Karl Strauss Brewing Company

The story of Karl Strauss Brewing Company is the stuff of legend: young kids with a big dream, antiquated Prohibition-era legal hurdles, and the guidance of a beer sage known as "Uncle Karl." Karl Strauss' success gave rise to San Diego's robust craft beer community to the benefit of beer lovers everywhere.

Shortly after graduating college in the mid-1980s, Chris and Matt moved to Mission Beach. Driven by a desire to reintroduce San Diegans to the joy of locally brewed, handcrafted beer paired with entrepreneurial spirit, they immediately got to work, but soon confronted pesky legal obstacles. To realize their shared vision, they would need to overcome outdated liquor laws, lingering like a bad hangover from Prohibition. Chris and Matt turned to Chris' cousin, world-renowned master brewer Karl M. Strauss. With Karl's 50-plus years of experience and knowledge, they successfully opened the downtown Karl Strauss Brewery Restaurant on February 1, 1989.

Starting with three flagship brews, Karl Strauss whetted San Diego's appetite for good beer. A number of local craft breweries have opened since Karl Strauss' founding, and Karl Strauss' operations have greatly expanded. The company produces over 30 beers each year, including six core brews and a variety of seasonal and specialty offerings. Since the facility is under construction, the main brewery is unavailable for hosted tours; this should change as soon as the dust settles.

"Uncle Karl's" love of life, respect for all, and passion for handcrafted beer remains The Karl Strauss Brewing Company's foundation, these values inspire a company-wide commitment to high quality, active involvement in the local and national brewing community, regular presence at beer festivals and celebrations of all kinds, as well as frequent participation in charity events and partnerships with nonprofit organizations.

- Iris Jahng