Assessing the vitality of San Diego County’s craft beer industry could entail weeks of visiting all 160-plus local breweries.

Alternatively, you could explore Grantville for a mile. This neighborhood, in beer terms, is witnessing everything from a revival to a devastation.

On Friars Road, near the top of Fairmount Avenue, a three-decade-old brewpub is becoming noteworthy again. The new proprietors of San Diego Brewing Co., Tyson and Kristina Blake, along with Bob and Lisa Townsend, and house brewer Matt Navarre are rejuvenating the beer selection.

The highlighted pale ale, for instance, has a reduced ABV compared to its older version, creating a brew that emphasizes roasted malts and fresh hops over alcohol content.

Thus the renaissance. About a mile south, in a business park along Fairmount, 1-year-old One Season Brewing is in apocalyptic mode.

Owner Dan Romeo took out high-interest loans while planning the brewery and its sister business, TRVLR Coffee Roaster, during the pandemic.

These are small operations — One Season produced maybe 30 barrels of beer in 2023 — with unsustainably high overhead. Romeo has been unable to refinance his debt.

“I’ll be closing the end of this month,” he said.

Around the corner from One Season, 9-year-old Citizen Brewers has seen its regular customers return, restoring business to pre-pandemic levels.

“I do have a group of people who float the boat, that’s for sure,” owner Judd McGhee said.

Here, customers — ranging from bachelor/bachelorette partiers to firefighters to corporate groups — brew their own beer using Citizen’s supplies and equipment.

An experienced homebrewer, McGhee walks clients through the entire process, from brewing to bottling or canning to designing a label.

“I’ve helped a lot of people demystify the process,” he said, “which is pretty awesome.”

When business slackens, McGhee brews his own beer — see today’s review of Haze Juices.

That’s the status of craft beer, according to Grantville. The good, the bad, the in-between – it’s all here along Fairmount Avenue.

Maestro, tap the podium and the keg. It’s time for Beer Choir!

A national group with a San Diego affiliate, Beer Choir is a rich blend of singers who value harmony and hops, and melody and malts.

“Beer Choir brings a level playing field for these individuals,” shared Megan Jones, director of operations for the Chorale Consortium of San Diego.

To genuinely level this playing field, I’d require a multitude of bulldozers.

The Feb. 10 Beer Choir event at AleSmith Brewing is set to feature San Diego Master Chorale members.

Still, how much talent do you need to sing “Danny Boy” while hoisting a pint?

Very little, Jones insisted.

“For me,” she said, “the best part about this is it brings together people who love to sing in all different contexts.”

There’s no charge and no rehearsals, but singers should RSVP at sdsings.org. Then hie ye to the brewery/concert hall, 9990 AleSmith Court, San Diego, for the 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. performance.

At long last, in response to the musically inclined uncertainty, what ought one to do with an inebriated seaman? Refrain from extending an invitation to the Beer Choir.

“I do not perceive of this as an environment of wild, frenzied merrymaking,” expressed Jones, “rather, it is akin to a warm and festive gathering.”

This Saturday: From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Burgeon will celebrate its initial seven years by hosting a festival, where beers from a whopping 39 different breweries will be served. Unfortunately, the event has reached its capacity; if you have managed to acquire tickets, consider yourself fortunate. Location: 6350 Yarrow Drive, Carlsbad.

On January 27: Pure Project will be selling a limited number of tickets at the entrance for their 8th anniversary festivities. Each ticket will cost $40 and the sale will commence at 11 a.m. Please take note that these tickets only grant admission from 1 p.m. Pure Project: Positioned at 9030 Kenamar Drive, Suite 308, San Diego.

San Diego Pale Ale

From: San Diego Brewing Co., San Diego

ABV (Alcohol By Volume): 5.7 percent

Style: American Pale Ale

Drink or dump: Drink. Love at first sip. Hops and malts are perfectly balanced, a harmonious blend of the former’s piney-citrusy qualities and the latter’s toasted grain deliciousness.

Haze Juices

From: Citizen Brewers, San Diego

ABV: 6.4 percent

Style: Hazy IPA

Drink or dump: Drink. Haze Juices is a lean, dry IPA unlike the sugar bombs delivered by many hazies. Citra, Mosaic and Southern Cross hops cut through the unfiltered murk.

Westmalle Dubbel

From: Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle, Westmalle, Belgium

ABV: 7 percent

Style: Dubbel

Drink or dump: Drink. A classic from a venerable Trappist brewery, Westmalle is considered the world’s original dubbel. This strong brown beer delivers a massive, creamy head, dark fruit and wheat toast flavors, then a mild bitterness at the finish.

Rowe is a freelance writer.