Recap: 2025 San Diego Beer News Awards

The 2025 San Diego Beer News Awards ceremony showcased the strength of San Diego’s craft beer community under the theme “We’re Stronger Together.”

While Seek Beer Co. dominated with six gold awards and took home Champion Brewery honors, one of the evening’s most memorable moments came during the Best Can/Bottle Design category, sponsored by WestAir for the third consecutive year.

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Duck Foot Brewing claimed top honors in this prestigious category with their taco-shop inspired label for “2AM Tacos,” a Mexican-style lager.

Taking the recognition to extraordinary heights, WestAir commissioned artist Phoebe Cornog (@pandrdesignco) to create an eight-foot-by-eight-foot mural that was unveiled during the ceremony as a special bonus award for the Miramar-based brewing company. This stunning artwork was presented to Duck Foot as a take-home prize, exemplifying WestAir’s commitment to celebrating creative excellence in the craft beer industry.

The ceremony, hosted at Societe Brewing, featured The Indie Beer Show crew as hosts and several emotional moments, including the dedication of the Imperial IPA category as the Katie Earle Imperial India Pale Ale Award, honoring a beloved industry figure who passed away in January.

Regional brewery awards went to Societe Brewing (Central), Pure Project Brewing (North), North Park Beer Co. (South), Burgeon Beer Co. (West), and Mcilhenney Brewing (East). Sunny Grove Brewing earned Best New Brewery, while individual honors went to Douglas Hasker of Puesto Cerveceria (Vanguard Brewer), Judith Downie (Outstanding Service Award), and Shade Hartline (Nate Soroko Community Impact Award).

Other style category winners included North Park Beer’s “Hop-Fu!” (West Coast IPA), Weir Beer’s terpene-infused “I Don’t Get Angry When My Mom Smokes Pot” (Niche IPA), and Societe’s “The Butcher” (Strong Beer), along with numerous other breweries receiving recognition across 17 beer style categories.

Lawrence Haynes

Lawrence is the Marketing Director at WestAir Gases & Equipment in San Diego, CA