Chris V.
Yelp
I would just as well have visited the actual brewery, but this taproom was a convenient alternative.
Modern Times Flavordome is what's otherwise known as a bar, but it's a taproom because it only serves up brews created by the local San Diego brewery appropriately named Modern Times. During my exploration of the world of craft beers, I've really enjoyed this brewery's products and have been able to try their delicious beers and coffees both near (at the brewery itself, which they call the Modern Times Lomaland Fermentorium) and far (back home in bars and via cans and bottles which are rather well-distributed in stores).
My friend and I took a Lyft here and beelined past the various nearby restaurants to make our way to this mecca. We found the entrance in the alley just inside of the outdoor "patio." He was staying a bit more sober tonight anyway but I was able to pick out a couple of brewery-only selections out of the 15 or so available. Well, it was more like 12 after noting that they'd run out of some beers (obviously due to popularity; they were crowded if not packed), and after crossing out about half of the beers which I'd tried before, I found myself not taking as much time as I'd thought to pick out my pours.
I got two beers in the style of NE (New England) IPA, which is also "officially" termed juicy IPA or hazy IPA. Aside from the ubiquitous turbidity in the liquid, characteristics of this style include tropical fruit flavors and lower bitterness than more traditional India Pale Ales and tend to have tropical fruit flavors. They're currently a fad if not an outright trend in and permanent addition to the craft beer world.
My 8 oz pours happened to be $4.50 for each of my selections, the Dinosaur World and the Outside Worlds. Dinosaur World has a bit more of the traditional/popular NEIPA flavor profile with heavy contribution from Citra and Mosaic hops, and it's great. I was surprised to find myself enjoying Outside Worlds more because I found it easier to taste the tropical notes (perhaps pineapple and guava) from start to finish.
Only one of their coffees at most is available on draft (they had run out on this particular evening), but you can take home cans and beans if you wish. Beer cans and bottles are also available in the fridge, and they definitely do crowler fills as I observed when my friend picked one up to go. If you're unfamiliar with the terminology, imagine a aluminum can, but much bigger and made of steel. They have the technology to fill these up and seal them so that you can take them home to drink later.
Although I prefer the lofty, spacious brewery location of Modern Times (and the selection of coffee drinks for immediate consumption), this Flavordome is still awesome and may be more conveniently located depending on which part of San Diego you're in. I'll be more than happy to come back here if the opportunity should arise.