January 2020 seems eons removed from the world we’re all living in, especially for a certain family well known among craft-beer enthusiasts. That clan, the Mcilhenneys, seemed to have everything going for them. Pat and Val Mcilhenney were enjoying time in their new home of Vancouver, Washington, while their son, Shawn, and his wife, Jamie, were readying themselves for the arrival of their first child back in Alpine, the town sharing the name of the brewing company the family founded in 1999 and went on to make internationally famous. While Pat was no longer involved with that business—which was sold to Miramar’s Green Flash Brewing in 2014—Shawn still worked there…until his sudden and unexpected release in January 2020. It was shocking, especially with a baby on the way, but the family soon received some good news that would get them back on track. And that track would lead them all back to the pair of suites where they founded Alpine Beer Co.
The Mcilhenneys were informed that the lease on those suites, which were still being operated by Green Flash, was about to become available. The family, which had been contemplating getting back into the business of beer and had even explored potential sites in Alpine, mobilized immediately and eventually regained control of the units with the intention of starting a new venture, Mcilhenney Brewing. From the moment news of that project broke (via San Diego Beer News), the family was showered with support from beer fans who’d lamented the family losing control of their interest, and pelted with questions about when their new business would open. That was nearly a year ago and, though the exact debut date isn’t set, licensing is complete, beers are being brewed and, if all goes to plan, those ales should be ready for public consumption at Mcilhenney Brewing’s tasting room next month.
“We have had an outpouring of support from the beer community and the local Alpine community. We are so grateful for all those that have reached out and showed up to help us rebuild our family legacy,” says Pat. “After so many years in this amazing industry, the whole family is very ready and excited to start this new chapter.”
Mcilhenney Brewing will truly be a family affair. Pat, who served as brewmaster in the Alpine Beer days and showed his son the ropes, will join his wife as a brand ambassador, contributing both brewing and business expertise. Shawn will run day-to-day brewing operations, while Jamie (a Pizza Port veteran) will manage the tasting room and overall business operations.
The duo of suites will be used as they have been in the past, with the easternmost unit serving as the tasting room, and its counterpart for brewing and cellaring. But there will be significant differences. The tasting room is outfitted with a brand-new bar, draft system, crowler machine, point-of-sale system and merchandise display. In addition to its 750 square feet of interior seating, there is 1,300 square feet of revamped outdoor public space out back.
The brewery now sports an oversized 15-barrel Premier Stainless brewhouse that will feed into the original fermenters and cellar tanks the Mcilhenneys were able to acquire from Green Flash. Shawn is excited about working on a more modern system and eager to use it to bring some new recipes to life. He says the overarching goal will be to have a little something for everyone. The initial beer menu will include a variety of hoppy beers (pale ales, IPAs and a double IPA), a dry Irish-style stout, blonde ale and red ale. Lagers will eventually make it into the mix, and down the line a barrel-aging program will be instituted.
There have been many hurdles for the Mcilhenneys to leap over to get this far. The only one left is making sure they have enough beer on tap to open their tasting room to the masses of patrons eager to welcome East County’s first family of brewing back to the #SDBeer fold.
“We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel. Our goal has always been to produce a wide variety of quality beers for all who want to enjoy them, and that will never change,” says Pat. “We are fortunate to have many loyal friends that are willing to drink beer with us.” That could be one of the biggest understatements in San Diego beer history.
Once open, Mcilhenney Brewing’s hours of operation will be 2 to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday, and noon to 7 p.m., Friday through Sunday. No official opening events are planned as of yet, but the Mcilhenneys say every day is a party for them and that they can’t wait to enjoy beers with their friends and fans again.
Mcilhenney Brewing’s tasting room is located at 2363 Alpine Boulevard in Alpine