Aztec Brewing Company

I know what you’re thinking, San Diego State has it’s own brewery? While Aztec Brewery may be fans of SDSU, they are not affiliated with the school. In fact, they are located in Vista, approximately 45 minutes north of the University. Aztec came highly recommended by a reliable friend and therefore has been at the top of my list since this whole thing started. With so many breweries close to home I saved Aztec for a time when a trip up the coast was convenient. So, when friends from Laguna Niguel wanted get in on the YOTB action, I had just the place….enter Aztec. I rounded up my faithful, local YOTB groupies and headed north for a rendezvous with the folks from the OC (people still call it that right? Am I dating myself? Oh well).

Aztec is nestled in an industrial park with signage guiding you to the brewery and tasting room. I was the first from our group to arrive at 1:04 pm; just 4 minutes after the tasting room had opened and I wasn’t their first customer. I approached the bar and with a failed attempt at humor, I asked the gentleman behind it what kind of breakfast beer they had to offer. Yeah, he didn’t think it was funny either. I ordered their Hibiscus Wheat beer and posted up at a table that I’m certain spent much of the late 90s as some family’s kitchen table.

Hibiscus Wheat Beer, 4.7% ABV – “Spiced Wheat Beer”
The color is best described as a dirty orange with crisp white, uniform head that doesn’t linger on the sides of the glass. True to its name it has a flowery taste with a sweet finish.  Its a light bodied beer that I would indeed categorize as a breakfast beer. It was a delightful beer to start the day but I could see myself tiring of the sweetness after more than one pint.  This would be a great beer paired with the right food: a summer salad or perhaps spicy Thai food.

As I sipped my Hibiscus wheat, I watched the Farmers Insurance Open (what up Torrey Pines!) on the tasting room TV’s and took in the sights. The tasting room is separated from the brewery by walls but is accessible through an open doorway that connects the two. The decor and vibe of the tasting room can best be described as an industrial garage. The furniture is a mish-mash of tables, chairs, stools, barrels and patio style heat lamps. A landscape mural covers all the walls to give you the illusion of being underground.

From the free chili dogs cooking in the crock pot to the open roll up door exposing you to the world, you can’t help but feel like you’re hanging out in your buddies garage when you’re at Aztec. The casual, home-like environment invites you in and hopes you’ll stay a while.  The tasting room vibe is harmonious with what you picture when you think of authentic craft beer. No money wasted on uber hip reclaimed wood tables or trendy decor. Just a comfy place to hangout with your friends and enjoy the beer.

Darn good Chili Dogs

Speaking of the beer, once I finished my breakfast beer and my friends had arrived it was time to get to tasting.  Aztec offers beer by the pint and build your own taster flights.  Most people opted to start with taster flights and then moved on to pints after they established their favs.

My flight included: Chipotle IPA, Cacao Chocolate Porter, Simrillo, El Dorardo Blonde Ale.

Chipotle IPA, 6.6% ABV: A light colored beer with an airy head, it’s not your typical IPA. The Chipotle flavor is mild and not at all overpowering, as are the hops.  If you’re looking for a traditional hop-first IPA you’ll be disappointed. However, if you’re looking for something with a unique flavor to wash down your Carne Asada Fries this Chipotle IPA is just the ticket.  You could easily kick back two or three without getting tired of the flavor.

Cacao Chocolate Porter, 6.4% ABV: A traditional dark black porter color with a muddy brown head. I must have really thought this wasn’t a heavy porter because I made sure to note it twice in a span of three lines in my notes.

The chocolate flavor is present, yet subtle, with just the right amount of bitter. If you follow YOTB on Facebook you may have seen a recent article I posted about pairing Girl Scouts cookies with beer. The article now has me craving this beer and a box of Tagalongs. To read the article, Click here.

Simrillo: This one didn’t leave a big impression on me.  Either that or I was too busy socializing to remember that I was there on business.  I did take the time to note that it was rusty brown in color with sparse head and a skunky finish.  Maybe that means I didn’t like it.  If you have feelings about Simrillo please feel free to utilize comment section to contribute.

El Dorado Blonde, 4.1% ABV: This is your poolside beer. It’s a clear beer without much of a finish, lending itself well to hot weather and an easy one to come back to a few times. Admittedly I drank this beer out of order so it came across more watery than it should have, shame on me.

One beer that I didn’t personally review but garnered a polarizing response from the group was the Sacrifice Red IPA 7.6% ABV. A few people described the aroma as dank and weed-like, while others felt it more closely resembled the smell of dirty golf course pond water. It seems you either love this beer or hate it. I have a feeling this one appeals to the heavy hop lovers out there.

Overall the biggest crowd pleaser was the Hibiscus Wheat by far. Other favorites included the Chipotle IPA and the Chocolate Porter.  There were several other beers available that I didn’t get around to reviewing.  As a responsible driver and with another brewery on the agenda (stay tuned for a review of Indian Joe) moderation was key. Aztec offers a unique selection of beers and an authentic tasting experience.  Kudos to keeping it real guys!

Bottoms up!
-Amatece