Panoramic is one of North Park Beer Co’s opening-day beers, poured at their North Park, San Diego taproom back when it opened in 2016. It was built as a San Diego pale ale: dry, lean, and stripped of malt sweetness so the hops do all the talking. I have had this one at home, on a hike, and at the brewery itself over the last while, so this review pulls from all of it.
Panoramic at a glance
| Style | American Pale Ale / West Coast IPA (San Diego Pale Ale) |
| ABV | 6.5% |
| IBU | 40 |
| Calories | Around 210 per 12 fl oz (estimate, not on an official label) |
| Brewery | North Park Beer Company, San Diego, California |
| Hops | Simcoe and Mosaic |
| Malt | Pilsner malt with a touch of Honey malt, kept deliberately light |
| Community rating | 3.79 out of 5, from 829 ratings (original recipe) |
| Status | Retired as a year-round release, revived as a limited anniversary beer |
Is Panoramic discontinued?
Sort of, and it is a genuinely interesting story. The original Panoramic, the 6.5% ABV, 40 IBU San Diego pale ale reviewed here, is officially listed as no longer being produced by the brewery. It was one of four beers on North Park’s opening-day tap list back in 2016, alongside Covington American Pilsner, Beaufort Black American Stout, and the Ray Street West Coast red ale, and it eventually rotated out of the standard lineup.
It did not disappear for good, though. North Park brought Panoramic back as part of its 10th anniversary celebrations, reworked as a double dry-hopped West Coast IPA at 6.2% ABV and 50 IBU with a heavier hop bill (Amarillo, Columbus Cryo, Mosaic, Mosaic Cryo, Simcoe, and Simcoe Cryo). That version has already picked up a strong 4.12 out of 5 rating and has shown up as a purchase-online release on North Park’s tap list. If you are hunting for the exact original San Diego pale ale, expect to find it mostly on collector trading sites now; if you just want to taste something called Panoramic, the anniversary DDH version is your best bet through the brewery’s own site.
How it tastes, by the numbers
The full review
Panoramic pours a clear, light gold, closer to a lager in color than most pale ales, with a thin white head that settles fast. That clarity is on purpose. North Park turned the malt bill way down here, using a clean Pilsner malt with just a touch of Honey malt, specifically so nothing gets between you and the hops.
The nose is Simcoe and Mosaic doing exactly what they are known for: tropical fruit, fresh berries, a streak of grapefruity citrus, and underneath it that resinous, piney dankness that is basically the house style for San Diego brewers. On the palate it drinks drier than the aroma promises, with a snappy 40 IBU bitterness that keeps it from tipping into fruit-juice territory the way some modern hazy pale ales do.
At 6.5% ABV it is stronger than it tastes, which is the trap with a lot of West Coast pale ales built this lean. It stays crisp and refreshing through a full glass rather than turning heavy, and the dry finish makes it genuinely easy to keep reaching for, especially outdoors.
Where I’ve actually had this one
Panoramic is the kind of beer that travels well, so I have gone through it in a few different settings, from home to the taproom itself.
At home, straight from the can
Poured into a wide glass on the kitchen counter, the head built up thick and settled slowly, giving me a good look at the clarity before I got into it. This is where I first noticed how light the color really is for a beer with this much hop character.
On a hiking trail
Cracked one open on a break partway through a trail walk. The dry, hop-forward profile works well here since it does not sit heavy the way a maltier beer would after you have been moving.
On the back deck
This is probably the beer’s natural habitat: a warm evening, a view, and nothing else going on. The citrus and pine notes read especially well outdoors, away from any kitchen smells competing for attention.
A flight at the North Park taproom
Ordering a flight at the actual taproom is the best way to taste Panoramic next to North Park’s other beers side by side, and it makes obvious how much drier and more restrained Panoramic is compared to some of their hazier, sweeter IPAs.
At the bar, watching the tap list
Sitting at the bar itself with the full tap list in view is the move if you want to catch Panoramic or its anniversary DDH version while it is actually pouring, since availability moves around depending on what is fresh.
On tap at a different bar
This one showed up on a guest tap list at a bar away from North Park’s own locations, poured into a house pint glass. Good confirmation that this beer holds its own outside the brewery’s home turf, not just as a taproom-exclusive novelty.
Panoramic is proof that a pale ale does not need a big malt backbone to feel substantial. Strip the malt down far enough and the hops end up doing more work than most IPAs manage.
The Simcoe and Mosaic hop combination Panoramic leans on is the same pairing behind a lot of San Diego’s best-known pale ales and IPAs, prized for stacking tropical fruit on top of resin and pine rather than leaning purely citrus or purely dank.
- Big Simcoe/Mosaic hop character without heavy malt weight
- Dry, clean finish that stays refreshing glass after glass
- Genuine piece of North Park’s opening-day history
- Revived periodically for anniversary releases
- The original recipe is no longer in regular production
- Not distributed nationally, San Diego and limited releases only
- Light body may feel thin if you want a fuller pale ale
Who it is for
If you like your pale ales dry, hop-driven, and unweighed down by malt sweetness, and you are into tracking down West Coast brewery history along the way, Panoramic is worth the hunt, whether that means the original can or the anniversary DDH reprise.
Where to buy Panoramic
Panoramic is a San Diego-only release with no national distribution, and the original recipe reviewed here is no longer in production, so it is not currently listed on Saucey. If you want something with the same San Diego pale ale/West Coast IPA DNA, here are five real alternatives you can actually get delivered right now.
The verdict
Panoramic earns its status as a North Park Beer Co cult favorite. It is a lean, dry, aggressively hopped pale ale that punches well above a beer with this little malt weight behind it, and its opening-day history and periodic anniversary revivals only add to the appeal for anyone into San Diego brewing.
FAQs
Is Panoramic by North Park Beer Co discontinued?
The original 6.5% ABV San Diego pale ale version is no longer in regular production, but North Park has revived Panoramic as a limited double dry-hopped West Coast IPA for anniversary releases.
What is the ABV of Panoramic?
The original recipe is 6.5% ABV. The revived anniversary version is 6.2% ABV.
What hops are in Panoramic?
The original recipe uses Simcoe and Mosaic hops. The anniversary reissue uses a bigger bill: Amarillo, Columbus Cryo, Mosaic, Mosaic Cryo, Simcoe, and Simcoe Cryo.
Where can I buy Panoramic?
It is a San Diego-only release without national distribution. Check North Park Beer Co’s own taprooms and online store for the anniversary version, or see our alternatives above for something similar delivered to your door.
How many calories are in Panoramic?
Around 210 calories per 12 fl oz, based on published estimates for a beer of this ABV and style. It is not listed on an official nutrition label.
Who makes Panoramic?
North Park Beer Company, based in San Diego, California. They were named 2022 GABF Brewery of the Year in the 2,001 to 5,000 barrel production category.
What rating does Panoramic have?
The original recipe holds 3.79 out of 5 from 829 ratings. The revived anniversary DDH version is rated higher at 4.12 out of 5 from 180 ratings so far.
What glass should I use for Panoramic?
A standard pint glass or tulip glass works well and helps hold onto the hop aroma. See our beer glassware guide for more on matching glass to style.
