Good vibes at the place overall and very pleased with the decor but they rarely have the full beer list available so it's hard to try and find a new favorite when you're forced to settle for something else. Good taste but minus a star for the lack of selection unfortunately. read more

My coworkers and I come here all the time, always great beer and friendly staff! Homemade and complimentary snacks are a big plus, always feel welcomed and at home! read more

Really enjoyed this brewery, the gent manning the drafts had all the info on every beer, super friendly. Place had a great vibe. And most important for a brewery, they make great beer. Especially enjoyed the Stout on Nitro, my wife was a big fan of the English IPA. Cheers read more

The tasting "room" (really just a bare patch of floor in the brewery) pretty much sucks, and on a hot day it is truly miserable. Nor is this really my style of beers, what with their focus on lagers and pilsners vice IPAs and ales. But I have enormous respect for the professionalism and care these folks put into their beers. Pretty much the best beer I ever had ... that I didn't really care for that much. Does that make sense? The staff is extremely friendly and helpful too, patiently answering every dumb question we could come up with. I believe these guys have a real future if they can survive the growing pains part of this increasingly competitive industry. read more

Just because this place is down the road from me doesn't make me partial to it. BUT..... My favorite beers are the Thunder Weizen and the Elemental Pilsner. I don't normally go for a brewery beer because the taste is too strong, but Lightening brewery has such a great flavor. The taste lingers on the tongue and then mellows as I drink more. It's a beautiful beer. I will continue to visit this establishment and if I see their beer on the shelf I plan on buying it. The liter bottles are $6 and the gallon jugs are $10 for refills. What a deal. Cheaper than buying it at Henry's or Sprouts and yes you can get their beer at those two stores. My favorite part of this brewery is that you stand amongst the silos where the beer is brewed. This is the best part of the brewery. What an experience. It makes you talk to the people standing next to you. Why did they come? What do they like the best, etc.... I will be back over and over again! read more

Very small tasting room but very quaint. Not a ton of beers but the beers are great. Only one person working but he was awesome. This is the kind of place where you want them to succeed in San Diego seems like everything they're doing they're doing very well. I love this place I will be coming back and bringing my buddies on beer night. read more

My business is in the same industrial complex, so finding the place was not a problem. We walked over. Walking in, you are first sort of wondering where to go...what to do. The staff was very helpful, asking people if it was there first time. Walk into the front office and just walk down the hallway toward the voices. You pay at a separate cashier...then get tokens to take to the taster guys. The reviews of the beers have been noted before. But try the Porter. It is amazing. I ended up buying a growler of the cask aged black lightning porter. Standing room only. Limited hours. Industrial. It's all about the beer. read more

Just had a great time at this tasting room with some friends. First, the important stuff. The beer here is VERY good. He has about 8 on tap from a variety of types and methods. The Old Tempestuous is my favorite, a sweet English style with NO bitterness. The room is not great. It's only open for a few hours on Friday and Saturday. It's small and with only a few stools. But the beer is good enough to make me come back. So go get some Lightning brewery beer at Sprouts or BevMo, and maybe stop by the room to find your favorite, but don't expect a Rough Draft style room. read more

I should start out by saying that I am trying to rate this place very objectively- I'll admit it, I didn't love any of the beers on tap. This is more because of me than because of the choices. I just am not a fan of super dark IPAs/Porters, and I also maybe just don't know enough about beer. But this place, which a group of us were led to from a Living Social, was pretty nice. It's a very small (and I mean.. three high cocktail tables and 6 stools, total, small) tasting room with a fairly vast selection. The main pour-er (hostess?) was very kind, and funny and friendly as she explained how the tasting deal worked and told us about the beers. Everyone had a good time there. I wish the place had been easier to find off the road; it's really tucked in to an industrial complex and difficult to find especially at night, and that it was bigger in size. I'm glad we came down on a quiet Wednesday evening rather than a weekend, when we'd surely not gotten any seats. I've noticed most other places like this serve food, so it would have been nice if they did regularly too (I read that they have food trucks come out on certain days) but at least there was an In n Out just minutes away. read more

I'm a Poway resident, so this is always on my radar, but lately, i'm finding myself skipping this place for other options. I do love the Thunderweizen. To me, it's one of the best American Hef's. It's a really good take on a German Style Hefeweizen. I also enjoy the Porter, IPA and Old Tempestuous. On tap, these are usually solid. However, I have found a lot of discrepancies in the bottled versions. I recently bought a bottle of Thunderweizen that was Tinny and soured. Not good. It's my understanding that they are rapidly expanding the tasting room. This is a good thing. Everytime I have been there it feels very cramped and uninviting. My last viist, the older gentleman pouring the beers seemed like he had been throwing a few back, which was a real turnoff, as he was getting pretty sloppy at pouring and generally forgetting things. Perhaps that's encouraged, but it was a first for me, and I have been to 45+ breweries in the county. I support local breweries (especially since this one is in my own backyard), and wil check out the spot when they finish their improvements, but as it stands now, there are 88 breweries in the county and far too much good stuff to check out. read more

Although I've been twice, I still haven't found a beer they make that I love. Most are pretty good but that's why there are seemingly limitless varieties and breweries to keep everyone happy with something somewhere. I will say that my second visit was better than the first as they built a real tasting bar and had more people on hand to serve. My first visit was a little off-putting as the guys were way more interested in their friends and regulars than us first time visitors. They had a really good deal this last visit to buy a growler on sale and get two Thunderweisen glasses for free, but sadly I didn't find a beer worth taking home. Nice place, though. read more

Just discovered this place while was in the area for another reason. They have all day happy hour on Tuesdays a little over 3 bucks plus tax per pint. They have apparently been open for 10 years! Great tasting beers and a great gem to find!!! They have won so many beer awards and it is understood as to why! :-) Lots of German influence as well. Sehr Gut!! Prost! read more

Lightning Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Poway, California

Lightning! this brewery is small but they have some pretty good crafts. My favorite is the IPA, its so good i forgot the name of it and the Thunderweisen would be a great light summer brew to enjoy. PS. I just wish they would not serve their tasters on mini plastic cups read more

The location is closer to residential areas than many of the other brewery's (Sorrento Valley & Miramar Rd) but Lightning has failed to take advantage of this. The interior is like a barren frat house. Just a few stand up tables and a counter. The customer space is tiny and EXTREMELY LOUD! You can't even hear yourself think in there. They could really make something of the place if they put some effort into it. Just making beer isn't all you have to do. read more

Great place for stop #1 of our Father's Day brewery tour (self driven). Brian welcomed us in, helped us each find the right beers for our taste - including a complimentary root beer for me as a DD. We enjoyed the patio tables outside and bar snacks! Seems like a good happy hour spot for Summer. We'll be back due to the friendly service & great beer! You have to trust a beer developed by a former biochemist... read more

Support your local brewery!! I am from Poway, so I like to shop locally!! Although I am not a beer drinker, my boyfriend is and he enjoys the darker ales. This place is very clean and you can sample the beers with the brewer, very intimate and local. I enjoy the atmosphere and its is fun. Like Brian said it, 100 local 100 genuine. I absoultely agree with that statement. Just give it a try!! What do you have to lose?? A few beer samples ranging from different varieties from pale ales to your porter. Shucks Old Tempest is the most known brew of this brewery. read more

If you would like to see how a brewery operates behind the scenes, this place is for you. The brewmaster is highly informative and will answer any questions you have. I have traveled all over the US visiting breweries and Lightning has the best Pilsner I have ever tried. The Elemental Pilsner has everything I am looking for in a beer. I love the flavor of this beer. It is crisp and refreshing. Goes down very smooth and leaves a wonderful floral bitterness on the tongue after sipping. Was interesting to find out that Lightning Brewery won best in show at the California State Fair. California has a ton of beers and for this place to win it all, that is very special. All the beers are great. My favorites were in this order; Elemental Pilsner, Old Tempestuous, ionizer, Thunderweizen, American Amber Ale, Fair Weather Pale Ale, and the new IPA Double Strike. read more

Overall, good place. I sampled nearly all of their beers during my visit. Most of their beers we decent except for the Hefeweizen and Dunkleweizen. The Electrostatic Ale was fantastic. The tasting room was very simple and definitely could use some artwork on the wall. More seating would be nice too. Overall, easy going place. read more

We had a Groupon for 4 to try this place. Perry our server was very helpful, informative and friendly. It's small and kind of hard to find-- its in the back but worth the effort. The beer is good and the sampling variety is as well. I would recommend taking some time to visit, sample and say hello. Seating inside and out. read more

We went to Lightning Brewery yesterday to get a couple of growlers since we can't stay because of COVID 19. It was early afternoon so we were the only customers. I got the current ale -so smooth and tasty. Highly recommend it. Please drop by an get a growler or two. Lots of choices of beers. Support local businesses in this time. read more

What a great place! Keep on brewing Jim!! Your munchies and brews are perfect. Bring back Blu Sky IPA!

Great place, fantastic beer and even better service. They also have free snacks. I will be back soon!

If you love beer, you have to check out Lightning. Notice that I am not suggesting... this is a command. From my limited experience with San Diego brews, Lightning is the best micro brew I've had. The tasting room/brewery floor is a great experience. The brewers will chill out and talk beer with you while you get to have free samples. It basically feels like you are hanging out in your buddy's gigantic garage and kicking back while you taste a couple amazing beers he/she made. I wasn't going in there expecting to buy anything, but I came out with a gallon of deliciousness. I highly recommend the Thunderweizen and the Ionizer. A few quick notes: -They have about 8 beers on tap you can try. The porter wasn't on tap, but they opened up a bottle for me to try before I bought it. -They will fill any growler, not just their own. -They have the best wheat beer I've ever had. -Its a little difficult to find the brewery if you use google maps. Its in an industrial park. Head in the offices and go straight into the brewery floor during tasting hours. read more

My wife and I have gone about 6 times so far, let me list the highlights: Free beer (this alone is a winner) 2-4 ounce tasters, mostly 3 ounces, and 8 of them! Small cozy place with friendly staff (yes they do drink with you) Good beer, our favorite is the porter which is out of season now, my wife also likes the pilsner Owner is awesome, I'll explain below Growlers/bottles are sold at cost, no profit, you can even return yours if in good condition Talking to the owner who is a nice and friendly guy, we discovered how willing he is to go that extra mile. Our favorite beer of all happened to be the bourbon aged porter. Both this and the normal porter went out of season and were no longer on tap. When talking to the owner, he sent an employee to tap the beers and fill our growlers. We didn't even have the liter bottle with us, so he told us we could return it next time we were there and get our money back. You almost never find that type of customer service anywhere! The only two drawbacks I have found were, limited hours, around a 4 hour block on Friday and Saturday only, and Friday's are super packed. It also helps that the brewery is only about 5 miles from our house, but hey, I would drive here even if it were 20! read more

Great turnout for our catering event at Lightning!! Thanks to all our friends who came out to support two awesome local businesses Lighting and TacoTaco!! read more

Lightning Brewery - Where's Taco Taco??!! Poway beer drinking ;) - Breweries Near Me - Poway, California

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This is my favorite place for beer. I gave it a four stars only due to the fact of times available. I've seen great improvements in making it more enjoyable for the people. (Food, atmosphere, friendliness in the people working, and advertising.) Having knowlegable nice emploees are crucial for a business , improvement has been made. I wouldn't be surprised if they grow out of their place. Hopefully they can take on another part of the building. Their beer is numero uno read more

This is a great afternoon stop.Our first visit. Paul is a great host. answered all our questions. we enjoyed the wine and the ambiance. We will be back read more

We been to quite a few breweries, and some much larger than this one, but this place is hands down the Best that we've been too!! read more

Lightning Brewery - Breweries Near Me - Poway, California

This is the best brewer in Poway California. The Brewery needs to be loved by all cuz Cellar 3 closed and this place has good beers and Craft Soda, root beer & cream soda. Bring your growler for a great soda or beer at home or read more

This brewery is amazing. The staff here really know how to take care of customers and will go out of there way to ensure a good experience. Only three minutes away from Costco poway, give this place a shot read more

Dan was the beertender this evening. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Chatted with us about beer and dogs! The beer was so impressive. Had some wine barrel aged beers, wet hard to find! And they were delicious and reasonable priced. Thank you lightening for a great experience! read more

These guys are still killing it, and they have a tasting room now. Please take the time to visit and enjoy some delicious San Diego Beer... it's quite enjoyable. read more

Good little selection of beer here. Brian was a great with his recommendations! I'll be back.

I am always glad to try new breweries, especially ones as high quality and accommodating as Lightning Brewery! Tasters are 100% free. You get approximately 2-3 ounces and move from the lightest - Fair Weather Pale Ale - to the darkest - the Black Lightning Porter. I was really impressed with the quality of each beer. *BEER LOVERS TAKE NOTE* The 2009 Old Tempest is EXTREMELY different from the 2010. I highly suggest you swing by and try the 2009 while you can. Either it's a recipe or aging it changes it a lot, but it's excellent. I was really excited to have it. Also, they sell bottles and growlers here for very decent prices. Lightning is definitely an up and coming brewery in San Diego; they make high quality craft beer and their staff is undeniably nice and hospitable. Although there is not a tasting room, it's still cool to come by for a tasting and mingle with other locals. We even met a local pie shop and restaurant that pairs Lightning beer with their food. Oddly enough, the raspberry and chocolate pie goes really well with their Thunderweizen! I'll definitely be back for more beer and a growler. Hands down my faves were 2009 Old Tempest and the Black Lightning Porter. Right on Lightining; keep brewing! You're doing great! read more

LOOOVE IT! They used to have free tastings, which was fantastic. But honestly, the beer here is amazing on its own. You'll get to chat it up with a bunch of geeky beer lovers, and they'll tell you why they like their beer. And you'll leave liking their beer too. There is something for everyone-- and it's easy to find something to take home. read more

Quite possibly my favorite brewery that I have visited. Small and intimate feel. One of their experts will take you a brew at a time through tastings of their fermented offerings, from lightest to darkest. Don't skip this place. The brewmaster has a Ph.D. in chemistry and puts it to good use in the development of his tasty beers. read more

Poway's 1st (and only Brewery) staff are always friendly and more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the brewing process or the beer itself.. read more

Lightning Brewery in Poway is the place to go for fresh beer locally brewed. Prices and quality is great. Brian is the best barman and will make the visit worthwhile. Free snacks and great service. I rate this number one in San Diego read more

Great brewery! Jim is super friendly and brews great beers! LOVE the Thunderweizen and the Black Lightning Porter!!!!!!

After having one of their employees visit my business and dropping off a card I decided to drop by and check the place out. Like others have pointed out, this is only a brewery and it is definitely low frills kind of place. That being said, the frills that are there are the employees and the beer. They have 8 beers usually on tap and they do change depending on what cycle of brewing they are in. 5.00$ gets you 6 tokens and the sample sizes are pretty generous. You can also buy 32 and 64 oz growlers to get refills to take home. They have a variety of beers to cater to many tastes from bitter ambers, several unfiltered beers, and a few smooth lighter beers. Take some time to taste them all and pick your favorites. While you can buy bottles on premises, they like to encourage people to buy them at local markets where they are actually slightly cheaper anyways. Tap refills are the way to go in my opinion however. 10.00$ for 64 oz of premium craft beer is a bargain anyway you slice it. They will also chill your growler for you if you want to hang out for a while and try a new beer...or 5. My top picks are the Amber and the Ionizer lager. Be warned that this stuff is not for sissies. The Amber clocks in at 7.5% and the Lager at 8.3% ABV. The place is open to the public only three days a week for tasting so drop on by on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday afternoon. The staff is very knowledgeable and happy to talk beer with you as long as you would like. Rick the beer ambassador and the rest of the guys will be happy to welcome you. Give them a try, buy a pint glass to commemorate your visit and you will be a regular in no time. read more