San Diego in California is a laidback city with highly sociable citizens who know how to take a break and unwind. What better way to relax in San Diego than to have a drink? Gather your closest friends, especially when the California weather is perfect for having some cold, refreshing booze. Have a taste of California’s best spirits, take a tour at their finest distilleries, and see how they create their magic liquor. Witness the brewing and mixing that goes into making the concoction will take your drinking experience a notch higher. Each distillery offers a wide array of spirits like vodka, agave, beer, rum, gin, and many more mixes. They are so many drinks - you will never run out of choices. We made a list of the best distilleries in San Diego, California.
1. Cutwater Spirits
This company has its roots from the love of the hobby of its founder and master distiller, Yuseff Cherney. Cutwater Spirits is famous for their delicious canned mixes like vodka mule, gin and tonic, bloody mary, Paloma cocktail, whiskey lemon tea, vodka soda, lime margarita, and a lot more. This distillery also has a kitchen and bar where you can dine for brunch, lunch, and dinner. They also have a set of menu for kids and for happy hour in the afternoon. Among their famous eats is the signature Cutwater Burger that is paired with the Peach Emoji cocktail. Check it out in the afternoon to have a close-up look at how they mix their delicious cocktails and mixes. For an exclusive tasting experience at their foeder room bar, just add USD 10.
Cutwater Spirits
Address: 750 Distribution Ave, San Diego, CA 92121, United States
Website: Cutwater Spirits
Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 11am - 10pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 11pm
2. Old Harbor Distilling Company
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
This distillery is relatively new in the San Diego distillery scene. Founded in 2014 by Michael Skubic, Old Harbor’s best-seller is the San Miguel Southwestern Gin that is made from home-grown fruit and flowers. Other bestsellers include the Ampersand Cold Pressed Coffee Liquor and the Fresa Eu Di Vie Strawberry Brandy. This newly minted distillery is very industrial and clean-looking. Their tour will give you a free glass to take home, and a total of six tastings wherein you can taste the Navy Strength Rum made from Colombian sugarcane. The current owner and master distiller, Blake Heffernan, leads the personal tour to really give guests a deeper understanding of how they brew their high-quality raw materials. You can avail the tour for USD 10.
Old Harbor Distilling Company
Address: 270 17th St, San Diego, CA 92101, United States
Website: Old Harbor Distilling Company
3. You & Yours Distilling Co.
This distillery is for all the women out there! You and Yours Distilling Co. is a female-owned distillery that is experimenting with different unique flavors. Their cocktails and spirits are just as delicious as their aesthetically beautiful bottles and cans. The company founder, Laura Johnson has come a long way in building a name for her distillery. Johnson started from being an apprentice and an intern, and now, she has a brand of her own. Visit this distillery with your closest friends and sip on a refreshing Sunday Gin and cranberry vodka soda. The distillery has a lot to offer. You can book their open-air events place that can accommodate up to 85 guests. You can also book a 45-minute tour and tasting that runs from Wednesday through Sunday, and lastly, also learn how to make your own mix every third Wednesday of the month.
You & Yours Distilling Co.
Address: 1495 G St, San Diego, CA 92101, United States
Website: You & Yours Distilling Co.
Opening hours: Wed - Thu: 4pm - 10pm; Fri: 4pm - 11pm; Sat: 12pm - 11pm; Sun: 12pm - 9pm (closed on Mon & Tue)
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4. Seven Caves Spirits
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
This distillery, which claims to do a “grain-to-glass” brewing, offers barrel-aged rum purely handcrafted to perfection. For their tour, they will only allow six to ten persons for a more intimate experience. You can also choose between tasting spirits and cocktails or just spirits. The whole tour will take up to two hours for maximum enjoyment. You can book your tour on their website. Aside from their liquor, another best-seller is the rum barrel-aged maple syrup that you can put on your pancakes and your cocktail. They also offer the Exploratory Series – jasmine tea, agave spirit, and roasted peanut-flavored rums that have different exotic tastes from the locally grown ingredients.
Seven Caves Spirits
Address: 7950 Stromesa Ct, San Diego, CA 92126, United States
Website: Seven Caves Spirits
Opening hours: Tours by appointment only
5. Malahat Spirits
Visiting Malahat Spirits can be a unique experience, depending on the season or occasion. You’ll find yourself sipping on seasonal or experimental spirits that are not even on Malahat’s regular shelves. The rustic and fancy ambience of the place is an added feel to the whole tasting tour experience. The owner’s passion and wealthy knowledge about brewing will make your time worthwhile at Malahat. You can also reserve the place for your future events like birthdays or get-togethers. Get a piece of history too when visiting this place and go back to the days of Prohibition. Malahat got its name from the schooner that bought rum in Southern California during the Prohibition period.
Malahat Spirits
Address: 8706 Production Ave, San Diego, CA 92121, United States
Website: Malahat Spirits
Opening hours: Fri - Sat: 12pm - 9pm; Sun: 12pm - 5pm (closed from Mon - Wed)
6. Swinford Spirits
This distillery is already one-of-a-kind for their innovative and eco-friendly distilling. Their Lingo Vodka is the first in the world to be self-infusing. Their spirits are distilled up to six times and all their ingredients are organic - plus, their packaging are BPA-free. They only cater to private events so when booking, take note of their opening time and schedule. Their cozy atmosphere and delicious booze will definitely make you come back. Did we mention that they also serve popcorn from a real popcorn machine? Their creativity in cocktails is just boundless – they use fresh fruits for infusing and mixes that you haven’t even heard of. This place is worth the visit.
Wine Tour / Swinford Spirits
Address: 8680 Miralani Dr #117, San Diego, CA 92126, United States
Website: Swinford Spirits
Opening hours: Thu: 5pm - 9pm; Fri - Sat: 5pm - 10pm (closed from Sun - Wed)
Flavors of the world
There are so many flavors in this world but sometimes you’ll come across a rare find. With all the fruit, flowers, and nuts, it’s amazing that liquor connoisseurs driven by passion in making drinks are pushing their boundaries to serve great drinks to others. However, everything in excess is bad for the health. So when visiting these distilleries, and looking for your forever drink, keep your own safety in mind. Happy drinking!
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