San Diego Beer Week: Top 5 Events Worth The Drive South

2. Hecho En Mexico: Brewers Without Borders, Tuesday Nov. 6:
As was brought up by several commenters on our Cinco de Mayo Mexican beer ratings, there are a lot of new craft breweries sprouting up in Mexico. Unfortunately, their microbrews rarely make it up to the states. The Beer Co. in Downtown San Diego is hoping to change that, though, with an unprecedented night of beers exclusively brewed in neighboring Baja California. A collaboration with Globalisimo.com, which hopes to bridge bridges between U.S. and Mexican markets, eight Mexican brewers will cross the border (legally, of course) to share their libations for the first time on American soil. On hand will be beers from Silenus Brewery, Border Psycho, Cerveceria Kudos, Bosiger Beer, Zombie Cerveza, Ensenada Brew Co, Tres B and Cerveceria Insurgente. This is one of the coolest event ideas ever and, though it makes sense for San Diego to think of it, we're honestly kind of bummed it's not happening in LA. 5 p.m. -1 a.m., The Beer Co., 602 Broadway, San Diego.

Sarah Bennett

Mission brewery in San Diego

1. Beachwood Brewing Showcase, Thursday, Nov. 8:
There aren't too many Los Angeles breweries making appearances at San Diego Beer Week (one SD brewer admitted they've "been a little selfish" this year) but a notable exception is Beachwood Brewing, the only L.A. County beer-maker to medal at this year's Great American Beer Festival and the local brewery with the strongest SD roots. Beachwood's brewmaster Julian Shrago is a longtime homebrewer whose house beers were so well respected in Beer City USA that he was invited to brew his recipes at Pizza Port years before starting operations in Long Beach. Now that his L.A.-area system is cranking out new classics such as Knucklehead Red, Thrillseeker IPA, Hops of Brixton and Kilgore Stout, Shrago is returning to the land that inspired them all to share a few pints. Tasting flight with Julian Shrago, $22, 6 - 8 p.m. Beers also priced individually on draft. Tiger! Tiger! 3025 El Cajon Blvd., North Park.

---

Want more Squid Ink? Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook. Follow the author on twitter @thesarahbennett.