I Like Beer the Podcast

More Than Beer News with Brandon Hernández

We crack open the Rauchbier brewed with Blue Fire Brewing, talk about the kinds of breweries and taprooms that keep people coming back, and get into what makes San Diego beer culture feel more like a community than an industry.

Brandon joins us once again to share more of his own journey into craft beer and beer writing, plus his thoughts on why passionate people are still opening breweries, building taprooms, and creating places that feel like home.

Plus, we hit Toast, Roast & Pour One Out, then put Brandon through the I Like Beer lightning round for one of the most revealing segments yet. It’s beer, media, community, and a little chaos.

Exactly how it should be.

The San Diego Beer News Awards and an Inzane Field Trip

In this episode of I Like Beer, we break in the new studio bar, crack open a few local beers, and welcome Brandon Hernández of San Diego Beer News.

We talk about the upcoming San Diego Beer News Awards, what makes the event special, new categories for this year, and the people helping shape San Diego’s beer community. Along the way, we get into everything from great beer writing and local brewery culture to some truly strange beer-related headlines.

Then we take the show on the road for a field trip to Inzane Brewing in Downtown Vista, one of our longtime favorite spots, to share a look at the beer, the atmosphere, and why this place keeps us coming back.

It’s beer, community, field trips, and San Diego stories, exactly the way we like it.

Discussing our Safe Beers (and Breaking Dry January)

It’s another round of great beer, good company, and stories that only happen when the mics are on. This episode of I Like Beer covers everything from new brewery openings and dependable “safe beers” to community, collaboration, and the culture that makes San Diego craft beer special.

And thanks again to Esthela, President of the San Diego Brewers Guild, for joining us on the Capital of Craft segment.

Plus: Toasts, roasts, a questionable quicksand warning, and a competitive round of Beer or Not a Beer.

Pull up a barstool and join us.

The Data Is In: 2025 Beer Stats, Favorite Spots, and a Fresh 2026 Start

This episode is a full-on 2025 Untappd Year-in-Review with Jeff, Jeff, and Doc: unique beer counts, top styles, favorite venues, and the bottles/pours that defined the year.

Spoiler: when you combine the totals… it’s basically 110 gallons of “research.”

We also bring on San Diego Brewers Guild President Esthela Davila for our new ILB x Capital of Craft segment to talk all things #sdbeer.

The Ultimate Collaboration!

After 335 episodes in the dark, the curtain is officially lifted. Welcome to the first-ever video broadcast of I Like Beer (now officially rebranding to "ILB"). To mark this milestone, we’ve orchestrated the "Ultimate Collaboration" with the San Diego Brewers Guild’s official podcast, Capital of Craft. Joining hosts Jeff and Jeff is a third Jeff: Jeff Fox—a man who defines the San Diego scene through his roles as a Vista City Council member (District 2), founder of StarFox Media, and lead strategist at Beer Media Co.

 

This episode explores the intersection of consumer fandom and industry authority. Jeff Fox recounts his evolution from a macro-drinker who found IPAs to be a "bitter acquired taste" to a true industry appreciator. The turning point? A "yeast-driven epiphany" at White Labs, where he experienced a single beer recipe fermented with four different yeast strains—a moment that revealed the true artistry and craftsmanship behind the pour.

 

We also dive into the "lore" of ILB. Before the microphones, there were the "Beer-cations." We share the story of our legendary Spring Break van trip to Russian River and Sierra Nevada, a journey that saw us hit 17 breweries before a last-minute text about the grand opening of Burgeon Beer Co. in Carlsbad pushed the tally to a perfect 20. This is the story of how three Jeffs are moving the conversation from a "front row seat" for fans to a "backstage pass" for the entire industry.

 

Watch the premier at 5:00pm tonight (February 2nd, 2026) HERE!

 

Guadalupe Brewing's Drunk Elvis | I Like Beer's "Big Announcement"

Big news: The I Like Beer podcast is moving to video, thanks to a new partnership with the San Diego Brewers Guild, and we're kicking things off with our very first field trip episode. We head to Guadalupe Brewing Company to hear the unbelievable story of owner Raul, whose craft beer journey began by getting turned away at the border while trying to smuggle a homemade brew system—complete with a "cool" flammable sticker that officials didn't appreciate—into Mexico in his pickup. The trip culminates in a taste of the legendary "Drunk Elvis," a massive 12.3% ABV imperial stout that unleashes a circus of peanut butter, banana, and chocolate on your palate.

From Vets to Vats: The Story of Mescan Brewery

Our last classic episode of the year, one of our all-time favorites, this isn't just another brewery interview; it's the story of finding our 'spirit human' in a magical outdoor brewery in the Irish countryside. It's one of our favorite episodes ever, filled with heart, humor, and a deep love for doing things the right way, not the easy way. You don't want to miss this one.

On Cloud 9: Inside Burgeon's 50-Brewery Anniversary Bash

What does it take for a brewery to become a true industry leader—a place so respected that 50 of the nation's best brewers all show up for your party? We're on location at Burgeon Beer Company, one of the most revered breweries in the San Diego beer mecca, to get an exclusive look inside their biggest event of the year. In this special episode, we're pulling back the curtain to answer one simple but powerful question: What's the secret sauce that makes a brewery the undisputed "cool kids" of craft beer?

.394: The Story of a San Diego Legend and a World-Class Brewery

Welcome to another special "Classic" edition of the I Like Beer podcast. We're reaching into the archives to re-release one of our most popular field trips ever: a visit to the legendary AleSmith Brewing Company. At the time of this recording, AleSmith was not only a six-time Great American Beer Festival and five-time World Beer Cup gold medalist, but was also officially rated the #1 brewery in California and #6 in the entire world. A brewery so integral to the city's identity, San Diego even renamed the street it's on in their honor. Join the Jeffs on-location as they sit down with Head Brewer Ryan Crisp for an exclusive look inside one of craft beer's most revered institutions.

This episode is more than a conversation about beer; it's the story of a journey. We trace Ryan Crisp's incredible path from a 21-year-old homebrewer volunteering his time to becoming the fifth employee and, eventually, the Head Brewer of this world-renowned brewery. Ryan shares the powerful, behind-the-scenes stories of how AleSmith's most iconic beers came to be, including the heartfelt and historic collaboration with San Diego's beloved hall-of-famer, Tony Gwynn. Discover AleSmith’s guiding philosophy of balance—an approach so refined they can craft a 10% Triple IPA that remains "deceptively smooth" and harmonious, proving their mastery over classic styles and modern innovation.

Listen in for an insider's tour, hear the stories you can't get anywhere else, and taste along as Ryan Crisp guides you through the exclusive beers that define San Diego craft.

Salty Crew, Weekend Vibes, and the Quest for the Perfect Drinkable Beer

Enjoy this classic episode from 2019 - How do you go from running a coffee shop to building one of the most iconic breweries in America's finest city? Go inside Coronado Brewing, one of the original founding fathers of the San Diego scene, to hear how they turned a love for beer into a million-dollar business and created an IPA that took home bronze in a category of 342 entries. What does it take to stay relevant after 25 years? Listen now to find out.