The 3,200-square-foot location formerly housed Bitter Brothers Brewing Company from January 2016 until what they described as a “temporary closure” in August 2022. Despite no formal announcement, Bitter Brothers never opened again.

Latchkey will take control of the 15-barrel brewhouse and tasting room and start operating as a brewpub with a food element in the coming weeks. With on-site food, plenty of parking, and an established place in the San Diego beer scene, Latchkey seems set up for success after a long slog through uncertainty. I, for one, am glad the latchkey kids have finally found themselves at home.

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

O’Brien’s Pub Named #1 Beer Bar in The U.S.

San Diego beer bars are something special. Now that O’Brien’s Pub has been named the best beer bar in the US by USA Today, the whole country knows it.*

The Kearny Mesa craft beer icon opened in 1994 by Jim O’Brien before he sold it to Tom Nickel of Nickel Beer Co. O’Brien’s second co-owner Tyson Blake also owns and operates The Pub at Lake Cuyamaca with his wife Kristina and Nickel, as well as San Diego Brewing Company, which is open during renovations.

To celebrate the win, O’Brien’s is throwing a party on Saturday, March 9 with beer and food specials, and have plenty of events lined up for the coming months, including a Pink Boots Society Tap Takeover in April, a floral event for Mother’s Day and more.

Pizza Port Is Officially An Elder Millennial

Pizza Port opened its first location in Solana Beach in 1987, long before San Diego became the beer powerhouse it is today. On Saturday, March 23 from noon to 5 pm, they’re celebrating 37 years of cold beer and tasty pizza with a Cardiff Crack Tri-Tip special from Seaside Market (I mean, how could they not), a cornhole tournament, a tie dye station, and oh yeah, probably some beer.  

Beth’s Bites

Bonjour Patisserie is now open at 320 West Cedar Street in Little Italy. Bring on the danishes!

San Diego has yet to hit peak hot chicken, and there’s more coming. Houston Hot Chicken is coming to Gaslamp in the coming months. 

I’m a huge fan of meat markets (not that kind—get your mind out of the gutter). La Carniceria in Chula Vista caught my eye recently, but I wonder: is there anything specific I should pick up? Let me know at [email protected]. 

*USA Today did tap me for the initial nomination process in multiple categories, but I did not personally vote or solicit votes on anyone’s behalf.

Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].

The post Latchkey Brewing Finds New Life in Bay Ho appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

2AM Bike Ride

Fall Brewing | 5% ABV

Give your usual Guinness a rain check and try a stout from San Diego’s favorite punk rock brewery. 2AM Bike Ride—a vanilla bean stout and nitro pour in collaboration with one of San Diego’s top coffee roasters—may be love at first sight. This light mouthfeel brew features a special edition Guatemalan roast from Dark Horse Coffee (which you can order online from Fall Brewing), infused with chocolate malt, roasted barley, flaked oats, and British malts. This caffeinated nitro brew offers a welcome kick, perfect for jumpstarting a lackluster date on the town.

Little Secret Milk Stout

Eppig Brewing | 4.1% ABV

Surprise your soulmate with this little secret from Point Loma’s Eppig Brewing. This dark chocolate stout is enriched with the rich aromas of maple syrup, espresso, and bakers chocolate, ideal for pairing with the dessert of your choice. The added lactose and maple syrup give it a creamy texture and sweet aftertaste that can enhance any Valentine’s Day plans.

Stone Xocoveza

Stone Brewing | 8.1% ABV | 50 IBUs

Inspired by the rich flavors of Mexican hot chocolate, Stone Brewing’s Xocoveza imperial stout is a hearty reimagining of your abuela’s favorite drink. This special batch collaboration between Tijuana’s notorious Cerveceria Insurgente brewery and award-winning San Diego homebrewer Chris Banker has become a fan-favorite among Stone’s seasonal beers. With a mix of chocolate, vanilla, coffee, cinamon, nutmeg, and pasilla peppers, this blend is well worth seeking during cuffing season. Crafty DIY mixologists should also check out Stone’s beer-nog recipe using Xocoveza for a twist on an old favorite.

Victory at Sea

Ballast Point | 10% ABV | 60 IBUs

If you’re not having success in the dating game, at least you can have Victory at Sea. This high ABV porter from local brewing empire Ballast Point packs a punch with flavors from the coffee beans of North Park’s Caffe Calabria, along with hints of caramel, vanilla and malt. At select breweries and Ballast Point locations, beer aficionados can try their barrel-aged, 12 percent ABV variant flavored with the smoky casks of High West Bourbon or their Chai Victory at Sea featuring masala chai along with cinnamon, cloves, black tea, and cardamom for a spiced alternative to this classic stout.

Velvet Phenix Marshmallow Mocha Stout

North Park Beer Co. | 5.8% ABV

Valentine’s Day plans fell through? Rise like a phoenix from the ashes and visit North Park Beer Co. for a stout that will definitely make you fly. One of the smoothest stouts around, the Velvet Phenix Marshmallow Mocha Stout is a mix of Chicago’s Dark Matter coffee beans, cacao nibs, and vanilla. This mocha stout has a silky smooth mouthfeel just like velvet.

Obsidian Cliff

Pure Project | 13.2% ABV

Often overshadowed by the brewery’s excellent hazy’s, IPAs, and kombuchas, Pure Project’s Obsidian Cliff is certainly worth a sip. This high ABV stout is brewed with cacao, vanilla wafer, marshmallow, and graham cracker flavors and aged for 13 months in Old Fitzgerald bourbon barrels where it develops a smoky accent. Inspired by the great outdoors of Yellowstone National Park, The Obsidian Cliff stout is a potable s’mores sandwich best enjoyed in the company of your loved one around a campfire.

Peanut Butter Milk Stout

Belching Beaver | 5.3% ABV | 30 IBUs

Belching Beaver’s Peanut Butter Milk Stout is likely already high on your list of sweet brews but you can’t celebrate Valentine’s Day without mentioning it. While peanut butter flavors dominate the brew, hints of dark chocolate, rolled oats, and lactose greet you with each additional sip. Those with a sweet tooth top this stout with a scoop of ice cream for an alcoholic root beer float that won’t disappoint. Belching Beaver’s iconic brew is the perfect desert beer nightcap for a beer-lovers’ Valentine’s Day.

The post 5 Chocolate-Infused San Diego Beers To Try on Valentine’s Day appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Here’s what they had to say.

What’s a word you’d use to describe the San Diego craft beer scene and industry in 2023?

Rebooting

“I feel that everyone was still getting over the pandemic, so this [was] a year of recovery.” –Esthela Davila, Board of Directors member, San Diego Brewers Guild

Motivated

“San Diego can’t be the greatest beer city forever, can it? Time will tell, but we can surely try. Every business and household feels the struggles of the economy right now, but all we’ve seen this year is continued motivation to succeed and support our communities of beer lovers throughout San Diego.” –Erik Fowler, Executive Director, San Diego Brewers Guild

Modernizing

“This wave of the digital age continues to advance, and craft breweries everywhere are faced with fresh opportunities to develop the way we brew and to strengthen the relationship with our customers. Over the last year in San Diego, I’ve seen shifts in trends that tell us a lot about what our customers want to drink, what they care about, and how they want to interact with our brand.”

“It’s exciting to evolve and grow both with our community and our beer, learn from and share ideas with brewery collaborators, experiment with hyper-creative products from our hop growers, and interact with our audience in totally new ways.” –Mackenzie Kline, Marketing Director for Burgeon Beer Company

What do you predict the San Diego craft beer scene and industry will be like in 2024?

Smaller

“[There are currently] over 150 breweries in San Diego. [With] the changing market dynamic, there will likely be a shift in the number of breweries.” –Chad Heath, Chief Operating Officer, Beer Division for Karl Strauss Brewing Company

Recovering

“The way craft beer has changed and shifted has all breweries really looking at how they can try and get out of the pandemic hole and gain the high ground.” –Davila

Innovative

“New products, business models, and ways of engaging with beer drinkers are all things we’ll see more of in 2024.” –Fowler

Modernizing

“I’m carrying this concept over to 2024 because it feels like technology is becoming more sophisticated with each passing second, and craft breweries will continue to go along for the ride in the new year.”

“How do we re-imagine our operating practices to reduce our carbon footprint and respond to the urgent climate crisis? How do we reach a wider audience by opening new channels or expanding existing ones? How do we push the boundaries of our craft even further? New methods and tools are at our fingertips, and I’m here for it!” –Kline 

What openings, closures, accomplishments, events, or people are significant to note in 2023?

“Anyone that opened this year really comes to mind—GOAL Brewing, Fall’s second location, Thr3e Punk Ales’ second location—but none more so than Joann Cornejo and Eddie Trejo, the owners of Machete Beer House, opening their second spot, La Nacional, on Third Avenue in Chula Vista. They have always been about great beer and drinks. Now, with adding food to the mix, I see nothing but great things for this place!” –Davila

“Kristina and Tyson Blake purchasing San Diego Brewing Company is pretty sweet in my book. Two of my favorite people in the business [leading] such a legacy brewery for San Diego will only help push our industry in a positive direction.” –Fowler

“[I have to note] Paige McWey Acers for passionately and expertly acting as the executive director for the SDBG for 10 years. [I have] deep admiration, empathy, and respect for the founders and staff of breweries that had to make difficult but necessary decisions in 2023, [and I offer] encouragement and friendship to new and upcoming breweries.” –Kline

Any other thoughts you’d like to offer about the San Diego craft beer scene as we look back on 2023 and toward 2024?

“One of the things we used to say at New Belgium is that hope is not a plan. We also know that you can’t have a plan without hope. It is time for execution, excellence, and really listening to the voice of the customer.” –Jen Briggs, acting CXO for Karl Strauss Brewing Company

“San Diego Beer Week is back, and I can’t wait to see what it will look like in 2024. We in the craft beer community really want to see everyone succeed, so I see nothing but amazing things for #SDbeer in 2024.” –Davila

“There has been a generally negative outlook on the brewing industry in San Diego throughout 2023. While not completely unjust, I think it’s important to not see it in a vacuum. The industry has matured and, although some of our favorite breweries may have changed or closed, it’s presented opportunities for new breweries to welcome to the neighborhood. The same skepticism doesn’t seem to be applied to restaurants and other businesses, but, at the moment, there are a lot of parallels between the struggles of the beer industry and most other industries made up of small, independent businesses.” –Fowler

“Providing breweries bring their A-game to the table in 2024, I feel it will be a good year. You can’t be a hobbyist and be successful in craft beer anymore. You have to run it like a thriving business where you invest the time and effort to make your brand well-represented.” –Heath

The post Year in Review: A Look Back at San Diego Beer in 2023 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

White Labs, beer

Updated on August 9, 2022

A coalition of California-based businesses have united with one goal: create San Diego’s first estate beer. Estate beers are brews created with purely hyper-local ingredients to showcase the specific terroir of a region. They remain extraordinarily rare due to challenges like varying growing conditions, climate change, and crop availability. But for those who manage to grow, process, and brew beer in one place, the results can wholly encapsulate the concept of “local.”

Tom Kiely, general manager at Thorn Brewing Company and Slow Beer chair of Slow Food Urban San Diego, first came up with the idea of a San Diego estate beer in 2017 while working on a campaign promoting California-grown grain. As he met with local farmers, he realized there was a disconnect between what’s being grown here and what’s being purchased elsewhere by breweries.

“San Diego has the most farms and farmers of any county in America, yet we import most of our grain from the Mountain West [and] Canada, hops from Washington and fruit from Oregon,” says Kiely. “The goal of a San Diego estate beer is to create new styles of beer based on ingredients native to San Diego.”

Admiral Maltings co-founder Ron Silberstein joined the project early on, saying estate beers have a unique ability to encourage innovation and create symbiotic relationships between brewers and farmers in ways regional or national beers simply can’t. “The large maltsters blend barley from multiple varieties, regions, countries with the aim of uniformity [and] consistency,” he says. “That’s great for a national brewer, but annihilates any regional quality.”

San Diego’s First Estate Beer Collaboration

Courtesy of Admiral Maltings

By connecting local breweries with local farmers, developing more sustainable (as well as less costly) shipping practices, and potentially investing in infrastructure that could expand services like a local malting facility, the San Diego estate beer project hopes to join a very, very small fraternity of truly local craft beers, including ones from Sierra Nevada in Chico, California, Jester King in Austin, Texas and Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine. Of course, there would be some bragging rights as well.

“San Diego used to be known for having the best breweries,” says Kiely. “Now the rest of the country has caught up. What makes us different or special? How many counties or cities are developing new styles of beer to support farms that already exist? I don’t know of any.”

A commercially available San Diego estate beer is months, if not years away. But partners such as the San Diego Brewers Guild, Slow Food Urban San Diego, White Labs, Admiral Maltings, local homebrew and beer education club QUAFF, Seed Consulting Group, and more are hoping to increase awareness and participation through the first San Diego estate beer homebrew competition. Brewers are invited to use all locally sourced ingredients to capture the true essence of San Diego beer.

White Labs, testing

Unlike other competitions, parameters won’t be limited to strict Beer Judge Certification Program styles (though it is BJCP sanctioned). Instead, they’ll be judged using criteria such as “best use of local ingredients” and “best definition of local,” allowing homebrewers to creatively flex under guidelines that prioritize terroir rather than historical terminology.

“Through our first step with the homebrew competition, we hope the creativity of homebrewers shows us what local means,” explains Erik Fowler, head of education and craft hospitality at White Labs.

Registration for the homebrew competition closed July 30. The winners will be announced in August during the club’s general meeting, and the winning brews will be featured in November as part of the first San Diego Estate Beer Project Pro-Am Competition at Guild Fest during San Diego Beer Week. Follow the hashtags #SDEBP and #SDBeer for more information.

A version of this story was also published in our August 2022 issue which can be purchased here.

The post San Diego’s First Truly Local Beer appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

I’m not making light of those with real sensitivity to gluten. Eighteen million Americans are sensitive to the protein, and three million have the much more serious Celiac disease. I am making light of my friends who glom onto diet fads thinking it’ll make their exes come groveling back.

The heightened awareness of gluten dealt a pretty good blow to San Diego’s craft beer scene. But all is not lost, thanks to craft beer chemists, especially the industry leaders over at White Labs in Miramar. They discovered enzymes (called Clarity Ferm) that reduced the gluten level in beers below 20 parts per million. According to international and U.S. standards, foods or drinks with that level should be able to label themselves “gluten free.” But they can’t. Not yet, at least. Because labeling laws are overseen by the TTB and FDA, which are government agencies. Government agencies are not known for their exquisite speed, nor logic. So, for now, beers using this enzyme have to call themselves “gluten-reduced,” instead of “gluten free.” Celiac disease sufferers have drank Clarity Ferm beers and reported no adverse effects.

Best part is Clarity Ferm doesn’t significantly alter the taste of craft beer. So it’s a pretty genius product during these times of gluten terror. And Duck Foot Brewing in Miramar was the first San Diego brewery to treat all of their craft beers with it back in 2015. Why? Because their co-owner Matt DelVecchio was diagnosed with Celiac, which put a damper on his love of craft beer. So he and partners Brett Goldstock and Suzy Pessutti created Duck Foot to make craft beers he (and other Celiac sufferers) could drink. They’re now in over 500 bars, restaurants, and other outlets—and this week they’re opening a brewery restaurant, whose menu will be entirely gluten-free and “moderately health conscious.”

There will be 16 taps at the location, including some of their most popular beers (double white IPA, blonde ale, coconut IPA, pilsner, honey ale), seasonal batches (Irish stout, red ale, imperial stout, Belgian saison), and limited-edition releases that won’t be available anywhere else. The food menu is overseen by local chef Stevan Novoa. There are beer-friendly apps l(crispy garbanzo beans with house togarashi, elote, charcuterie board), plus main dishes like beets in a mole sauce; Japanese sweet potato with shimeji mushrooms, beer ponzu, and mint-pomegranate pesto; meatballs with dried fruit, pine nuts, kefir yogurt, opal pesto; and sticky short ribs with blood orange glaze, chermoula, and brocollini. Bar snacks/apps

The 1,500 square-foot Duck Foot East Village is going into 550 Park Blvd, former home of Parlour, between Market and Island. It’s designed by Jessica Kovarsky of Studio Aya, the same creatives who did their minimal, vaguely comic-loving original location. Grand opening is Labor Day weekend. duckfootbeer.com 

First Look: Duck Foot East Village

First Look: Duck Foot East Village

First Look: Duck Foot East Village

First Look: Duck Foot East Village

First Look: Duck Foot East Village

First Look: Duck Foot East Village

First Look: Duck Foot East Village

First Look: Duck Foot East Village

First Look: Duck Foot East Village

The post First Look: Duck Foot East Village appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Beerfest & Over-the-Line Tournament

Where: Mariner’s Point park, Mission Bay

When: May 19-20, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Beach, beer, and softball—three good things that aren’t often experienced at exactly the same time. Except during OMBAC’s Beerfest and Over-the-Line Tournament, a two-day softball tournament held on the sand at Mission Bay’s Mariner’s Point, featuring food trucks, beer, and spirits from the likes of BNS Brewing, Bay City Brewing, OB Brewery, Alesmith, Coronado Brewing, Thorn Brewing, Mason Aleworks, and Cutwater Spirits.

(This weekend tourney featuring 120 teams in various divisions is not to be confused with the World Championship Over-the-Line-Tournament held in July.)

Admission is $35 with advance online purchase on Eventbrite.

Lobster Week at Beerfish

Where: Beerfish

When: Until May 19, from 11:30 a.m. until sold out

New day, new chef-created lobster menu. That’s the theme of Lobster Week at the no-frills North Park seafood destination Beerfish this week. Every day a new chef will prepare sustainable fresh Maine lobster in their style of choosing and pair with a different craft beer. Each day’s menu is available for $17 beginning at 11:30 a.m. until sold out.

The chef lineup is as follows:

• May 15: Antonio Ley and José Rodrigo Figueroa of Corazon de Torta/La Carmelita, with SouthNorte Beer Company
• May 16: Juan Carlos Récamier of Ceviche House, with Thorn Brewing Co.
• May 17: Karen Barnett of Small Bar, with Burning Beard Brewing
• May 18: Mike Arquines of Mostra Coffee, with Modern Times Beer Co.
• May 19: Tyson Blake of O’Brien’s Pub, with Eppig Brewing

San Diego Taco Fest

Where: Waterfront Park

When: May 19, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Nothing says San Diego quite like eating tacos with a view of the bay. Head to Waterfront Park this weekend for live music, Mexican wrestling, Chihuahua races, and—most importantly—tacos from thirty local eateries. Participating restaurants include Tamarindo, Salud, Lucha Libre, City Tacos, Lolita’s, and more. Come hungry, leave full of tacos.

Tickets are $30-35 and do not include food and drink.

I Love Poke Festival

Where: Bali Hai

When: May 22, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Poke-lovers take note: For one price, you can try poke from 30 different chefs and restaurants including Island Life Foods, Bali Hai, Sweetfin Poke, Surf Side Deli, and The Lanai. The I Love Poke Festival offers that unlikely option as part of its celebration of Hawaiian food and culture. Bites, music, and dancing, all come with a $75 ticket; drinks priced separately.

4 Food and Beer Events to Get You out of the May Gray Funk

San Diego Taco Fest

The post 4 Food and Beer Events to Get You out of the May Gray Funk appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Enough talk. Enjoy the first known photos of Viewpoint.

First Look: Viewpoint

First Look: Viewpoint

First Look: Viewpoint

First Look: Viewpoint

First Look: Viewpoint

First Look: Viewpoint

First Look: Viewpoint

First Look: Viewpoint

First Look: Viewpoint

First Look: Viewpoint

First Look: Viewpoint

The post First Look: Viewpoint appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

But with restaurants like Campfire, Land & Water Co., and now Waypoint Public opening in North County, the sad days seem to be over.

Waypoint made a good name for itself in North Park with its first location, a wide-open spot where food from Rich Sweeney is crafted with the intention of tasting great with craft beer. This second location is a 3,450 square-foot space in the Del Sur Town Center.

So, really, you got two things that are really hot in San Diego right now—craft beer and Del Sur. Del Sur is an affluent, developing corridor that connects Rancho Bernardo in the East and Del Mar in the West. Lots of money, good schools, a whole new city.

In any new development, you’re going to get chains. You need them, for toilet paper and necessities. But thankfully places like Waypoint—done by locals, for locals—are also getting pulled into the evolution of the area. Soul is nice.

ELE Collective is the group behind this, Park & Rec in University Heights, and Hotel Vyvant in Little Italy. Partners are Sweeney, John Pani, and Travis LeGrand. For Waypoint Del Sur they brought on Frank Ternasky of Delawie Architecture (The Grill at the Lodge, Mission Hills Country Club) and interior designer Marianne Berg of Mbee Design Studio (Park & Rec, Waypoint, Hotel Marisol).

The space is bright, popping with color. Blues and yellows and whites and browns and woods. It looks like Nantucket exploded in here, and the aftermath is restrained, geometric, and kinda beautiful.

Check out the photos below, and then go see it for yourself.

Waypoint Public Del Sur, 16480 Paseo Del Sur, Del Sur, waypointpublic.com

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public

The post FIRST LOOK: Waypoint Public appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

On Saturday, March 12, 2016, Embarcadero Marina Park South will once again be host to Best Coast Beer Fest – Will Ferrell’s beer festival of choice.  The festival benefits Cancer for College, a non-profit that provides cancer patients and survivors with college scholarships.

The festival will offer approximately 7,500 guests the opportunity to sample and learn about over 200 beers from over 80 craft breweries. In addition to featuring many of California’s craft breweries, guests will experience local cuisine, bands and the evening session will feature a movie screening.

A Note from Will Ferrell:

Join a few thousand of your closest friends on March 12th for Best Coast Beer Fest

If you’re interested in attending the most amazing beer festival while helping out the single most important cause in recorded history, keep reading. If not, take a moment to throw your computer into the ocean. Every ticket sold supports my favorite charity, Cancer For College, and helps a cancer survivor realize their dream of a college education.

Plus, you’ll get to taste beer from nearly 100 of the West Coast’s craft breweries, enjoy the sweet sounds of local bands and possibly enjoy a sensible lunch from our food truck alley. To re-cap: You. Beer. Music. Food trucks. San Diego Bay. The whole shebang. There is no physical way in the universe you can enjoy a day better than this. We’ve done the research. It’s science.

GENERAL ADMISSION

Tickets are $50 Per Session and Include:

• Entrance to the festival from either 1-4pm or 5-8pm

• A souvenir tasting cup

• Unlimited beer samples

VIP ADMISSION

Afternoon VIP SOLD OUT!

EVENING VIP

Tickets are $75 and Include:

• VIP entrance line

• Entrance to the festival

• Souvenir pint glass

• Unlimited tacos

• Access to the exclusive VIP area including: Taste reserve brews, Private executive restrooms

For more information, visit bestcoastbeerfest.com

Grab your tickets HERE

For more information, follow #bestcoastbeer fest here: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Join a few thousand of your closest friends on March 12th for Best Coast Beer Fest

The post Join a few thousand of your closest friends on March 12th for Best Coast Beer Fest appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

That’s what San Diego’s Ballast Point reportedly received for selling their company to Constellation Brands last week. Ballast had the No. 1 selling beer in San Diego (Sculpin) and is second only to Stone Brewing Co. in terms of size. Started in 1996, they built a significant craft beer empire, and cashed in.

That’s news. But the bigger news is that San Diego is now the Silicon Valley of craft beer. Long the capital of America’s craft beer movement, led by Stone (which, from the beginning, has railed staunchly against the anti-competitive practices and tyranny of big brands), San Diego is now the Land of Craft Beer Acquisition.

Earlier this year, local brewer Saint Archer sold to MillerCoors for a reported $85 million, after only three years of operation.

Expect to see speculators from Diageo, AB InBev, Heineken, Constellation, MillerCoors and other international beverage brands kicking the tires of the craft beer routes in Miramar, Mira Mesa and Escondido/San Marcos very soon. It’s a craft beer land-grab in these here parts, and you can bet other giant corporations don’t want to be the last one in on the action.

What does this all mean? Well, it means craft beer is now popular enough that it makes economic sense for big brands—who have always been more interested in the commodification of beer rather than the artistic pursuit—to gobble up as many of the successful craft brands as possible.

Is this a sign of the Craftageddon?

Some San Diegans I’ve spoken to this week are enraged. “Sell outs!” they scream. Others are a little discouraged, feeling that San Diego is losing the most distinctive identity we have in the food and drink world: Craft Beer City, U.S.A. Now our “craft beer” scene will be owned and operated by Giant Corporations X, Y, and Z, who don’t live here.

But calling someone a “sell out” seems a preciously naïve view on the world. Ballast Point has invested 20 years of hard work, financial risk and investment into building their brand to the tipping point that lured Constellation. Who the hell are we, as consumers, to begrudge them for wanting to take a huge payday for their work? If you build a brand from the ground up and have the financial opportunity to take care of your family for generations to come (not to mention buy a killer surf paradise somewhere in Costa Rica, and maybe a private jet), you’re telling me you would pass up that opportunity?

Well, kudos, purist.

When I was a music journalist, indie-rock fans used to call bands “sell outs” when they licensed their music to national brands for commercials. I was guilty of the name-calling in the beginning of my career. But after a few years in the job—seeing countless musicians with great music and “critical acclaim” wallow in poverty—it struck me how incredibly unfair the entire “sell out” concept is. Begrudging an artist (and craft beer has definitely imbued themselves with the aura of art) monetary compensation for their work, even on a gigantic scale, is the selfish tact of artistic communists. Some would consider artistic communism a great thing, of course. But America isn’t a thriving environment for communists to survive or thrive. Never has been.

If you work to build something special, and are presented with an opportunity to sell it to someone and guarantee financial security for you and your loved ones, especially at this point in the lackluster era of the American economy—go for it!

Near the end of my tenure as the music editor for San Diego CityBeat and host of an indie-rock TV show in San Diego called “Fox Rox,” young bands would often come up and ask for advice in regards to commercial licensing of their music. My answer was always: “Sell out! For the love of god, sell out! Don’t let a morally bankrupt company use your music and paint you as someone who supports sweatshops and unfair labor practices that oppress the poor, but sell out to the right people without hesitation!”

So I’m not begrudging Ballast Point or Saint Archer a thing. Most businesses are built with “exit strategies.” Meaning the very intent is to build a worthwhile brand and then sell it to the highest bidder. There is nothing wrong with that. They built it with their own two hands. They can sell it with their own two hands, too.

That’s my thinking. Or… it WAS my thinking until this morning when I spoke with a few craft beer insiders in San Diego, and they brought up a startling point that I can’t ignore.

I’ll reveal their insight into the craft beer gold rush in my next post this week…

Sell Outs!

Paul Body

The post Sell Outs! appeared first on San Diego Magazine.