Try this eastern loop that takes you through El Cajon, Alpine, Julian, Ramona, La Mesa and Santee. If you want to do the full loop, you'll need the entire day, but you could also break it into just the northern breweries (Ramona and Julian) or just the southern breweries (Santee, Alpine, La Mesa and El Cajon). You might also want to consider booking a brewery tour that will chauffeur you around while you enjoy a few samples at each stop.

It's no secret that craft beer lovers are a generally hip and cool lot who relish the opportunity to sip a few cold ones with friends, talking about hopes, dreams, and hops. The craft beer community, in turn, embraces the idea that a tasting room or beer garden should be a comfortable, laid back, friendly atmosphere that encourages relaxation and the pure enjoyment of great brews. To that end, many tasting rooms around the county have been intentionally designed to feel like the living room or rec room of your own house.

Something amazing is brewing throughout San Diego. The region's craft/micro/nano breweries are turning out innovative beers, including the West Coast IPA (a local twist on the IPA), that have been pushing the envelope and sweeping award ceremonies at national and international contests.

Whether you consider ownership, accolades, or simply fame and fortune, the restaurant, cocktail, and beer industries are largely dominated by men. But in San Diego, there's a rising stock of female masters taking the food, beer, wine, and cocktail scene to another level. Here's a look at some of the city's top food and drink mavens, and where you can taste or sip their creations.