San Diego Beer: Second Chance Beer Company
The Second Chance Beer Company is an up-and-comer in the San Diego beer scene. They are headquartered off-the-beaten track in the suburban neighborhood of Carmel Mountain Ranch. However, their tasting room is one of the most attractive in San Diego.
WEBSITE: https://www.secondchancebeer.com/
The Second Chance Beer Company opened in 2015. They have been expanding and starting to get distribution throughout California. In addition to their Carmel Mountain Ranch facility, they have opened a small tasting room in North Park.
Carmel Mountain Ranch is off the I-15 about 20 miles north of downtown San Diego. Second Chance Beer is tucked away in a warehouse industrial area near the main shopping/restaurant areas on Carmel Mountain Road.
Nearby Rancho Bernardo is home to many high-tech companies and Second Chance is a popular happy hour spot and often used for office parties.
The tasting room is large with many seating options. There are games and we have come here with groups of kids. However, the back area with cornhole and darts is adult-only.
We are not experts on beer, but know that the Tabula Rasa Porter is highly-rated. Second Chance beers tend to have catchy names like Seize the IPA and Clever Hoppy Name. Most pints are $6 with 4 ounce tasters at $2.
Our favorite reviewer of the San Diego beer scene, Craft Beer in San Diego gives high marks to Second Chance, both the tasting room and the individual beers he tried. Later he visited the North Park tasting room and said Second Chance was in contention for his favorite brewery.
We have yet to visit the North Park facility. However, we have walked by it many times because it is right across the street from one of our favorite pizza places, Sicilian Thing Pizza.
The North Park area has all kinds of brewery tasting rooms, but they tend to be smaller than their suburban counterparts. They also are not as kid-friendly. When we go beer hopping in North Park we leave the kids at home.
In terms of food Second Chance Beer has some basic snacks and there is often a food truck in the front.
