Hello! I’m Riho, a craft beer enthusiast.
On November 10, 2025, I visited the Bay Park tasting room of San Diego’s craft beer legend — Coronado Brewing Company. Founded in 1996, this 30-year veteran of the San Diego brewing scene claimed the ultimate honor of “Champion Brewery & Brewmaster” at the 2014 World Beer Cup, making it a living witness to San Diego’s craft beer history.
Guided by the philosophy “Staying Coastal,” Coronado has embodied the fusion of San Diego beach culture and craft beer for decades. I made my way to the Bay Park brewery to experience the essence of West Coast IPA!

Coronado’s “Islander IPA” earned both WBC 2014 Gold and Champion Brewery — Hop! It’s a classic West Coast IPA combining three C-hops: Centennial, Chinook, and Columbus, featuring bold bitterness at 65 IBU with apricot and grapefruit aromas — Hop! When Coronado was founded in 1996, there were only about 5 craft breweries in all of San Diego — Hop! A true pioneer of the early days — Hop!

San Diego is a craft beer holy land — Woof! A brewery that started on Coronado Island now has a brewery in the heart of San Diego — that shows real growth — Woof! Islander IPA winning World Beer Cup Gold is something else entirely — Woof!!

The Bay Park brewery has a spacious tasting room with a thrilling atmosphere where you can drink beer while gazing at massive fermentation tanks! There’s also a dog-friendly outdoor patio, and I spent a wonderful afternoon devouring pizza and tacos with IPAs. Perfect San Diego vibes!
📍 Basic Information (Bay Park Brewery)
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 📍 Address | 1205 Knoxville Street, San Diego, CA 92110, USA (Bay Park Tasting Room & Main Brewery) |
| 🏝️ Original Brewpub | 170 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118 (Coronado Island · birthplace) |
| 🚃 Transit | Right next to MTS Blue Line Tecolote Road Station / ~5 min drive from Mission Bay |
| 🕐 Hours | Daily 11AM–9PM |
| 📞 Phone | 619-275-2215 |
| 🌐 Website | coronadobrewing.com |
| @coronadobrewing | |
| 🍺 Specialty | West Coast IPA · Lager · Blonde Ale |
| 📅 Founded | August 1996 (Coronado Island) |
🌐 Online Ratings & Reviews
| Platform | Rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| ⭐ TripAdvisor | 4.7 / 5 | Top-ranked in San Diego |
| 🍺 Untappd | 3.69 / 5 | 1,180,000+ check-ins (681 beers) |
| ⭐ Yelp (Bay Park) | 4.0+ / 5 | 454 reviews |
📖 A Living Witness to San Diego Craft Beer
Coronado Brewing Company was born in August 1996 at 170 Orange Ave on Coronado Island, founded by brothers Ron Chapman and Rick Chapman. At the time, there were only about 5 craft breweries in all of San Diego — their pioneer spirit is truly legendary. A famous early story: their very first keg delivery went to the iconic Hotel del Coronado.
Over nearly 30 years, Coronado has grown alongside San Diego’s beach culture, expanding to a full-scale brewery and tasting room in Bay Park on the San Diego mainland. The original brewpub on Coronado Island still operates today, and the two-location operation continues to lead San Diego’s craft beer scene.
🏆 Awards (World Beer Cup Champion Brewery 2014)
| Year | Competition | Medal | Beer/Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | World Beer Cup | 🥇 Champion Brewery & Brewmaster (medium size) | Brewery overall |
| 2014 | World Beer Cup | 🥇 Gold (IPA category) | Islander IPA |
| 2014 | World Beer Cup | 🥈 Silver (Barleywine) | Old Scallywag |
| 2019 | GABF | 🥉 Bronze (American IPA) | Weekend Vibes |
| 2019 | GABF | 🥈 Silver (Barleywine) | Freebooter Barleywine |
| 2020 | GABF | 🥈 Silver (Golden/Blonde Ale) | Salty Crew Blonde Ale |
| 2025 | GABF | 🥉 Bronze (Golden/Blonde Ale) | Salty Crew Blonde Ale |
🍺 Signature Beers
① Islander IPA ★ World Beer Cup 2014 Gold Medal
The flagship IPA named after Coronado Island. A classic West Coast IPA combining three C-hops — Centennial, Chinook, and Columbus — with a bold profile of ABV 7.0% and IBU 65. The masterpiece that earned World Beer Cup 2014 Gold Medal honors.
Rich aromas of apricot, grapefruit, and mango, with a resinous pine bitterness. A dry finish with an elegant, lingering bitterness — the textbook West Coast IPA in every sense of the word.
② Weekend Vibes ★ Most Popular
Currently the most popular beer in the lineup — a San Diego-style IPA combining Mosaic, Citra, and Simcoe hops, ABV 6.8%, IBU 60. Explosive tropical dankness with a refreshing dry finish. GABF 2019 Bronze winner. Untappd 3.79/5 (42,000+ ratings).
③ Salty Crew Blonde Ale ★ GABF Award-Winning Approachable Beer
A blonde ale (ABV 4.5%) using German hops — Hallertau and Saaz. A collaboration with the surf and fishing lifestyle brand “Salty Crew,” known for being refreshingly casual and perfect for the boat. A long-seller that earned GABF Silver in 2020 and Bronze in 2025.
📊 Flavor Profile (Islander IPA)
| Flavor Element | Intensity (1–5) | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 🟠 Bitterness | 4/5 | 65 IBU · pine-resinous · elegant lingering finish |
| 🟢 Sweetness | 2/5 | Dry · clean finish |
| 🔵 Acidity | 1/5 | Virtually none · typical WCIPA |
| 🟣 Body | 3/5 | Medium · well-balanced |
| 🟡 Aroma | 4/5 | Apricot · grapefruit · mango · pine |
👃 Aroma Profile (Islander IPA)
🏆 Overall Rating

The moment I took my first sip of “Islander IPA,” I understood — this is where West Coast IPA began. The classic combination of pine and grapefruit makes it perfectly clear why this earned the world’s highest honor in 2014. A nearly 30-year veteran that carries an unwavering identity. That’s the essence of a true craft beer legend!
✈️ Plan Your San Diego Trip

San Diego is a coastal city in Southern California blessed with warm weather and beautiful beaches. With over 100 craft breweries, it’s known as the “Capital of Craft Beer”! I recommend booking your trip early through Rakuten Travel!
✈️ Book Your San Diego Trip
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🔗 Other Breweries from This Trip
- [Riho Brewery No.237] Our Mutual Friend Brewing (Denver) (World Beer Cup Gold · Mixed-Fermentation Saison)
- [Riho Brewery No.239] Mason Ale Works (San Diego) (Dankenstein’s Monster DIPA)
- [Riho Brewery No.240] The Original 40 Brewing (North Park) (GABF 2025 Silver · Barrel-Aged Stout)
- [Riho Brewery No.241] ISM Brewing (Long Beach) (WBC & GABF 6 Total Medals · New Zealand IPA)
- [Riho Brewery No.242] SD TapRoom (Pacific Beach) (GABF 2023 Gold PB Haze · Veteran Craft Beer Bar)
- [Riho Brewery No.243] Monkish Brewing Company (Torrance) (West Coast NEIPA Pioneer · 1.6M Untappd Check-ins)
- [Riho Brewery No.244] Craft Coast Beer & Tacos (Oceanside) (GABF 2024 Gold Chillzner · Fully House-Made Baja Tacos)
- [Riho Brewery No.245] Fort George Brewery (Astoria) (GABF & WBC Consecutive Gold · Tornado-Born Vortex IPA)
More brewery articles from the November 2025 California trip coming soon. US Craft Beer Brewery Guide →
🇺🇸 American Craft Beer Brewery Reviews
North American brewery reports from a Seattle-based craft beer enthusiast: https://rihobeer.com/category/beer/brewpub/usa

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