Kellen Smith readily admits that his business, Division 23 Brewing, is, hands down, the hardest-to-find brewery in the county. Many are the thirsty travelers who’ve made a wrong turn or ten en route from Trade Street through the labyrinth-like Miramar industrial park it calls home. But those who’ve successfully navigated their way to Division 23’s tasting room have been rewarded with house beers and rec-room vibes (ping-pong, shuffleboard, TVs and a popcorn machine). Smith and his partners installed this hidden gem on the ground floor of their HVAC business’ offices in 2015. A fun side project doubling as an air-conditioning equipment showroom, it provided value to both businesses’ clientele. Smith says he has absolutely loved running Division 23 (a construction code referencing HVAC components) but over the past several years it’s been a struggle finding ample time to devote to the brewery. As such, its 10-year anniversary party, which will feature three bands and take place from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 24, will be its last day in business. Smith wants to bid his regulars farewell while offering them long-gone beers revived by Head Brewer Reed Miller. Ahead of that combo birthday and farewell fete, we caught up with Smith to talk about the past 10 years and his decision to exit the brewing industry.
What inspired you to start a brewery within your existing business?
The HVAC business can be very competitive and cut-throat at times. We wanted to start something that we could have more fun with. I’d say we 100% accomplished that mission. The beer community was so welcoming and collaborative that it made for a project which was a total departure from the day-to-day battles that we have in our other business.
What do you count as the greatest memories forged over the past decade?
There are too many to list. Starting D23 exposed us to the greatest industry to work in. The people associated with the San Diego beer scene are some of the nicest and most welcoming one could have the pleasure of being associated with. These past 10 years flew by, but the friendships that have been made in the industry will last forever. All those friendships made are going to be our greatest memories.
What were the biggest challenges you encountered as a brewery owner?
The biggest challenge for D23 has been managing operation of our main business along with the brewery. Unfortunately, we have not been able to spend the time on the brewery that it deserves. We built a fun spot and were able to hire some great brewers along the way. I believe if we’d have had some extra time to spend on it, D23 could have been great. Our other challenge was building the brewery in my office, which wasn’t in the greatest location for pop-in traffic.
What do you have planned for your tenth anniversary party?
The goal for the anniversary party is to go back in time and brew some of the first beers that we produced when we opened. The first beer we brewed on our system was an English pale ale from our first head brewer, Kevin Dougherty, and it’s probably my favorite beer we have brewed in the last 10 years. We will have staples like our IPAs, Bitter Foreman and Freight Damage, which were consistent fan favorites. Another fun one will be Spray Tan, a coconut porter that uses a ton of organic toasted coconut.
Do you have any parting words as you prepare to close the business?
I really just want to thank everyone for the support. From the regulars that we were able to regularly sit down and have a beer with, to the local brewing community that helped me more than I can express. We will miss all the smiling faces and conversations we had over D23 beers.
Division 23 Brewing is located at 7408 Trade Street in Miramar