In 2019, the most recent non-pandemic year, local brewing companies fitting the San Diego Brewers Guild’s definition of “craft” had an economic impact of $1.2 billion and were responsible for nearly 6,500 jobs. Additionally, San Diego ranks among the top five cities, nationwide, in number of operating breweries, brewpubs and tasting rooms. It’s something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the City of San Diego, which not only appreciates the contributions of brewing operations within its limits but is celebrating them via its new Business is Brewing microsite.
Created by the Economic Development Department (EDD), Business is Brewing is accessible from the City of San Diego’s main website. It includes a map populated by breweries, brewpubs and tasting rooms with pop-up information about each business as well as a separate map indicating those interests’ operating status (open, temporarily closed, permanently closed).
“Business is Brewing’s primary mission is to serve as an informational resource for multiple audiences, primarily current and prospective beer manufacturers and tradespeople, who can learn more about the existing cluster; the operating status of breweries, brewpubs and tasting stores amid the COVID-19 pandemic; and City of San Diego economic development programs and incentives available,” says EDD Director Christina Bibler. “A second, much broader audience is beer enthusiasts who reside in or visit the city and want to see which beer establishments are open, worth exploring or have award-winning beers on tap.”
The research and web development for the microsite is funded by the EDD’s budget for its Business Expansion, Attraction and Retention Division. That arm collaborates directly with local businesses in an attempt to assist fruitful or promising operations to expand and further succeed.
“EDD has a history of partnering with beer manufacturers to site new facilities, to assist with ministerial navigation and due diligence, and to expedite the permitting processes so they expand their presence here in San Diego,” says Bibler. Fittingly, the EDD researched, designed and built the Business is Brewing microsite, which was first launched in 2018 and relaunched in April 2021 with more updated resources and new interactive features.”
The microsite also includes the economic impact report from California State University San Marcos’ Office of Business and Research Analysis from which the data in the opening paragraph of this article was taken, a water quality report, links to COVID-19 relief programs as well as support services and resources for breweries. There is also a section listing some of the local beers that have taken medals at the Great American Beer Festival, World Beer Cup and San Diego International Beer Competition.
Additional features will be added to the site, including a look at the history of the beer industry in San Diego, an updated 2021 class of award-winning brews and information on new resources which may benefit members of the beer industry. Meanwhile, breweries are encouraged to contact the EDD to update their information and offer suggestions for the website.
“Because of San Diego’s national prominence in beer manufacturing and San Diegan’s interest in all things beer—from the homebrewer to beer behemoths like Ballast Point Brewing and AleSmith Brewing growing up in our backyard—it is essential that the City of San Diego supports this industry.”