Back in the mid-1980s, San Diego was void of the thriving beer scene it has today. In fact, the city hadn’t seen fresh beer since Prohibition, and the term “craft beer” didn’t exist. But that wasn’t going to stop Chris Cramer and Matt Rattner; two college buddies eager to change the status quo. Inspired by a brewpub Chris came upon while backpacking through Australia, the pair had a dream: bring local, handcrafted beer back to San Diego. With the help of Chris’s cousin, Master Brewer Karl M. Strauss, it was on February 2, 1989 that Karl Strauss Brewing Company officially opened its doors in downtown San Diego and kicked off the city’s craft beer industry. Happily, as Karl Strauss Brewing Company grew, so did the industry as a whole. These days, the company continues to pioneer the independent brewing scene by crafting innovative beers across a wide range of styles, and in 2019, they brewed more than 140 different beers. Brands like Aurora Hoppyalis IPA, Queen of Tarts Dark Sour, and Boat Shoes Hazy IPA have helped launch the brewery into a new era; while beers such as Red Trolley Ale—one of the most award-winning beers in the world—stand as a testament to Karl’s rich brewing legacy. Since 2009, Karl Strauss has won over 115 medals and counting, and at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival they received the prestigious honor of being named Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewer of the Year. Three decades after opening their doors, Karl Strauss Brewing Company is proud of their past and look eagerly to their future. Cheers!