Northern California may be known for its wine, but it's safe to say Southern California has made a name for itself on the craft-beer scene. In San Diego alone, dozens of microbreweries and nanobreweries turn out brews to taste, from Ballast Point Brewing and Spirits' gold-medal-winning Sculpin IPA to Breakwater Brewing Company's Beach Honey Ale, brewed with local grapefruit honey. That's where San Diego Brewery & Beer Tours comes in. The company has been in operation since 1972 under the name Five Star Tours and began offering brewery tours in 2011. To quench the thirst and feed the brains of beer lovers, the company provides tours of local breweries and local wineries so guests can enjoy and learn in a fun and safe way.

Guests can choose from various walking and driving group tours geared toward craft-beer novices and connoisseurs alike. Or they can design their own private tour by picking from more than 20 area breweries, such as Green Flash Brewing Co. and Belgian-inspired spot The Lost Abbey, whose co-founder talked to the Groupon Guide about Avant Garde, its "Saturday-afternoon beer." Each tour includes transportation, a tour guide, tidbits of beer trivia, and samples of brews, as well as the opportunity to find out whether the shape of the froth at the bottom of your empty beer glass can really tell you your future.