As I reflect on the past year, two beers stand out as the most memorable of 2023. While they might not have been the best, the memories associated with these beers are still fresh in my mind.

The first one: was a double IPA from Barrelhouse Brewing in Paso Robles.

Yes, it was delightful, but since tasting this particular brew, I have had the pleasure of sampling countless other beers that were just as impressive. However, none of them were enjoyed in a more magical setting.

The experience of sipping on Big Sur Double IPA while eating al fresco above Ragged Point, a breathtaking bluff on the Californ Central Coast, was an unforgettable delight to the senses.

The second: Blonde Cream Ale at the Carlsbad outlet of Shoots Fish & Beer. Although the beer was good rather than great, something exceptional is being done by Shoots’ owner, Chris Slowey.

When I met with him in October, he explained, “Our beers are designed around our menu.”

The menu is predominantly seafood-driven.

Slowey mentioned, “This is delicate food. You don’t want a beer that overpowers the palate.”

Shoots features both an imperial IPA and a West Coast IPA, staples in San Diego County’s beer scene. However, they also focus on lighter brews such as a refreshing Japanese lager and the noted cream ale.

The two beers that made a significant impression on me had unique characteristics, but both resonated at that specific time and setting. The first beer elevated an amazing environment, whilst the second perfectly accompanied my seafood lunch.

Navigating the consumer landscape was quite a daunting task for craft breweries in 2023.

Breweries faced soaring ingredient prices, escalating payrolls, and a rapidly growing competition from alternative alcohol options including seltzers, ciders, kombuchas, and craft cocktails.

Furthermore, a significant number had to contend with increased loan interests that financed new machinery and sampling lounges.

“I believe economic factors outweigh seltzers, mixed drinks, and any other elements in the alcohol market as the primary worry,” opines Tom Nickel, proprietor of Julian’s Nickel Beer and O’Brien’s Pub situated in Kearny Mesa.

“Absent customers and feasible methods to manage debts, none of us can maintain a business.”

This is not an exaggeration. As per the reportage by Brandon Hernandez in this publication around September, at least 17 local breweries had shut down that year.

Several established breweries made stride in recent years. In 2023, Ballast Point inaugurated a tasting room and kitchen in San Francisco while Karl Strauss launched an “outpost” in San Marcos. Mission also opened a tap room located in San Diego’s Kensington neighborhood, and Sorrento Mesa’s Gravity Heights announced an forthcoming branch in Mission Valley.

In 2024, the trend of new breweries opening will persist, with the most successful finding unique strategies to differentiate themselves in a region already inhabited by over 150 competitors.

Right after my coverage on Modern Times’ revamped coffee operation, I learned that another brewery is plunging into this caffeinated field. Currently offering a specialty coffee selection online, Stone Brewing aims to vend beans and ground coffee in physical stores the following year.

There’s a Black Label line of single-origin coffee, plus several inspired by Stone beers: Xocoveza, Buenaveza and — naturally — Arrogant Bastard.

Now: Tickets are on sale for Pure Project’s 8th anniversary party from 1 to 5 p.m. Jan. 27. General admission tickets, priced at $30, include six drink tokens. purebrewing.org

Dec. 31: Blind Lady Ale House hosts its annual Belgian New Year’s Party, hoisting Belgian beers as 2024 begins in Brussels, or 3 p.m. Pacific Standard time at 3416 Adams Ave, San Diego.

Big Tings

From: Original 40, San Diego

ABV (Alcohol By Volume): 9 percent

Style: Double IPA

Drink or dump: Drink. I often avoid double IPAs, as the extra alcohol too often dulls the bright and assertive quality of the hops. While Big Tings teeters on the far edge of double IPA booziness — at 9 percent, it’s almost a triple — it provides big hop flavor over a solid malt base.

Xocoveza

From: Stone, San Diego

ABV: 8.1 percent

Style: Imperial Stout

Drink or dump: Drink. A seasonal treat since 2014, Xocoveza marries traditional stout notes (strong coffee, dark chocolate) to flavors inspired by Mexican hot chocolate (cinnamon, pasilla peppers, vanilla, nutmeg). Unexpectedly, I also picked up some fresh cherry accents. A complex and pleasing brew.

Crouchback King

From: Kings & Convicts, San Diego

ABV: 5 percent

Style: Pale Ale

Drink or dump: Dump. Citra hops deliver faint echoes of tangerines and peaches. This light-bodied beer pulls its punches. There’s nothing objectionable about this King, but neither is there anything memorable.

Rowe is a freelance writer.