Apr 25

ImPEARial Stormtrooper

By admin cwa-blog, event

ImPEARial Stormtrooper

A long time ago in a mountain town far, far away (Julian CA)… A Band of ImPEARial Stormtroopers deserted from the Empire. These ImPEARial Stormtroopers stole the plans to the DeathPear and now hold the fate of the galaxy in their hands. They have joined forces with the Rebel Alliance to help defeat BanAnakin Skywalker and destroy The DeathPear!

Coming in at 7.5% ABV this is our first ever Imperial Sour.

ImPEARial Stormtrooper began with fresh local pears that we handpicked in the beautiful mountain town of Julian, CA. We combined the Julian Pears and some Saigon Cinnamon and allowed the flavors to meld together for an additional 3 months. The warm cinnamon flavor with the natural sweetness of the pears is the perfect pastry sour.

We only have (100) 500ml bottles, so make sure to reserve your bottles today. Bottles are available for pickup on May 4th.

Pickup and Local Delivery Only

(Limit 3 per customer)

ONLY 100 Bottles Available

Reserve Your Bottle Today

We are proud to be San Diego’s only all barrel-aged sour house and we are constantly striving to bring you new funky brews. As always we keep 10 sours on tap at our tasting room. If you are looking to take your tastebuds on a funky adventure … pickup a few bottles and taste what you’ve been missing. We are open 6 days a week Tuesday-Sunday.

Apr 06

Love4

Black and Blue Barrel-Aged Sour Beer- California Wild Ales

Black & Blue – A Jammy Sour Beer

By admin cwa-blog, event

Black & Blue is a Jammy Good Time!

California Wild Ales is excited for the release of Black & Blue, our Barrel-Aged Golden Sour racked onto Carlsbad Blueberries and Oregon Blackberries.

Using the Carlsbad Blueberry as the base, we added tons of Oregon Blackberry Puree. Rich dark blackberry and bright blueberry flavor combine for a light red-wine on the nose backed by just a touch of lambic-style funk. Super jammy with a crisp finish.

Pickup will begin on Wednesday, April 8th at noon.

We are only releasing (60) 500ml bottles of Black & Blue so make sure to reserve your bottles today. These will go fast!

Curbside Pickup or Delivery Only

ONLY 60 Bottles Available

Reserve Your Bottle Today

Feb 27

Love4

Doggie Adoption and Beer Release

By admin cwa-blog, event

Snuggles and Sours

Come join us this Sunday, March 1st. We have teamed up with our friends at Ruff House Dog Rescue to try to find forever homes for some of our furry friends.

Even if you are unable to adopt a doggie you can still help out. We have created a special beer for the event…Puppy Punch! 20% of our bottle sales for Puppy Punch will be donated directly to Ruff House Dog Rescue to help them continue their noble mission.

So come on out…snuggle some pups and sip on sours…it’s for a good cause. We hope to see you on Sunday.

Only 40 Bottles Available

Reserve Your Bottle Today

Pickup only. (Limit 3 per customer)

Feb 21

Love0

Phish Stream – Rivera Mayan 2020

By admin cwa-blog, event

Join us Feb 21-23 as we stream the Phish Rivera Mayan show.

Phish kicked off the third installment of their Phish Riviera Maya destination event at Barceló Maya in Riviera Maya, Mexico on Thursday night with the first of three full shows. The quartet was less than two months removed from the best New Year’s Run in recent memory and fans were eager to see if they would keep the momentum going in Mexico. By the end of the evening, the answer was a resounding yes.

Have your set opener guesses ready. We will have a contest with prizes for the winner. And if you guess both sets correctly you win some CWA merch and other prizes.

See you there.

Feb 21

Love3

peach-pear-sour-bber-california-wild-ales

Bottle Release: Peach & Pear

By admin cwa-blog, event

Double Trouble – Peach and Pear Bottle Release

Hello Barrel-Aged Sour Beer Fans! We are excited for our next release…it’s a double-release kinda deal …. Julian Pear Wild Ale and Perfectly Peach Wild Ale.

Each one of these beers is amazing in its own right… but put them together on the same day…and things start to get real interesting.

Julian Pear Wild Ale / Perfectly Peach Wild Ale

Each one of these beers is extremely limited (100 bottles) so reserve your bottles today. We have them on tap now…so if you would like to sample them before you reserve you bottles..come on in to our tasting room and check out everything we have to offer.

Live Music by Intrinzik 4-7pm

Intrinzik is comprised of two musicians who intertwine sounds influenced through all genres of music across the spectrum. Swapping instruments mid-song to bring on a truly fresh sound delivered over conscious lyrics and genuine, raw emotion. You’ve got to check these guys out. Their sound pairs beautifully with our funky sour ales.

Julian Pear Wild Ale

(50 Bottles Available for Pre-Sale)

Our Julian Pear is a crisp, light bodied beer with a slightly hazy, straw-colored appearance. A juicy nose of peach, apple, and a woody pear scent lead way to a tart, crisp flavor exploding with pear and a slight lingering sweetness. The resulting beer is tangy, crisp, and delicious.

Reserve Your Bottle Today

Perfectley Peach Wild Ale

(50 Bottles Available for Pre-Sale)

Perfectly Peach is one of our most popular stone fruit sours. We started with our golden ale that we aged 12 months in oak barrels to produce tart flavors, fruity notes, and a funky character. We then added a ridiculous amount of peaches to our golden sour base.

Reserve Your Bottle Today

Jan 24

Love4

Valentine’s Day Rosé Wild Ale

By admin cwa-blog, event

Valentine’s Day Rosé

What do you do when you get a bunch of local Zinfandel Grapes? You make the Funkiest Rosé this town has ever seen!

This is the perfect beer to share with that special someone on Valentine’s Day. That’s why we are releasing this one on a Wednesday…to make sure you have your bottle(s) ready for Friday, February 14th. So grab that special “sour-lover” in your life and join us for our Special Valentine’s Day Rosé Bottle Release.

We are only releasing (100) 500ml bottles. This beer will be available on tap at the brewery starting Wednesday, February 12th – Friday, February 14th. So order a few bottles, and stop in for a few pours. Or better yet…bring that special someone up to our tasting room for a romantic night of sipping on sours.

Click on the link to the right to learn more about this fabulous beer!

Pick up a few bottles for Valentine’s Day

Reserve Your Bottle Today

Jan 22

Love3

Blueberry Pastry Sour Spectacular

By admin cwa-blog, event

Blueberry Pastry Sour Spectacular

Hello Sour Beer Lovers! CWA is back at it and we are making our Pastry Sours…. Blueberry Pie Wild Ale and Blueberry Pancake Wild Ale.

Each one of these beers turned out phenomenal so we decided to do a double release the same weekend as Modern Times Pastrypalloza. So whether you are local to SD or just visiting for the weekend…make sure to stop in and take part in our Blueberry Pastry Sour Spectacular.

Each one of these beers is extremely limited (40 bottles) so reserve your bottles today.

We are proud to be San Diego’s only all barrel-aged sour house and we are constantly striving to bring you new funky brews. As always we keep 10 sours on tap at our tasting room. If you are looking to take your tastebuds on a funky adventure … visit our tasting room and enjoy a Blueberry Pastry Sour served up two ways. We are open 6 days a week Tuesday-Sunday.

Blueberry Pie Wild Ale

(40 Bottles Available for Pre-Sale)

Reserve Your Bottle Today

Blueberry Pancake Wild Ale

(40 Bottles Available for Pre-Sale)

Reserve Your Bottle Today

Dec 05

Love1

Sip and Shop

By admin cwa-blog, event

Support Local. Shop Small.

On Sunday, December 8th, local craft vendors converge on California Wild Ales for an afternoon of shopping and sipping on sours. An all-female cast will set up shop in our tasting room to vend a variety of handmade goods including jewelry, ceramics, art, homegoods, and apparel. The event will start at 2pm but feel free to stop by a little early and sip on a few sours.

Meet the Boss Babes

Jewelry and Home Decor

Made by Moni

Monica has a creative spirit that will not let her sit still. She is constantly creating artwork to make the world beautiful. Her custom jewelry and macrame designs are just her latest creative endevor.

Jewelry

Ruby to Blue

Rubytoblue is a handmade Jewelry brand based in a small beach town in San Diego, California. Rubytoblue Specializes in crystal jewelry inspired by minimalist shapes and quality designs. Each piece is carefully created and examined to make sure the quality of the piece is just perfect.

Check Out of Website

Pottery and Ceramic Art

Ms. Moss Pottery

Wheel thrown functional pottery and sculptural pieces. My work is inspired by natural elements, especially the ocean and the desert! I also can do commissioned dinner-ware or sculptures.

See Our Instagram

Tie-Dye Creations and Clothing

Shaka Tie-Dyes

Hand-tied, ice dyed, one of a kind creations!!!

See Our Instagram

Jewelry

V Design

Quality handcrafted jewelry made locally in San Diego by Amber Vavro

See Artwork on Instagram

Oct 22

Love1

Make Egg Nogg at CWA

By admin cwa-blog, event

Join us Thursday, October 24th, as we share family recipes and teach you how to make your very own Eggnog. We are doing this in October because the Nog gets better as it ages. We will provide most of the supplies. All you need to do is bring a 750ml bottle of your favorite spirits (Whiskey, Rum, Brandy…etc).

If you love eggnog..or know someone who does…this is the perfect event for you. Eggnog makes the perfect gift or cocktail to bring to a party.

The Nog Event starts at 6pm, but don’t worry if you can’t get there at 6. We will be presenting the instructions every hour or so, and we will even be staying open a little late to make sure everyone gets their Egg Nog made.

Reserve your seat today

Oct 08

Love4

Loquat Wild Ale Release

By admin cwa-blog, event

It’s Loquat Time!

This mixed-fermentation wild ale was first aged in Oak Barrels for 12 months before it was re-fermented on fresh local Loquats for an additional 3 months. The majority of the loquats were handpicked by our Co-Founder in his own backyard in Ocean Beach, San Diego. The loquat fruit contributes mild notes of apricot, plum, and cherry and delivers a flavor that is unmistakably Southern California. This wild ale boasts a light body, bright acidity, and a crisp a dry finish.

We only packaged (60) 500ml bottles and (1) keg. Join us as we tap the keg of Loquat Wild Ale on Saturday, October 12th at our Bottle Release Party. Only 60 of these were made so reserve your bottle today.

Only 60 Bottles Available for Pre-Sale

Reserve Your Bottle Today

Pickup only. (Limit 3 per customer)

Google Reviews

California Wild Ales

4.9

Based on 115 reviews

review us on

charlie erekuff

15:14 03 Jun 20

If your looking for sours this place is a must go! The owners are great people and have put so much work into a small batch brewery. Not just the beer but the whole decor. I live locally and definitely need to make it there more often.

cam-ranh chandler

04:15 05 May 20

I cannot get enough of this beer! Every new flavor is exciting, the most unique and always so refreshing! Keeps me coming back for more!! #StayWild

Christine Fuller

01:31 03 May 20

Hands down the best sour ale we’ve ever tasted. Can’t wait for shipping outside of California. This place is a gem and these sours are so fresh and yummy!!

Kionna Lyster

20:25 02 May 20

Love the owners and their craft! Delicious sours and always creating new flavors. 5 stars from me!!

Katie Prescott

01:42 23 Apr 20

Having the shelter in place blues and then my favorite brewery comes through and has started shipping their beers (to CA residents) I am a sour girl and no one does sours like California Wild Ales!! Huge thank you to owner Bill for taking such great care of me. Really going above and beyond with customer service to get me some of my favorites! Can't wait to get my package!! Also looking forward to the May the 4th release! Cheers!

Alex Vese

17:55 15 Dec 19

One of the coolest breweries I've been to. Super friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Kory Butler

17:56 10 Dec 19

Great sours! Best I've had in San Diego! Staff was extremely helpful and informative too.

Desmond Forden

15:30 05 Dec 19

If you're into sours then this is certainly the place for you. They aren't my first choice - a bit strong in taste for my preferences but I welcome any diversity in the San Diego microbrewery scene that isn't so heavy on the hops and IPA's. The place is difficult to find. I had never come to these buildings on Sorrento Valley road before and I honestly thought it was storage. There is a little door with a sign that looks like a monster from Where the Wild things are and stepping through past some barrels a comfy space lined with mirrors is revealed.There is no set flights and one can get 5 oz pours for $4 each to mix and match to your own liking. Full pours are also available. I had the opportunity to try the pineapple upside down cake and the passion fruit flavors. The namesake flavors were evident and I did enjoy them. Now that I know this place is here there's a a chance they'll start growing on me.

Ang Per

19:05 15 Nov 19

I haven’t personally visited their tap room but I’ve been fortunate enough to have tried their beers . If I had to pick one word for them , it would be underrated. These guys are really passionate about what they do and it shows in the quality of their beers. If you’re ever in the area, I highly recommend checking them out. Huge selection of wild ale and sour beers . Cheers

Nicole Schaefer

18:36 13 Sep 19

California Wild Ales is killin it! Being a sour beer kinda gal, I always look for their beer anywhere I go because it’s the freshest and most delicious I’ve had in San Diego! They have such a diverse array of sours that you are bound to find a flavor that you love, and the beer tenders at their tasting room are happy to assist with that! You can tell that a lot of love and knowledge goes into the whole process

Sam R

01:34 08 Sep 19

A buddy recommended we check this place out. Glad we stopped by! It’s got a funky, relaxed atmosphere & the people who work there are the kind you instantly feel comfortable hanging with. My girlfriend Becca, who doesn’t normally drink sour beer, LOVED it. And when she said she really liked the monster logo, the server gave her a sticker with the little guy on it to stick on her guitar case! We’ll def be back.

Reva Green

03:31 07 Sep 19

California Wild Ales is a hidden gem! I’ve never been that into sour beers, but this place has converted me. Their sours are so fresh and delicious! They’ve got a really cool atmosphere and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Even if you’re not that into sour beers, I highly recommend checking this place out!

Kevin Farrell

00:06 06 Sep 19

California Wild Ales was amazing! I was in San Diego on travel and all I heard about was the craft beer scene. Which is amazing, but California Wild Ales by far blew me away with their different outlook towards brewing beer, and unique tastes. I have had nothing else like it and would highly recommend it to anyone in the area or visiting the area!

Pamela Garza

20:06 05 Sep 19

Can a wild ale be described as creatively satisfying? California Wild Ales are amazing!! I live in Texas and, despite a certain rivalry between our states, I can still say, CWA is my favorite by far. Good stuff.

Aldo Ciani

21:24 04 Sep 19

One of my favorite breweries to go to! Love the atmosphere, and most of all, the amazing sour beers that California Wild Ales have to offer! They offer a wide selection and are super knowledgeable. If you are a fan of sour beer or just hoping to different breweries you NEED to check out California Wild Ales.

adam mccall

18:57 04 Sep 19

If you haven’t been to this spot yet you’ve got to make time to get there and check it out! They have a wide variety of interesting choices! The location is a no frills type of place that’s inviting and chill. You can taste the love that these folks have put into their sour beers. Keep it up guys!

Ryan Walsh

18:19 04 Sep 19

Very cool place first tried the beer a few years back in Chicago and was impressed.Fast forward now and man these guys are nailing it!Love the use of local ingredients and the recipes are well thought out and executed perfect.These beers are wild quite literally and these guys do great job with fermentation.I highly recommend these guys to all beer drinkers but if your into wines and ciders I think you would be amazed at these flavors as well how beautiful the liquid looks in a glass.One step in the tasting room and you can just tell the passion these guys put into the room and that they truly care about a great experience.So do yourself a favor and don’t miss out on an amazing experience.

Samantha Braski

01:21 27 Jul 19

I would definitely go back to this brewery! I was in town with the boyfriend. Not being a big fan of sours we decided to give it a shot. OMG... what a turn around for us! We shared a flight of ten and everyone single one was so unique and so tasty! They also have bottles to purchase and take home to share with others. Friends and family loved them!!!

Brian Hernandez

03:28 07 Jul 19

Great beer and tap room. Being able to watch the space transform from early on to now has been amazing. You can tell they truly live their craft as all their beers are top notch. I truly enjoy every visit here.

Moira Mcclowry

01:26 02 Jul 19

These are some of the best sours I’ve ever tasted! I recently tried the Grapefruit flavor and it was the perfect addition to my summer day! I can’t wait to try more flavors! Added bonus, totally love the print on their bottle!

Kaitlin Montgomery

01:54 12 Jun 19

Decided to check out California Wild Ales because my wife loves sour beers. Typically I’m not a fan but I am now! Who would’ve thought? The staff was top notch and wonderfully knowledgeable about the product and process. You can feel the love that goes into the beer. The beers are creative,flavorful, and easy to drink. We left early because we had to catch a flight but we could’ve stayed for hours solving the worlds problems over sour ales and board games. I highly recommend checking it out. Thank you California Wild Ales for expanding my palate and introducing me to the world of sour beer. I will be back!

Levi Ramirez

18:33 10 Jun 19

Stopped by this place a couple weeks ago and had a fantastic experience. My girlfriend and I were on vacation looking for the best sours in San Diego and we struck gold. So many sour options and every one we tried was great! The two brothers/owners were there are were incredibly hospitable and ooze passion for the beer they brew. With so many breweries in SD, this is one that stands out among the rest since sours are scarce. Can’t wait to be back and see what crazy concoctions they come up with next!

Rene Silva

18:19 08 Jun 19

Great place for sour beer drinkers, whether you're an experienced connoisseur or just getting your feet wet, this is a must try if you're in San Diego. All their ales have a great sour base, and their fruited varieties stick out while maintaining said base. The Owners/Brewers were super cool, happy to answer my questions and sharing details of their brewing process and even letting me try some stuff that was still barreled. You can tell they care about the quality aspect of the beer process, and it shows which each new wild ale I try! Stay Sour! Cheers!

Christina Egan

03:08 22 May 19

Great sours! Good vibes! With a wide variety of delicious, unique & locally sourced fruits! All hand crafted with LOTS of time and loving energy put into each barrel. Everything from the 10 different sour beers on tap down to the wall of vintage mirrors will leave you satisfied & inspired. I especially had a good time at the May the Fourth event! They crafted and named the sours on tap all based around Star Wars. . Highly recommend dropping in to check out this cool gem & meet the artists themselves!

Lindsay DuRoss

21:01 06 Apr 19

Was in town for a conference and googled sour beer near me and was sent to California Wild Ales where I spent a lovely 2 hours with the owner trying most of his beers. They were fantastic and ended up checking my luggage so I could bring some bottles home. Great job!! Keep it going if I ever am back in San Diego this will be my first stop.

KIMBERLY LAVIN

00:00 12 Mar 19

We stopped by on a visit to the area and were so impressed! The beers were awesome and there was a wide variety available. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy sours but was pleasantly surprised at how great they tasted. The atmosphere was relaxed and very inviting. The staff was super friendly as well. I would recommend it for sure!

Eric Harvey

01:06 20 Feb 19

Stopped in here on a whim after discovering it on Google Maps,as I’m a visitor to the area. Unique place serving all sours, with their own version of Resilience IPA on tap as well. Enjoyed my flight, lots of variation. Also enjoyed chatting with the owner. Wishing him much success as his business grows!

Jacqueline Strassner

05:37 12 Jan 19

It’s hard to find a place to sit down and have options. It was awesome. Everything was more then adequate. I loved the green tea spin. i am looking forward to seeing new creations. They let us try a sour in the making, a pineapple upside down cake inspired creation. Very impressionable.

Aryn Kelly Adcox

13:36 18 Jul 18

If you’re into sour beer, do not skip this place! My husband and I spent a week and a half road tripping around California and hit up a ton of breweries on the way, but this one was easily my favorite. We tried everything they had on tap and every one of them was fantastic. One of the owners, Bill, was pouring for us and sat and chatted with us and the couple other guys at the bar for a few hours. It was a great experience, these guys know what they're doing!

JW A

13:02 18 Jul 18

Absolutely love this place! My wife and I are big craft beer geeks and came from Florida for a road trip across Cali. This was by far the best stop of the trip and we went to close to 20 breweries on the trip. The Beers are the most well balanced beers I've ever had. Flavor! Barrel aged sours so delicious! I think I would have been content with just the great beers, but the staff(Billy) was so friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. We ended up staying for a couple hours and skipping a few of our other brewery stops because we had such a good time. Actually wish we stayed longer. Outstanding beers, we did not have a beer that we disliked. Let me rephrase, we didn't have a beer that I thought wasn't great to fantastic! Such a great vibe with this place.I wish this place was closer to home! Cheers!

James Q

03:38 18 Jul 18

Wow...Just ecstatic that I found this place. Was recommended by a friend and this place does not disappoint. They have 10 Sours on tap at all times and were pulling rare bottles from there cellar all afternoon. One beer in particular caught my interest "Beets and Cinnamon" . I was a bit unsure until I tasted it...OG . The earthiness combined with the low acidity and the hint of cinnamon. This just might be my favorite sour on the planet. They switch out there beers weekly..always adding a few new flavors. I'm headed back this Thursday with a growler and the hopes that there is still some Beet and Cinnamon on tap! If you are into Wild Ales or Unique Sours...you have got to check this place out! 5 Stars!

Mary DeWitt

01:01 18 Jul 18

Visited this place on my trip to San Diego...and wow was I impressed. Each wild ale is so distinct in flavor. These guys are doing some really amazing things in the sour world.

Lessthan450

12:56 05 Jul 18

Best up and coming sour brewery in San Diego. Go and meet the amazing staff and friendly owners and enjoy some very special sour beers. If you have questions the owners love talking and sharing the process of making their beers. They are very passionate and love what they do. See you there! I will be back multiple times.

See All Reviews

event

ImPEARial Stormtrooper

Coming in at 7.5% ABV this is our first ever Imperial Sour.

ONLY 100 Bottles Available

Black & Blue is a Jammy Good Time!

ONLY 60 Bottles Available

Snuggles and Sours

Only 40 Bottles Available

Double Trouble – Peach and Pear Bottle Release

Julian Pear Wild Ale

Perfectley Peach Wild Ale

Valentine’s Day Rosé

Pick up a few bottles for Valentine’s Day

Blueberry Pastry Sour Spectacular

Blueberry Pie Wild Ale

Blueberry Pancake Wild Ale

Support Local. Shop Small.

Meet the Boss Babes

Jewelry and Home Decor

Made by Moni

Jewelry

Ruby to Blue

Pottery and Ceramic Art

Ms. Moss Pottery

Tie-Dye Creations and Clothing

Shaka Tie-Dyes

Jewelry

V Design

It’s Loquat Time!

Only 60 Bottles Available for Pre-Sale

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