Copenhagen born gypsy brewer Mikkel Borg Bjergsø took over AleSmith’s original San Diego brewery near Miramar Air Station. His first fixed location debuted in April 2016. The industrial park locale is now far more welcoming. 19 creative craft beer taps and colorful beer-themed pop art murals adhere to Mikkeller brewing and branding standards.

I enjoyed Mikkeller’s tart, easy drinking Berliner Weisse, called Brand New Normal, and the artfully bitter Brett-spiked IPA called Amoeba Amobe. I particularly appreciated Flat White Breakfast. This oatmeal stout is part of a Beer Geek stout series ranging from 7.5% – 12.1% ABV. Each label depicts the same man in different colored clothing and cap petting a cat, with a coffee mug floating overhead. Beer Greek Brunch contains coffee. Alternately, Beer Geek Vanilla contains, you guessed it, vanilla. Beer Geek Dessert co-stars cocoa and vanilla.

I opted for Flat White Breakfast, a play on Australia’s signature coffee drink, a foamy milk-capped espresso drink. In this case, an oatmeal stout incorporates locally roasted Dark Horse Coffee Roasters coffee and lactose, resulting in a toasty, creamy, dessert-friendly beer.