Brandon Hernández

Brandon Hernández is a native San Diegan and award-winning journalist with a passion for the culinary arts and all edible and quaffable fare. He is an editor for Zagat Survey and a communications specialist for Stone Brewing Co. In addition to his work for the Reader, he is also the San Diego correspondent for the nation's oldest craft beer publication, Celebrator Beer News, and a contributor to national outlets including Wine Enthusiast, Imbibe, The Beer Connoisseur, Beer West and Tasting Table. He has served as a consultant for Food Network, contributes to U-T San Diego's "Superdiners" panel and has contributed to numerous chefs' cookbook projects.

See Brandon Hernández's site-user page to view Brandon's site comments, and to follow Brandon's site activity.

Recent Articles

Amplified Ale Works ups volume

California Kebab’s anniversary happening amid brewhouse flux

If you’d have told me one of the best new breweries of the past year would be a nano operation ...

Beer of the Week: Mother Earth Big Mother IIIPA

India pale ale? family-run Vista brewery says, "make it a triple!"

Last year was the first in which triple IPAs like Russian River Pliny the Younger and Dogfish Head 120-Minute IPA ...

Urge: Craft Alley hires brewer

Vet of The Lost Abbey, Boulevard to helm upcoming Vista brewpub

Earlier this week, I reported that the owners of Urge Gastropub and two other Rancho Bernardo businesses would be going ...

Add' adds new wine director

The Grand Del Mar's Addison replaces stand-out sommelier

There’s no use crying over spilled milk, but I’ll shed tears over vino. I nearly did last March, when I ...

Taking the monkey by the paw

A first taste of new brewmaster's wares at Monkey Paw Pub & Brewing

In February, Monkey Paw Pub & Brewery (805 16th Street, East Village) brewmaster Derek Freese unexpectedly gave notice at the ...

Urge bowling into Vista

Urge: Craft Alley to bring brewpub, bottle shop, bowling alley to North County

Looks like my burger buds are on to their next project. The owners of Rancho Bernardo’s Urge Gastropub, a trio ...

Beer of the Week: Green Flash West Coast IPA

Celebrating the winner of a recent San Diego India pale ale challenge

Last week, I put out the word that I’d be judging a San Diego IPA challenge at Hotel Solamar’s LOUNGEsix. ...

Happy New Beer: 2012's Best Breweries

There were more new brewery openings than there were months in 2012, and the field is as varied as it is extensive, ranging from veteran brewers looking to challenge the big boys to guys with ...

Fall Forward

San Diego beer-pairing with autumnal cuisine.

Autumns are short in America’s Finest City. The transition from summer’s dog days to mall-Santa season seems like it happens in the blink of a sunglass-shielded eye. But it’s worth taking time to enjoy this ...

Accessible Gourmet Fare

Mid-range restaurants, gastropubs, and shops taking things to the next level.

Nowadays, I spend much of my time eating in restaurants or locked up in my office documenting those experiences. But before I wrote my first word about food, most of my time was spent in ...

Omakase in O'side

Omakase: patrons sit down at the sushi counter, and the chef working it goes to town presenting dishes of his or her choosing, amped to share these items with anyone willing to put themselves into ...