Baja California

Best of Baja 2015 | Norte Brewing Co. is the Best Tasting Room in Tijuana

Voted best by our readers and our first Best of Baja winner.

By SanDiegoRed Staff2015-12-30T19:46:40+00:00

A parking lot in the middle of Calle 4ta in Downtown TJ sounds like a sketchy place to spend a memorable night.

But, just like an oyster with it's ugly shell, you'll find a secret pearl inside of it, and that's Norte Brewing Co. A true pearl hidden inside a rough and unattractive exterior.

All of this changes once you're inside the place, which is located on the far northeastern end of the fifth floor. You're met by a warm, dim light and dark walls. On your left, you'll be able to see the brewing process and on the right side an incredible view of Downtown Tijuana, the San Ysidro border and if there are clear skies, Downtown San Diego.

The incredible Norte Brewing Co. view. Photo: Norte Brewing Co. Facebook page

With this incredible view we are able to appreciate why this wine-producing land has also become craft beer land. It's also easy to notice that the U.S. Mexico border is just a line painted by bureaucracy. Tijuana has somehow managed to copycat San Diego's craft beer city status.

Unfortunately, since the craft beer boom, we've been overwhelmed by producers trying to take advantage of the market. The ones who are trying to offer a legit, quality product are overshadowed by those who are riding the hype wave or have a very radical beer approach just to get themselves noticed. This is something I talked with one of Norte's brewers, Germán, by comparing beer with a burger. It doesn't matter how many ingredients you add to a burger, either blue cheese or the highest quality bacon there is. If you don't start with a good piece of meat, the whole dish falls apart.

That's Norte Brewing Co.'s key to success. It doesn't overwhelm itself by doing a mixture of fruity Belgian beers or flavory stouts. They go for the simpler but well-produced type of beer, an IPA, a Red Ale and a stout. Norte's IPA has the classic hues, a hoppy flavor that doesn't overwhelm your taste buds. The stout has a sweet flavor without the need to add coffee, peanuts or oatmeal. Adding to this, are the bartenders' service, who really explain how the beer was produced, with the patience and dedication of offering other products that will satisfy your craft beer cravings.

An incredible customer service, a homely atmosphere and an unpretentious quality product makes it easy to see why Norte Brewing Co. won our Tasting Room of the Year spot, according to our readers and staff team.