two was super quick, helpful and nice despite being extremely busy. There were flat screen tv's with football in front of 4 or 5 five bar tables to keep people happy. The beer here is AWESOME. There is a good variety and 2-3 girl friendly beers, including their amazing Wahoo Wheat Beer. YUMMY!
Bathrooms are old and small, not too clean, but not terrible. Ballast Point, aren't you guys making tons of $$ these days? You should really upgrade your Tasting Room! But i love you for your beer :)
Amazeballs - The Gourmet German Food Truck that is parked out front and served fresh hot pierogi plates with sour cream and chives! EXCELLENT after a long day of limobussing and beer drinking.
Bummer - teeny tiny beer tasting room, not so nice bouncers -
Review from Susan D.
8/23/2011 2 photos
Had a fun time ballast point while a friend was visiting, complete with tour and tastings of all their beers :)
Place: Out in the middle of scripps ranch in an industrial area. The tasting room is small but cozy, standing room only with small tables, but it's definitely a fun place to hang out and try the beers.
Service: The people there were really friendly, the tour guide was great, answered all our questions. The tour itself is pretty relaxed, a little BP history, a little about their liquor and beer making and then a stroll around the building--short but informative! I'd recommend it if you've got ~15/20 min to spare, they offer them daily at 12, 2 & 5.
Beer: Tasters are $1.25, pints $3.75 except for their special/limited release beers which are more. We got a taster flight which I think was $11 for 9 beers (5 regular, 4 limited release). I liked the wahoo wheat, the pale ale, the sculpin IPA and the black marlin porter. My friend was a big fan of the even keel. But try for yourself!
Really enjoyed my visit to ballast point, chill place for an afternoon beer or two.Listed in: SD faves
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Review from Christa A.
Portland, OR
7/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I am not a huge fan of all their beers but I do like what they got going on. I LOVED the tour. Very informative and they have really cool stuff. Their head brew-master is pretty damn creative.
I am really glad we got to check out this place. -
Review from Sage O.
San Diego, CA
10/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Props to BP for having a tasting room open late on weekdays! Went here last night and tried the "Bottom four" flight of tasters. The Indra Kunindra particularly stood out to me and I ended up taking home a bottle.
Great little clean place with cheerful bartenders and clientele and reasonable prices. Also props for the ability to buy half-pints. -
Review from Sarah B.
1/16/2012
My family stopped by on our brewery crawl and ordered a full flight. Their taster pours are more expensive than most (over a buck) and none of us found one we really liked, so we left after that. We'll skip Ballast Point next time.
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Review from Amy B.
San Diego, CA
2/25/2012
Really cool to have Ballast Point in scripps ranch. Great hang out. Beware there is nowhere to sit! Wish they had food trucks there everyday. We would probably be there a lot more. Wish they had a bigger selection too. Their Ipa is definitely top notch, but if you don't like ipa You might have trouble finding one you like. Not sure why the tasters are so much pricier than green flash.
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Review from Jennifer E.
Tucson, AZ
Ballast Point was cool. I wasn't totally blown away by the beers but some were really good. It was very busy because of all the beer tour people so the servers were pretty annoyed. Once everyone left is was much more chill.
I must say that drinking pints there are totally worth it. Cheap, cheap cheap. -
Review from Dan K.
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm lovin' the whole fish/oceanic theme with Ballast Point. Located in a business park down near Scripps Ranch, Ballast Point has a fairly small tasting room with all of its traditional brews and some special ones on tap. The only complaint is that the tasting room is small and it can get pretty crowded in there (especially when the rowdy boys and girls from the Brewery tours come galavanting in, demanding growlers to be filled!).
Otherwise, it is a nice spot to chill with friends or girl/boyfriend. There are no seats, so hopefully standing is okay!
Recommend:
Black Marlin Porter: Can you say....whoa?? One of the best porters I've had.
Sculpin IPA: The fish is ugly as hell. The IPA is delicious.
Wahoo Wheat: Wahooooooo!
And I can't wait to try Victory at the Sea. I wait patiently.... -
Review from Nikki R.
Thousand Oaks, CA
2/20/2012
Stopped here on a day of touring local breweries. Really good beer and a fun, relaxed vibe. Loved the special pale ale with Serrano. Try it while they still have it. Ask for it with bloody mary mix.
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Review from Crystal M.
San Diego, CA
4/10/2012
This place is amazing! The folks working here are always super friendly and helpful, the crowd is mellow and calm. The best part (obviously) is that their beer is absolutely fantastic. I also love that their website has a live cam so that you can see which specialty beers are on tap. I know San Diego has some of the best beers in the world...but I think Ballast Point is the best by far!
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Review from Travis W.
Orange, CA
6/28/2011
What can I say....I have been to most of the breweries in San Diego and Ballast Point is by far my favorite. These guys really know what they are doing when it comes to brew and liquor. You cant go wrong on any level when you come to Ballast Point.
The location I usually go to is the Scripps Ranch as they do have another location called the Home Brew Mart. The Scripps Ranch location features all their beers and they usually ALWAYS have 1 or 2 special off brews. These are beers that are not bottled and this can range from a pepper infused beer to a bourbon barrel aged brew. My favorite beer has to be Sculpin IPA and at a close second is Victory At Sea. My last visit here they had Nitro Sculpin!!! MMMMMM MMMM BITCH.....
The location is pretty small and can get crowded but that's nothing to worry about as you can still grab a brew and hang out and have some pretzels. Don't be afraid to ask the workers here (as they are very nice) for a sample of something or even ask them for a recommendation on a little mixer. A good example would be there bloody mary mix with their lagers.
So from Sea Monster Stout to Yellowtail Pale Ale or even Habanero Sculpin IPA you really gotta try a little of everything. I am from the OC and every time I go to San Diego I always stop off at Ballast Point. I could go on forever about their beers, if your a fan of good brew just get here and enjoy......CHEERS -
Review from Jim L.
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I cannot say that Ballast Point is my favorite beer but they do have a couple different IPA's to choose from, the Sculpin and Big Eye. In my opinion, the Sculpin top's the two.
They have perhaps 4-5 other beers that are served year round along with some seasonal beers that are always fun to give a try.
An interesting thing about this brewery is the fact that they also bottle their own gin, rum and bloody mary mix. I haven't tried any of those but found it to be interesting none the less.
The tasting area is small as indicated yet homey however no seating available.
