San Diego Beer Week may have come and gone, but there is no shortage of big news within the local brewing industry. The following are current events pertaining to local fermentationists and brewery owners, all of which are moving onward and, most likely, upward…or at least staying put. Take a look and get up-to-date on the latest within the San Diego County suds scene.
When any type of business closes, talented individuals are left in search of their next opportunities. Such was the case when Oceanside-based Black Plague Brewing abruptly shuttered in September after an impressive eight-year run. A tough economy and industry-specific challenges were to blame for the closure as opposed to quality beer, which many associated with the brand. All the same, the individual largely responsible for the reliability of Black Plague’s products, Head Brewer Aeryk Heeg, found himself looking for a new job at a less than opportune time. Fortunately, it wasn’t long before a company recognizing his talent, passion and energy snatched him up and added him to their team. That business is Scripps Ranch-based Harland Brewing, which brought Heeg aboard to join a team of veteran brewers in the manufacture of their varied line of ales and lagers. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue chasing my dream alongside some extremely talented brewers,” said Heeg, who has taken over as Lead Brewer and will also assist with research and development.
In June, husband-and-wife duo Eric and Cassie Goforth purchased eight-year-old Ramona operation, Smoking Cannon Brewery, from its founders Mike Nelson and Natallie Philips. A mere five months in, faced with an inability to produce enough beer to meet demand, the couple is taking steps to convert their combo brewery and taproom into a facility focused solely on production. In order to do that, they needed to secure a spot to house a new public venue, and they found just that a block-and-a-half from their current site. That 855-square-foot space is located at 638 Main Street, with 400 square feet of patio seating out front and a whopping 2,000 square feet in the back. The latter is shared with neighboring business Pamo Valley Winery, with which Smoking Cannon is cross-licensed, meaning customers will be able to enjoy both businesses’ beverages in either space. The new tasting room is expected to open sometime in the first quarter of 2026.
Over the past week, visitors to Blind Lady Ale House may have spied a bright yellow public-notice sign taped to the windows of the Normal Heights business announcing an application for an ownership change. Located at 3416 Adams Avenue, the beer-centric pizza pub (and home of nano-sized BLAH Brewing) was launched in 2009 by ex-Stone Brewing fermentationist Lee Chase (who left the business in 2021, moving to Portugal), and restaurateurs Jeff Motch and Clea Hantman, and now stands as one of San Diego’s most lauded, long-running craft bastions. As such, the thought of it having been sold has raised worry and concern among devotees, but according to Motch there is no need for either. As explained in a smaller handwritten note taped above the notice, Motch and Hantman – who are husband and wife – are merely changing their corporate documents, which led the local office of the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to mandate the posting, which they admit is confusing and potentially scary for their clientele. So breathe easy, BLAH fans, nothing other than those documents will change and there has been no sale.