Monday 7th of October 2013 09:10:10 AM

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This brew pub is located in Coronado, away from the hustle and bustle of San Diego itself. It's a beautiful island with beaches abound, and now a brewery that makes some very good beer.

I was there for several hours and had the opportunity to taste 2 different samplers (their standard sampler and a "pick your own" option - easily doable since they have so many good beers to choose from). The standard sampler had some beers I didn't expect to enjoy - a Golden Ale and an Orange Wit specifically - but both were well done. I didn't love the red ale (a bit too bitter), but the milk stout and Drunken Pumpkin (a pumpkin ale) were particularly enjoyable. Overall, the quality of the beer was very solid.

Wednesday 20th of February 2013 10:22:02 PM

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Coronado is the BelAir...the Greenwich, Connecticut...the 5th Avenue penthouse overlooking Central park....the place where the rich retire in San Diego...the place where the Captains and Admirals of the Navy return to spend the remaining days of their career. A few are lucky enough to be born there and they rarely leave. Why should they? It's away from the bustle of the one million plus people of San Diego proper and boasts only one main thoroughfare, Orange Avenue (which you do NOT want to travel between 9 in the morning and 5 and night. Yes! I DO mean all day!)...eclectic shops for those who do...a small town feel....the Hotel Del (but those of us native San Diegans NEVER add the "Coronado" to the title)...and now, they have their very own brewpub.

Although the Coronado Brewing Company has been around now for a few years, they've expanded - adding a tasting room near Sea World for any who do not wish to drive the bridge over to the "island."

But, beer nerd that I am, I believe the only way to get the "right" taste of a beer is to get it form its origins, straight from the 'tank' so wife Persimmon & I made the trek from our little North San Diego beach town to the peninsula.

An average sized bar, we sat at the "winter end" - so named because it's right under a heater & on this particularly cold day (52 - well, THAT'S cold for San Diego so shut up!) we were glad we did.

11 beers on tap this day; their year-round 5 plus 2 browns, 2 IPA's and 3 stouts! 'This', I reasoned, "is going to be a good day.'

And it was!

The Milk, Coffee & Stupid stouts all were vastly different, brimming with a variety of flavors from chocolate to molasses to bitter coffee to sweet caramel & from 4% alcohol to 10.5%, enough to satisfy the pickiest of pint drinkers (I plead guilty.) The IPA's also promised unique tastes from the Hibiscus to the Islander to the Hoppy Daze....so the most reactionary of beer geeks can be content with the selections on tap.

A beer "garden" leaves a lot to be desired. Although cozy, it faces that aforementioned busy Orange Avenue so unless you really, REALLY like cars and gas fumes....???? You get the picture.

A good variety of food is to be had as well with garlic fries, guacamole & salsa appetizers to the standard fare of pizzas, sandwiches & burgers. Happy hours prices for pints are $3.50, a grand deal...but we were disappointed in their taster offering; their 5 regulars poured in 5 ounce glasses for $9. Too spendy for one and not enough choice for another. If I try out a new brewery/brewpub, I'm the customer & I want to pick the beers to taste up to and including every one brewed on premises. How else can one judge the product?

A couple of "mug club"bers sat nearby & we chatted about the community but they were clearly there to engage with their fellow members and not the hoi polloi so we enjoyed our brews, tipped the man and left off breathing the rarified Coronado air of the privileged.

We considered it a mini-vacation...and would certainly return another weekday afternoon for a pint of pleasure.

One used to take a ferry to the island but that has long since been eliminated. Now a bridge is the connector. I only mention this because the father of a childhood friend of mine used to be a ferry-boat captain & several times, we accompanied him on his run. Now, I can't imagine a better day than being in that wheelhouse with a pint of dark Stupid Stout watching the sun set over Mission Bay.

Coronado's Brewing is a fine place...but it reminds me that the town is no longer that isolated, little village where you could get away & lose yourself for a day finding shells on the spit & just watching the waves.

Sunday 18th of January 2009 10:06:06 PM

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We caught a cold snap and rain so it was nice to find the enclosed patio with multiple fireplaces and heaters. The main pub has some seating and a short L-shaped bar near the brew room while the front patio area has the bulk of the seating with both tables and booths by the fermenters. When we visited, there were 8 house and 2 guest taps. I enjoyed Mermaid’s Red and Neptune’s Nectar (strong pale). The menu includes a nice array of pizza, pasta and interesting entrees plus many big salads and appetizers. We found an un-metered parking spot on the street.

Sunday 20th of April 2008 03:24:51 PM

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CBC has a PRIME location, in the affluent burb of Coronado, CA. A very short walk to the ferry landing will get you scenic transportation to downtown San Diego.

I usually go for lunch and I have never had to wait to be seated. The staff is friendly and efficient. The site is very comfortable with propane heaters and a gas fireplace.

The food is very good. I like the spicy pasta and the fish & chips.

The beer has improved quite a bit. I highly recommend the Idiot IPA for those hop heads among us.

They have recently expanded brewing operations on site and no longer use the problematic Mission Brewery site near the airport. I have been told that any drinkable beer from that place was a miracle.

4-25-2008
I had a very enjoyable lunch at the CBC today. The only minor hitch was that the bar tender didn't know that Kolsch does NOT have an "R" in it.

The Blackened Seared Ahi sandwich was just as I had ordered. The garlic fries were as good as ever. O-Brian's still makes the best in town because they use TONS of fresh garlic.

I had TWO beers. The Red (I think it was the Mermaid Red) was malty and hopped "JUST" enough. The 4 Bothers IPA was still a little lacking in Malt Character, but hipped as an IPA should be. I suspect that the other three IPA's on tap would more than satisfy the hop heads in this town. My friend had the Lightning Kolsch that I tasted. MAN those guys make a CLEAN beer!

There are more guest taps now that they have expanded the brewery. I have heard that CBC is NO Longer using the brewery at Mission Brewery Plaza. Apparently that facility is inconsistent. So we should all expect better beers coming out of CBC from now on.

Thursday 31st of May 2007 01:40:13 AM

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We visited Coronado Brewing Company for lunch during a weekday. There is 2 hour metered parking in front and free parking in back that looked spacious. From outside the place looks impressive with its red stone and wood. Once inside you have a choice of sitting at their carpeted restaurant area or their outdoor areas that are roofed over. There is also a small bar where you can, presumably, eat as well.

Service was prompt and curteous throughout, from seating to appetizers to making sure we had enough to drink. The menu boasted a hearty selection of food, good for multiple visits, and, more importantly, a large selection of their brews on tap. Our waitress informed us that samples are no longer served, as we read elsewhere, but she did manage to get us a few tasters, extra tip for her! There were at least 8 beers on tap that made choosing quite difficult. After a few tasters we ended up with the Islander IPA and Lincoln Lager. The first had a vibrant hoppy taste and aroma, with terrific taste during and afterwards. The lager was a good session beer with mild aroma and above average taste presence. Notable mention goes to their double red ale, this is a high ABV beer reminiscent of a barley wine and to be enjoyed in stride.

The beer-battered onion rings were cooked just right to a golden finish so that they didn't flake and the onion inside still had form. The shrimp quesadillas were of generous serving size with plenty of shrimp, cheese, and sides of flavor-infused guacamole and sour cream.

If you order a 25oz mug you get to keep it since it has their logo in color. Growlers are also available and next time I'll be getting one for sure.

Although their sampling policy is murky, CBC has a quality amount of beers, and food, to put this place on your radar. If you're looking to enjoy good beer with some food on the side, look no further.