Aaron Justus and Brandon Green first met working the packaging line at Ballast Point Brewing’s Scripps Ranch brewery in 2012. Over their eight years with the Miramar-based company, the duo ascended the vocational ladder, with Justus working his way into the brewmaster role, while Green rising through the ranks to become head brewer. They remained close-working colleagues through it all while developing a friendship venturing beyond the brewhouse. The pair regularly hike local trails, following up their outdoor adventures with stops at local breweries. Those beery locales have served as the backdrop for much dreaming aloud about what it would be like if they opened their own brewery someday. What began as in-the-clouds what-ifs eventually progressed into real talk, and now, Justus and Green are taking a big leap, departing Ballast Point to go into business for themselves and bring their baby, East Village Brewing, to life.
East Village Brewing will be located on the ground floor of the Park 12 mixed-use development at the intersection of Park Boulevard and 12th Avenue, across the street from Petco Park. With just 1,000 square feet of brewery and cellar space, it won’t be a large operation in the literal sense, but Justus and Green have big ideas that go beyond beer. On top of brewing high-quality ales and lagers using thoughtfully sourced, wholesome and organic (when possible) ingredients, they aim to do all they can to be an environmentally friendly operation with the lowest carbon footprint possible.
“Sustainability and an ‘Earth first’ mentality is ingrained in our culture and will dictate every decision made at East Village,” says Green. “With our combined experience in the industry, we know how to improve processes throughout the brewery to minimize our impact on the environment.”
Justus and Green hope to debut East Village Brewing in the second half of 2021, unveiling beers brewed on a 10-barrel system, which will run across the entire flavor spectrum. “Aaron and I are hop heads to the core, so we will specialize in a variety of hoppy beers,” says Green. “Alongside that will be a range of balanced, easy-drinking lagers and mixed-culture barrel-fermented sours.”
Deciding to leave such high-profile positions at one of the county’s—and the country’s—largest craft brewing companies was something that required conditions to be right concerning the duo’s new venture. One of the big draws for Justus and Green was the neighborhood they will be entering.
“We love the vibe of the area. The East Village is absolutely exploding, and we’re excited to be a part of that energy,” says Green. “It’s not uncommon for us to go to multiple ballgames throughout the season, so being across the street from Petco is an added bonus.”
Ballast Point has maintained a strong presence at the Padres’ ballpark for years. Justus and Green have played key roles in the company’s partnership with the team, including development of specialty beers such as Pinstripe Lager, which was released as the Friars advanced to last year’s postseason round. Their former teammates at Ballast Point hate to see these free agents move on, but there’ll be no boo birds in the stands. Support for Justus and Green extends all the way up to the owner’s box.
“Aaron and Brandon have come up through the ranks at Ballast Point. Since the acquisition, they have been key members of my team and I will miss them,” says Ballast Point COO Chris Bradley. “They are talented brewers, and we support them in their future adventures.”
In recent years, the East Village has seen the arrival of a large influx of brewpubs and satellite locations from local and national brewing companies. Out-of-towners such as Melvin Brewing and AB InBev-owned 10 Barrel Brewing both exited after only a few years in operation, while smaller San Diego-based interests have managed to stick around despite the loss of the six-month draw to the area provided by the Padres due to COVID-19. The area is currently home to eight breweries and brewery-owned venues, with East Village Brewing joining Vista-based WestBrew’s upcoming kitchen-equipped tasting room on Island Avenue as local work-in-progress projects.
With this year’s Major League Baseball season figuring to be partially or mostly viewed remotely by fans, it may seem an odd time to stake a claim in the East Village. Throw in a pandemic and it’s an iffy proposition all around, but Justus and Green have their sights set well beyond this year and feel confident in their endeavor.
“Building a business and stepping into the unknown is always scary, even without a global pandemic, but Aaron and I see a lot of opportunity going into 2021. If COVID has taught us anything, it’s that flexibility is a must,” says Green. “We look forward to helping people through these uncertain times and serving great beer to the city we love.”
East Village Brewing will be located at 201 Park Boulevard, Suite 101, in downtown’s East Village community