Mike Hess Brewing was founded in 2010 by former US Navy officer and veteran Mike Hess with his wife, Lynda. From the beginning, our goal has been to make great beers across a broad style spectrum. Although we haven’t purposely avoided being labeled as a hoppy-shop or sour-factory or Eurocentric, we do take pride in brewing excellent beers that span from light to dark, malty to hoppy, bright and clear to hazy—and even those that don’t fit any category. Every batch is QC’d dozens of times on its journey from grain to glass. Our job is complete only when our exceptional beer reaches the mouth of our guests and patrons.

We welcome families and their furry friends to enjoy each of our unique brewery and tasting room experiences. Our doors are open to everyone, including aspiring brewers and homebrewers, who can appreciate seeing “how the sausage is made” with our unique vantage point from the skybridge at our North Park location. Guests can safely walk through our brewhouse and fermentation tank farm while enjoying our delicious beers. Come and visit our main brewhouse location in North Park and experience our passion for brewing firsthand.

Mike Hess Brewing is one of the premier craft breweries of San Diego. We set out with a mission to bring people together over great beer and were early on in the craft beer revolution. We were the region’s 33rd brewery—in fact, there were only 1,700 breweries in the entire USA back in 2010. We’ve enjoyed rewarding success as we’ve built our fan base and our team.

Starting with just one roll-up door and 800 ft², our launch as San Diego’s first nano-brewery enabled us to expand our brand and customer base at a manageable pace. Additionally, our Hess Brewing Odyssey blog, which documents the process of opening a nano, has aided in the opening of more than 1,000 nanos throughout the country. As we celebrate our 13th year in business, we are thrilled to have expanded to 7 locations throughout California.

Starting in 2012, we embarked on the construction of our flagship brewery and tasting room located in the heart of North Park, recognized as one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the United States. We proudly opened our doors to the public in 2013, providing visitors with a unique experience of a 30 bbl brewhouse that can be accessed through our exclusive sky bridge spanning over and through the brewery. We continued to expand by opening our Ocean Beach tasting room, where guests can enjoy people-watching and are just a few blocks away from the world-renowned OB Dog Beach. In 2018, we launched our fourth location in Walnut Creek, the hometown of the Hess family. Our Walnut Creek location boasts of a stunning and brand-new buildout, featuring a 2,200 ft² deck and outdoor patio. Then, in 2019, we opened our biergarten in Imperial Beach, a stone’s throw away from the sandy shore. With ample outdoor space measuring 6,500 ft² and a complete kitchen, the MHB Biergarten is the perfect venue for large groups, weddings, and hanging out with friends.

In 2021, we opened our fifth location in Seaport Village, where we serve our full lineup of drinks and a Baja Fusion menu spread across two stories. We love having our unique blend of food and drink at the bustling Seaport Village neighborhood. Finally, in 2022, we acquired our sixth location in East County San Diego in mountainous Alpine. Feauring a full-on American fare menu and two bars, as well as an extensive patio and grass area, Alpine is a great stop for mountain bikers, hikers and adventure seekers looking to kick back and relax for a spell or two.

All of our locations are family and pet friendly and are staffed by some of the best beertenders in the industry. Whether a beer geek or novice, our friendly staff will make you feel right at home and happily walk you through our lineup of truly hand-crafted, well thought out beers.

We offer tasting flights, beer by the glass as well as to-go beer, including our canned beers and 32-oz canned “Purrowler” of any draft beer.

Designed as social gathering places, we encourage our guests to join a table with others, strike up conversations with the person sitting next to them. Many friendships—even marriages!—have been forged over one of our beers.

We invite you to join us at one of our seven locations, six of which are located in sunny San Diego and one in the charming town of Walnut Creek. Our family-friendly establishments are perfect for gatherings of all sizes, including weddings and events. We pride ourselves on offering unique and enjoyable experiences that will keep you coming back time and time again. So come join us and raise a glass at any one of our locations today!