In 2012, Latitude 33 Brewing was launched as a mid-sized operation inside the original Vista home of Green Flash Brewing. In its initial iteration, the business produced a portfolio of beers that was out of the norm, even for the more adventurous 2010s, and included a vanilla porter, honey-hip golden ale and English-style IPA. The brand achieved mild success, but its approach completely changed after the company was taken over by entrepreneur Mike Ingram in 2014.
Under Ingram’s direction, Latitude 33 shifted its focus from brewing a wide range of styles to producing high-volume core brands, leading with a blood orange IPA that quickly became one of the most ubiquitous and “sticky” (a term used to describe tap handles that remain steadfastly affixed at retail accounts for years) beers in San Diego County. Armed with an established and successful anchor brand that could be produced via contract-brewing agreements at a much lower cost, Ingram sold the company’s Vista facility to kombucha concern Local Roots in 2019.
After switching to contract-brewing, Latitude 33’s production and sales numbers increased, thanks most recently to Latty 88, a low-calorie lager introduced earlier this year. That and Latitude 33’s other brands, including its hard seltzers, are part of parent company Latitude Brewing LLC. Today, that entity is welcoming a new member after acquiring the brand of Barrio Logan-based Thorn Brewing.
“We’re thrilled to bring Thorn Brewing into the budding craft coalition,” says Ingram. “Their dedication to quality, creativity and community aligns with our values, and complements our strengths.”
Thorn’s origin story is similar to that of Latitude 33, in that it started small and became something much larger. The business also opened in 2012. Going by its original moniker, Thorn St. Brewery, the company was founded on its namesake street by a trio of homebrewers producing all manner of styles sold mostly out of their tasting room. That spot gained a fast and fervent following, producing a solid reputation and demand for the young company’s beers outside its four walls. The latter inspired the establishment of Thorn Brewing, a production-geared operation focused on growth via distribution.
In 2017, Thorn took two giant strides forward, opening the doors to a 10,500-square-foot brewing facility in Barrio Logan and signing with Stone Distributing Co. to get its beers to retailers throughout Southern California. Behind a lineup headed primarily by various IPAs and lagers, Thorn flourished until, like many larger-sized breweries, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic made for a number of challenges that turned the company – and the greater craft-beer industry – on its head. Righting the ship has been the focus for Thorn’s leadership since 2020, but has proven immensely difficult given the company’s scale.
Ingram says Thorn’s brewing facilities, as well as its taprooms in Barrio Logan and North Park, will continue to operate independently under TSB2 LLC. Furthermore, the company’s beers – which figure to remain largely, if not entirely, the same – will continue to be distributed throughout San Diego by Classic Beverage, and to other Southern California locales outside the county by Scout Distribution.
What will be different are the added financial, management and business resources being provided by Latitude.
We look forward to growing both brands together by maintaining Thorn’s independent spirit and signature offerings while leveraging the combined production, sales and marketing capabilities of both brands to continue delivering top-tier products to consumers throughout Southern California and beyond.”
Mike Ingram, President, Latitude Brewing LLC
Ingram says the acquisition will enhance both brands’ market reach and production capabilities. It’s an extension of a collaborative relationship that’s existed since Latitude 33 started having its beers contract-brewed by Thorn earlier this year.
Thorn Brewing is located at 1745 National Avenue in Barrio Logan, and Thorn St. Brewery is located at 3176 Thorn Street in North Park