Karl Strauss Brewing Company Celebrates 37 Years of Brewing Bravely

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Thirty-seven years ago, Karl Strauss Brewing Company didn’t follow the craft beer scene; it started the craft beer revolution in San Diego. As the first craft brewery, Karl Strauss helped ignite a movement built on independence, creativity, and a refusal to play it safe.

On February 2, the brewery will officially celebrate its 37th anniversary not as a look back, but as a celebration of the adventurous spirit that keeps the party going. This is a tribute to the brewery that boldly set the tone for San Diego craft beer and to the drinkers who have been raising glasses alongside them ever since.

From a limited Anniversary Ale release available in both draft and 500ml bottles to weekly small batch drops and month-long brewpub celebrations, the anniversary honors the past while firmly planting its flag in the present. 

Limited Anniversary Ale release

The 37th Anniversary Ale will be released on Thursday, January 29, available on draft and in limited 500ml bottles. At 9.6% abv, 37th Anniversary Ale is a golden stout that flips the script. Aged in bourbon barrels for 12 months, it’s rich with layers of coffee, oak, and warming whiskey character.

 “Don’t let the color fool you, this is a stout through and through, just reimagined the Karl Strauss way,” said Brewmaster Paul Segura. “Whole coffee beans, cocoa nibs, and vanilla beans amplify the decadence without losing the balance. It pours golden but drinks bold yet approachable- a nod to where we’ve been and where we’re headed.”

Brewpub celebrations across Southern California

Karl Strauss brewpubs will roll out a series of in-person celebrations beginning Sunday, February 1, and continuing throughout the month. The 37th Anniversary kicks off on Sunday, February 1, at all locations, with $3.70 Karl Icon and rotating specialty beers all day long. 

Also available will be a number of awesome Club Karl Loyalty perks, special flights, featured beer and menu pairings, and limited small-batch beer releases throughout the month. Together, these activations invite guests to celebrate where it all started because when you experience Karl Strauss, you’re tapping into 37 years of great beer and interesting beer and food pairings. All this activity gives Karl fans even more of a reason to join their party and celebrate with them all month long. 

“For 37 years, we’ve brewed with passion, dedication, and independent grit,” said Co-Founder and CEO Chris Cramer. “When we opened Karl Strauss in 1989 at our downtown location, there was no craft beer scene in San Diego, just a belief that this city deserved better beer and a place to gather around it. That willingness to take a risk lit the fuse. Thirty-seven years later, this anniversary honors that adventurous leap, and to the drinkers who are still here raising a glass and keeping the party going.”

Karl Strauss has four San Diego County brewpubs in 4S Ranch, Carlsbad, Downtown, and Sorrento Mesa. There are five other brewpubs in Anaheim, Corona Dos Lagos, Costa Mesa, Downtown Los Angeles, and Temecula.