5 stars - A Sip of sunshine! Tried Protector Brewery for the first time and wow I think I found my new happy place. Their Illumination Blonde had me feeling like I was on a beach in San Diego, sunglasses on, not a care in the world. So refreshing I nearly forgot it was beer and not actual magic. The staff? Absolute legends. Super friendly, knew their hops from their barley, and helped me find exactly what hit the spot. Bonus points for the vibe you're literally drinking beer right where it's brewed. It doesn't get fresher than this, folks. And did I mention it's organic? Yeah, I'm basically doing yoga by drinking this. Bottom line: if you're into great beer, good vibes, and supporting local legends run to Protector. Just maybe don't trust yourself to stop at one pint. read more

Great local brewery with indoor and outdoor seating to sit and enjoy some beer. The bartender was very friendly and assisted with any questions we had. There is parking in the main lot and also on the street but the lot can get busy depending when you go. Bonus that the brewery is military owned. They only have beer on the list in case you were looking for a seltzer or no alcohol options. Stop by and check them out. read more

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Protector Brewery is all organic; which makes the taste of their selection of beers fresh, clean, and crisp. ALL of the beer is delicious, I'm currently drinking the Citra Juicy DIPA but again I drink all of their beer because the flavors are outstanding. In most breweries, I only enjoy one or two styles of beer, so it amazes me that I like everything on the beer list. Protector Brewery makes beer full of flavor,without it being heavy in your stomach. Which makes their beer very drinkable. I recommend joining the Spartan Club it's a good deal! In my opinion the best tasting beer in San Diego! Been going since they first opened the doors. Still a humble brewery, but a titan in my view. Comfortable picnic and bar seating, and a community of committed customers: Active duty and retired military, Law enforcement, Firefighters, sports fans and everyday people. The staff is as friendly as the customers, and this place doesn't feel like a business, but rather a friend's place we're at all enjoying ourselves or watching a game. Food trucks supply the fare which could be pizza, tacos, etc. Very laid back atmosphere fun during games and happy hour. read more

Protector Brewery - Organic Citra Dipa - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

Pretty cool venue!! Attended a work holiday party and had this brewery reserved for our department! Protector Brewery is one of many breweries in Miramar! There were outdoor/indoor seating and parking onsite or on the street. I'm not much of a beer drinker, but they had a decent selection on the menu board from IPAs to even fruity beers. I also hear they are all organic and gluten-free! I loved knowing that the brewery is owned by a Navy veteran and it's perfect for our company party since we work with veterans. The interior is welcoming, laid back, warm, and dim. It's a perfect spot for a small group or a date. The staff was also friendly and upbeat. They were approachable and seemed to enjoy being there. They had a taco truck with amazing Mexican dishes and even vegan options! I think the food trucks vary on the day. They also had fun games (i.e., dart board, kegs) and karaoke if that's your jam. It's super chill, intimate, and small. I need to go back and actually try their beer. LOL Overall, it was the perfect spot for a holiday party! read more

Always looking for places to enjoy freshly made, local IPAs, and Protector recently landed on my radar. Been by twice now and enjoyed both visits. First, the beer is excellent. On Saturday I shared two flights with my wife to sample a bunch of different beers, including SD West Coast IPA, SD Hazy IPA, Warfighter, Citra Juicy DIPA, the DDH West Coast IPA Collab, and a few others. Enjoyed the DDH Collab most of all, but they were all good. Second, the beer is organic. That's a big plus in my book. Third, the brewery is veteran owned. And that's a REALLY big plus in my book! Oh. And there was a live band playing while we were there. Icing on the cake. If you love IPAs, give Protector a try! read more

Protector Brewery - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

Protector Brewing wqs on my list to try for San Diego breweries so when thee opportunity rose to try one of their beers I decided to seize it. This brewery is all organic and gluten free. I'm starting to warm up to gluten free beers more and more. The beer I had from this particular brewery was the Hazy IPA. It had the hoppy and juicy characteristics that a hazy has and was light like how gluten free beers should be. But it didn't come across as all that creative or interesting when it came to flavor. Unfortunately not a very memorable brewery experience. read more

Protector Brewery - The Organic Hazy IPA. - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

Truly any excuse to grab a new beer is all I need lol! The coffee shop next door had no more seating and the brewery was open (states it's closed on Sunday's but it was open when we got there!) we decided to stop in for a place to enjoy our food and obviously that meant I had to try some of the beer offerings. I got the Berliner Weiss and the guava fruited ale. I really enjoyed the Guava. Sweet but not too sweet and nice an refreshing! The Berliner was good too but wasn't overly flavorful. The brewery itself was nice and open and a welcome respite from the sun. There was a nice outdoor space and a bunch of tables inside too. Definitely plan on coming back in to try some other goodies! read more

Protector Brewery - Beer - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

Come support local vets! This brewery is owned by a former Navy Seal. We first had some of their beer at LHK Noodle Bar and the owner pointed us here. They have a nice selection of hazy IPAs and other types of beers. On the weekends there's supposed to be a wood oven pizza food truck that stops by, so check it out! read more

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Excellent beer. Good service. Nice atmosphere for beer drinking. I don't get there often, but enjoy it when I do.

I have been here once before just after the pandemic started letting up. I picked up a Groupon and made time to visit again. The beer was better than I remembered. The place is veteran owned and the beers are all USDA certified organic. The place definitely feels like a work space as it's pretty small and it's right where they both brew and serve beers. The bartender was really sweet and friendly. Definitely check them out! read more

Super chill brewery with outdoor and indoor seating! Juicy seltzer - loved how it wasn't very sweet. Light and refreshing! Mosaic hazy - light and a subtle tropical flavor coming through Hazy IPA - it was okay, nothing special SD West Coast - light and more bitter than the mosaic hazy (probably bc of the piney notes) read more

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Owned and operated by retired Navy Seals! This place is packed with men who like beer at a good price. The servers stay behind the bar and clean up after you leave. Everyone is merry and happy. There is a dart board and tons of kegs. A great beer bar. read more

What a great location! The fire pits were nice to sit by, the salads and pizzas were delicious. The staff was very friendly and helpful in beverage selections. Just a very comfortable place to sit and enjoy the view. read more

Good beer, great servers, large pours. Lots of citrusy IPAs that were delicious! We'll be back read more

Protector Brewery - Beer flight - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

Was in the area and decided to stop by here now that SD is in red tier and we can come out of our shells just a little and enjoy a nice beer. Protector Brewery is an awesome place to chill and enjoy some good IPAs. If you are into IPAs definitely come here! They have a great selection and they are all really good. We were able to sample a good amount of the IPAs by getting tasters. Plus side everything is organic!! Yay!! Parking is plentiful and the staff are super friendly and helpful :) read more

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This place is tucked away in the miramar district so it's a little difficult to find and it shares a parking lot with 3 or 4 other breweries. But nonetheless, I chose this place based off of a recommendation from a friend. Its very clean and has a good use of the space. The brewing equipment looks brand new, or they take pride in cleaning it very well. I bought one IPA and it was good and not too expensive. The staff member was very helpful and made a solid recommendation. This place is worth checking out! read more

Protector Brewery - Beer and a large warrior. - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

Wow! I didn't know that organic beers were a thing. Leave it to San Diego, the Napa of breweries. Let's just say it wasn't disappointing. If you're a health freak, these beers will satisfied your taste buds... I mean it's a weird concept because when you think of organic you think of healthy but then you get beer and you think of Homer Simpson or some kind of fat drunk. Haha. Protector knows how to make beer and they can do it well. The beers are tasty. I wish they had more options with hazy and sours. But their West Coast style IPAs were good. It's a small operation and it's clean tasting beers. It's better than a lot of others. Can't wait to try their new releases! read more

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Cool brewery in Miramar! Wide open space. Televisions showing sporting events. Delicious beers on tap. Friendly bartender. In the same center as Deli Sushi & Desserts, one of my favorite, cheap sushi places in San Diego, so you can order food from there to be delivered. Tasters $3 or a flight of 4 $10. Belgian Wit: Light, refreshing, citrusy. Nitro Milk Stout: Creamy, bold, delicious. read more

Had an awesome experience with the staff at Protector Brewery. The beer was delicious. I sampled everything they had on tap even took some beer to go. I'll definitely be sending my friends and coming back here. read more

Protector Brewery - Must haves beer to go! - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

Protector Brewery is a great local brewery right in the heart of a business park in Mira Mesa. An awesome local, Veteran owned brewery with a super chill ambiance and tasty beer. The location is great nestled in between a few businesses there are options to grab a bite to eat or some snacks while catching up with friends or coworkers and drinking one of San Diego's finest beers. The stout is by far my favorite but you cannot go wrong with anything they have on tap. Another plus is Protector Brewery is the first certified organic brewery to open up here in San Diego. Every once in a while they have live music which is awesome as well. What more do you need than beer and live music to bring people together! Whether meeting with your group after work or just looking for a place to relax and unwind with friends and family it is worth a visit (or a few) to Protector Brewery! #ThankYouThursday2021 read more

Protector Brewery - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

Their beer is solid. The Double IPA and Russian Stout I tried were tasty. Their beer is potent and packed with flavor. The decor of the brewery is nice and has a cool spartan theme. The brewer and owner of the place is friendly and very passionate about organic beer. His wife is approachable and friendly as well. The beer is a bit more pricey than your typical brewery but it's worth it. The taste and flavors are spot on. Keep in mind, they use only organic ingredients in their beer so it will come with a cost. Just like food. Are you willing to pay a couple bucks more for Organic Beer? read more

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Great beer. Cool area. Food is from stores in same parking lot. A must go for all. IPA was on point

I can't say enough good things about this brewery! I'm not a sucker for organic consumption, but to know that this is the first organic brewery in San Diego is very appealing. It could be the fact that the beers are organic, but Protector's beers seem to taste a lot more crisp and clean. Who knew that chemicals and pesticides could take away so much flavor from a beer. I love how dim the lighting is inside... it sets the mood for a chill and intimate experience. The bartenders are always nice and helpful for selecting a good beer. The Juice IPA has a crisp orange citrus taste and The Beast is more up my alley with that coffee stout taste. The beers are so easy to drink that it can be dangerous. I love that the brewery is veteran owned. So, you're doing a good deed by supporting our vets and drinking beer that is less likely to give you cancer. I bought a hoodie from here and I love it. A little steep for $50, but I still love it. 5 stars all around! read more

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Great atmosphere, fun staff, better beers! Organic brews and dog friendly, with ample parking. You don't want to miss out on San Diego's first Organic brewery. Gender neutral bathroom, amazing tasting brews and a great staff read more

Protector Brewery - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

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Navy seal owned bar. Get the flight with the Spartan sword! Awesome decor and great IPA's. read more

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Had my son's wedding reception here. Everyone had so much fun. Great San Diego vibe. Could not have picked a better venue. If I could give more stars I would. Staff was so helpful, beer was GREAT, just a super chill place. read more

Great service, best beer in the SD county! Veteran owned! Applying the skills learned in the Navy; taking care of their employees, paying attention to the process of making beer. Winning various awards to back up the title of the best beer! Thank Ambiance is welcoming and laidback. read more

THIS... IS... SPARTAA!... a spartan-themed brewery! The lovely and giant faux-leafed spartan helmet likeness is very evident of this and you'll notice it as soon as you walk in. My boyfriend and I rolled in on a Friday night and it was SO dim in here. I could almost liken it to a dungeon, but with industrial and sleek seating. Protector is one SMALL brewery, but they still try to represent a variety of styles at any given moment. Interesting tidbit: Their beer is 100% certified organic! They have an official label to prove this. For a spartan-themed brewery, I found the names for their beers to be very boring, but I did enjoy their West Coast and Double Hazy IPA, regardless. Their *West Coast* boasted a nice offering of Simcoe hops. It was more melony than what I'm accustomed to for a West coast-styled. The *Double Hazy*, conversely, packed a punch with 6 different hop varietals to inundate your palate. It doesn't quite wreck it so I'd say it was well done. I haven't been to this little brewery corner since 2014 when Pacific (now Align) and 2Kids were the only breweries residing here. I am astonished that there are now 4 breweries within walking distance of each other (Protector, Align, 2Kids, and Thunderhawk Ales across the street), a sake brewing company, and 2 wineries. This is the absolute perfect spot to do an alcoholic walking tour, plus you have a dining option in the area in the form of a sushi restaurant. Parking is terrible now though, but just know that you can park directly out front of the businesses, or snake around to the back side of the buildings, as well. read more

The best brewery you can find in San Diego. period! Organic and Vegan beer, nothing gets healthier than that. You should come to here if you haven't! Pricing is reasonable. read more

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This is my 100th San Diego brewery/tasting room review. That's a lot of beer! Back when I started my beer quest, in October 2016, there were 140+ breweries and tasting rooms in San Diego county. Now, there are 160+. These days, whenever I hear about the opening of a new brewery I suffer a dual consciousness: happiness about the San Diego beer scene's growth, and frustration that my quest keeps getting longer! I'm happy to say that my 100th review is for a place I loved. The new Protector Brewery is still only in a soft opening phase, but you can already tell they have great people, a wonderful tasting room, and excellent beers. They are taking a "slow and steady" approach, ramping up production before they host an official grand opening (late July was the target date I heard). They are only open Fridays and Saturdays (noon to 10pm) right now. When I was there last Friday, the crowd was large and excited: Their fans certainly treat the place like it is already fully open, showing up in droves and drinking the heck out of the beer. Sharing a building with Align Brewing, 2Kids Brewing, Setting Sun Sake Brewing, a sushi restaurant and two wine tasting rooms (not to mention being across the street from Thunderhawk Alements and the soon-to-open Serpentine Cidery) also means there is an opportunity for plenty of people to come down this way for craft beverage tours. It does put some pressure on parking.  The interior design deserves special mention. It is certainly a step up from the typical brewery tasting room. It is mostly greys and blacks, which makes the shiny brewing equipment really pop; a polished concrete floor completes the whole impression. There are a few military-related design elements, too. In addition to a few seats at the bar, there's an L-shaped counter with tall stools wrapping around one end of the brewing area, plus a few more small tables. Given the crowds they are already getting, I suspect they are going to need more seats. I don't usually remark about restrooms: These ones are clean and very nice. The story of this brewery adds to its luster. Owned and staffed by ex-Navy-SEALs, Protector is also San Diego's first organic-certified brewery. There's an excellent quotation on their website from a former US Secretary of Agriculture: "You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choice." That's good advice for life in general! It has special meaning in the context of beer, too. These are folks who care about the greater good, and it shows in what they do. On top of everything else, they are fun, nice people. Everyone behind the bar was engaged and interested in their customers, and excited to talk about what they do. From my experience there, it seems to me that that character and attitude is drawing in like-minded people, creating a feedback loop of awesomeness. Everyone I met--customers and staff alike--was someone I'd choose to hang out with, which is rare for me to be able to say. I liked talking with the people so much that I actually forgot to rate the beers on Untappd. Oh darn, I'll have to go back again! I can tell you now that I sampled all seven beers they were pouring on the day of my visit, and I enjoyed them all: there wasn't a dud in the bunch. They offer a wide and balanced selection of styles, including a couple of solid IPAs, a heff, a pale, a porter and a Russian Imperial Stout. These are beers San Diego will enjoy. I am on a quest to visit every brewery and tasting room in San Diego. read more

Protector Brewery - Big crowds for a soft opening! - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

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There aren't many ways a new brewery in San Diego can stand out above the rest. Protector has found a way to do exactly that by offering San Diego's FIRST all-organic brewery. I heard about their soft opening from the WestCoaster article here: http://www.westcoastersd.com/2017/05/30/all-organic-protector-brewery-opens-this-week/. So glad I decided to check this place out! The vibe is super cool, the beer tastes amazing and the crowd feels like family. Did I mention Protector is owned by a couple of Navy SEAL veterans?! It just doesn't get much better than this in San Diego. My favorite beer (so far) is their West Coast IPA, and for those of you who like a little lighter pale ale, the Hoppy Pale is the perfect organic blend of refreshing, slightly fruity and downright delicious. I will definitely be back soon to pick up a few growlers for the summer. Cheers guys, love this place! read more

Protector Brewery - Hazy IPA...mmmmmmm - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

My friend says it is the best organic beer they have had in their life. A nice spot to come and hang out with friends. Come, drink,enjoy, and share the love. First Organic Gluten-free beer in San Diego. read more

Protector Brewery - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

Nice tasting room and great beer! Hazy IPA delish! Cool atmosphere- nifty decor. Awesome stained floor. Nice workers. We will be back! read more

Excellent beer and great back story to how the brewery came to be. It's a pretty good hangout with all the other businesses around and I personally take pride in supporting veteran-owned businesses. My favorite is the MOAB DDH and the watermelon lemon shandy is an excellent pairing with food. I highly recommend visiting this brewery. read more

Girl behind counter is selective about their "must purchase food to buy beer" policy. Over a course of days she would tell me I have to buy food from a next door deli place in order to purchase beer from them and sometimes just give it to me and go about her business In a back room.. same with many other customers, I noticed she is very selective especially when it comes to younger crowd she would altogether refuse service unless you buy food from place next door and then she would favor older people by not even questioning . Whatever - their beer is alright for a price but very hazy... Ugh even their regular IPA is too ughhh hazy. I want just regular IPA without chemical taste read more

This awesome brew spot is a true diamond in the rough. Sure it's located in the same area as most of the other breweries in SD, but to me this is a standout and a true must for any and all people who want some good beer. Not to mention it's a certified USDA Organic Brewery... please fact check me, but maybe THE ONLY! I have been multiple times and never had a bad experience. On my last trip, I was able to talk to Sean and Ryan who are the owners and founders of Protector. It was really cool to hear there story of how it all started and also the fact that they are military veterans and while they served together talked and planned to one day open a brewery. That's pretty bad ass in my book. The inside of this brew spot has a cool clean look and they often have good vendors outside. I would say IF you haven't been, you need to check it out cause it's awesome. read more

Great staff! Tons of parking! Love coming by after work or on my day off to grab one or fill up my growler. Can't go wrong with an IPA flight either. Slowly but surely becoming a regular stop for me. read more

Protector Brewery - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

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This was an awesome San Diego brewery. Super chill, kid friendly, shuffleboard, basketball on the TVs, and amazing organic beer! Worth the trip down from Oceanside. read more

Protector Brewery - Flights & 16oz pour - Breweries Near Me - San Diego, California

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First time visiting and loved the atmosphere and tasty beers! We brought our kids and they were so accommodating - brought out chalk for them to play with and Jenga too! Local eateries in same parking lot. When I showed my appreciation when closing my tab, the bartender even asked how they could improve to accommodate visitors with children - I thought that was pretty awesome! Do yourself a favor and visit Protector! read more

We were headed to dinner in the area and wanted to go for a drink before, got out my trusty Yelp and happened upon this awesome little business complex with multiple great drinking spots. Protector Brewery did not disappoint (my favorite was The Beast and The Juice) - definitely seems like a great place to come and spend a night. I want to come back again when we have time to do a little brewery hop and visit all the spots! read more