Beer of the Week: Benchmarked

How many brewers does it take to bring a long-gone beer back into existence? Apparently, the answer is four. It’s a taller total than one might expect, but it’s getting tougher and tougher to find locally produced Belgian-style ales, much less ales of that ilk which were discontinued years ago. But Benchmark Brewing‘s Table Beer wasn’t just some one-off wonder. As recounted just last month in our brewery-retrospective series, Rear View Beer, it was a workhorse core creation for a Grantville business which was highly thought of by craft-beer fans and local fermentationists alike. Erased from the market when Benchmark shuttered in 2019, it’s been far from forgotten, especially by its creator, Matt Akin. Now the head brewer for Miramar-based Duck Foot Brewing, Akin still produces a quality variety of Belgian-inspired beers, but not that memorable monastic-style singel, much to the chagrin of fans like veteran San Diego brewer Colby Chandler. Tired of a world without Table Beer, he got in touch with a pair of friendly contemporaries who felt the same way, San Diego Brewing (SDBC) Head Brewer Chris Hotz and Societe Brewing Head Brewer Teddy Gowan. From there, they pitched the idea of reviving the beer to Akin, and in February the quartet assembled at SDBC for a four-way collaboration that yielded this month’s featured beer, Benchmarked. Back in the day, Benchmark’s Table Beer was one of my go-tos, so it was with great pleasure that I cracked open a crowler of this redux. It’s been some time, but it seems the only real differences between Benchmarked and its progenitor are lower carbonation and a slightly higher ABV (alcohol-by-volume). We’re talking 4.4% versus 4% and a tad less spritz…hair-splitting. On the flavor front, Benchmarked exhibits the restraint that made Table Beer so drinkable. Bubble gum, kitchen herbs and earthy spice are all there, but none of those characteristics takes over. They tantalize rather than insist upon themselves, comingling instead of competing. The result is a fun, light-hearted and flavorful trip down memory lane. Long live, Table Beer!

Brewed in collaboration with Colby Chandler of All Things Agave, Matt Akin of Duck Foot Brewing and Teddy Gowan of Societe, this 4.4% ABV Belgian table beer is a bright, refreshing take on a classic farmhouse-style sipper. Light-bodied and highly drinkable, it opens with soft notes of fresh bread, subtle spice and a delicate hint of fruit from expressive Belgian yeast. Gentle herbal aromatics and a crisp, dry finish keep each sip lively and sessionable, while a touch of rustic character adds depth without heaviness. Designed for easy enjoyment, this collaborative table beer is nuanced, refreshing and endlessly crushable.”

Chris Hotz, Head Brewer, San Diego Brewing Co.

San Diego Brewing Co. is located at 10450 Friars Road in Mission Valley