Today (Nov. 4th) marks the official release day of Chefs Press Inc’s, “San Diego’s Top Brewers : Inside America’s Craft Beer Capital.” A brand new book profiling all sides of the craft beer world in San Diego. Please join us as we share our thoughts on this great tribute to our city, and find out why San Diego truly is America’s craft beer capital.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again- we are so lucky to live in a city that has some of the best professional and home brewers in the country, and nobody would disagree! Mad scientists in their own right, inventing liquid magic for San Diegans to enjoy each and every day. Chefs Press Inc. President and Author, Bruce Glassman and his team, (including Publisher Amy Stirnkorb and Photographers Paul Body and Michael Pawlenty), decided that it was their duty to share with the world everything that is San Diego beer. “When we found out that–at the 2010 World Beer Cup–San Diego brewers won more medals than all of Germany or Belgium, we realized there was a fantastic story here,” says Glassman. “The book then became a way to celebrate the great beer being made in San Diego county, and a way to shed light on all the people who have helped to support San Diego brewers and the craft beer movement.”

San Diego’s Top Brewers: Inside America’s Craft Beer Capital has become Chefs Press’ work of art, their love story dedicated to all things San Diego beer. But it is so much more than meets the eye. It is a way for the average beer lover to fall absolutely head over heels! Not only do we get a behind the scenes look into our favorite local breweries, but renowned local chefs take our favorite brews and create deliciously unique dishes around them. With almost every brewery visited, there are recipes included for the aspiring chef in all of us to try and perfect. All of these recipes are either paired perfectly with a local brew, or has that local brew cooked into the recipe. “Some, (recipes) like the ones from Chef Ron Oliver, were created exclusively for this book. Others were taken from special beer dinners that chefs like Kyle Bergman and Schuyler Schultz had done in the past,” said Glassman. For example- Chef Schuyler Schultz, who happens to be AleSmith’s top chef, shared a grilled bavette steak with ground cherry coulis, endive salad and savory “French toast” to be perfectly paired with AleSmith Old Numbskull barleywine. Chef Ron Oliver of The Marine Room, La Jolla created dishes for Manzanita Brewing Co. He has a shrimp-imbap paired with Manzanita Jazz Man Pale Ale, followed by sesame spiced churros with a chocolate-apricot sauce to be paired with Manzanita Pivotal Porter. Get excited…there are mouth watering recipes for all of your favorite local breweries paired with your favorite local brews!

Something you will notice right off the bat is the collection of beautiful photographs that accompany the stories and profiles. Paul Body and Michael Pawlenty’s brilliant photography bring crisp, colorful life to every glass of beer. The food presented appears edible straight off the pages, and the fast paced world of brewing is captured flawlessly within local brew houses.

At the opening of this beer adventure we are greeted by “Beer At A Glance” which teaches people that might be new to beer everything from variations in styles, to how to read your local breweries chalkboards, to the breakdown of the bottling process. This helpful and fascinating information will have even some long time beer lovers finding something new to think about.

It does not take long for readers to jump head first into the sea of local breweries. Organized in alphabetical order we are handed a personalized look inside the story of how each brewer came to be, in their own words. These stories share things like where the brewery’s name came from, and how they found their way into home brewing. Some stories even give insight into the specific ingredients they use for some of their most popular brews. Each tale goes back to the brewer’s roots with us by their sides. We aren’t just reading about San Diego’s breweries, we are getting our own personal tour to see who these magicians are, where they came from and what got them into the brewing world. Information that beer geeks and amateur beer enthusiast’s both ask themselves is also here…such as “How much beer do they produce?” or “How many styles do they actually brew?” and “Just how big can that brewery be?” Consider your questions answered, because it’s all here!

Another of the many great features in San Diego’s Top Brewers: Inside America’s Craft Beer Capital is what follows each brewery’s piece- The Brewer’s Notes. Each brewer sits down and gives an explanation of their signature beers followed with a link posted under each photo to the San Diego Top Brewers website called “Have A Beer With The Brewer,” where you can watch a video online of each brew master introducing brews and giving an even more in depth history of each.

Chefs Press did not only decide to profile our local brewers, but we are also blessed with the “(Side) Bar.” Side Bars are profiles scattered throughout the entire book telling the story of people within our community who are living and promoting the craft beer lifestyle. Including home brewer turned Nano-Brewery owner Mike Hess and Hess Brewing Co., Hamilton’s Tavern, all the way to Doggie Beer Bones (A company using spent grain from brewing to produce doggy treats!). So as you can see, the book brings together brewers and the people who love and work with them.

San Diego is an amazing city, proudly having the best craft beer brewers in the nation as residents. We are honored with the title “America’s Finest City” for many reasons, including our craft beer scene. San Diego’s Top Brewers: Inside America’s Craft Beer Capital is a beautiful book written about a beautiful city, one that is without a doubt deserving of such a fine tribute. Chefs Press Inc. has created the ultimate homage to all the people who have worked tirelessly to create such a solid reputation for San Diego in the craft beer world.

To Bruce Glassman, Chefs Press and to all the people who have solidified San Diego as America’s Beer Capital– we raise our glasses to you!