Burp Fest at San Diego Beer Week 2026

San Diego Beer Week was born in 2009 as a way to spotlight San Diego's rapidly growing craft beer community. The San Diego Brewers Guild, which was originally founded in 1997 with just 15 member breweries, launched the event to unite the region's diverse brewing scene under one celebratory umbrella. In its early years, the event helped establish San Diego's reputation as a serious craft beer destination alongside established scenes in Portland, Denver, and the Bay Area.

The event grew steadily through its first decade, becoming a signature annual tradition for locals and a destination event for beer tourists. However, like many industry gatherings, San Diego Beer Week faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Post-pandemic, the event experienced a dip in brewery participation and fan engagement, prompting the Guild to reimagine and reinvigorate the celebration.

In recent years, the Guild has focused on quality over quantity, anchoring Beer Week with the Capital of Craft Beer Fest — a polished, centralized festival that gives attendees a single-venue tasting experience alongside the distributed events happening at individual breweries. The 2025 edition features a return to the Harley-Davidson Festival Grounds with a strong lineup of over 40 local breweries.

San Diego Beer Week remains a cornerstone event for a city that proudly calls itself the Capital of Craft Beer, and the celebration continues to evolve as the local industry matures and adapts to changing consumer preferences.