Step into a San Diego bar and you’ll find as many high-quality beers as you could possibly need. But until recently, if you went just 20 miles south, you’d get only the big Mexican brands like Corona and Tecate. That’s because Mexico’s two largest brewers— (which owns Corona) and (Tecate)— long had a government-sanctioned duopoly on beer licenses. Bars had to pay upwards of $50,000 just to serve beer, but they could get an interest-free loan from one of the big breweries if they signed a contract agreeing to carry its brands exclusively.
That changed in , when a new law allowed Mexican bars to sell craft beer even if they’d signed an exclusivity contract. Gracias a Dios. The craft beers now coming out of Mexico—and from Baja California, in particular—are as good as anything brewed domestically. AguaMala’s Astillero IPA even took silver at last year’s . “There’s a legitimate movement in Baja,” says Damian Morales, who co-owns the Tijuana-based with his brother, Ivan.
Though the beers are just starting to appear on U.S. shelves, Baja’s craft scene has exploded since 2010. The peninsula now hosts more than 40 breweries. That’s largely due to the cultural influence of its neighbor to the north. “We’re closer to the U.S. than the rest of Mexico, so there’s been a market for craft beer for years,” says Nathaniel Schmidt, the owner of in Ensenada.
That makes this summer the perfect time for a surf trip.
Swig and Surf
Baja has great beer and great waves. Here's how to combine them.
Tijuana
Swig: Tour brewery and hit up the , Baja’s original craft-beer bar.
Surf: Try the fast, shoulder-high right and left breaks at La Fonda, 35 miles south of the city.
Ensenada
Swig: might be the most critically acclaimed brewery in Baja.
Surf: For consistent swells at San Miguel, a cobblestone point break, come in May. Which means you’ll need to start packing.
Los Cabos
Swig: was the area’sfirst craft outfit. Time your visit for July or August, when BBC makes a seasonal ale using fresh mangos from local trees.
Surf: For mellow longboarding, head to Cerritos, half an hour from town.