Beer of the Week: Moon Juice

Last week, I visited the FOX 5 studios to record my monthly beer segment for their morning news program. This month’s subject was under-the-radar breweries; businesses that may not have as much fanfare as the county’s big-name or just plain big brewing companies. One of the spots I was happy to shine a light on was Helix Brewing, which I described as “the pride of La Mesa.” It’s a fitting title, considering the East County municipality has been home to a number of breweries and brewery-owned tasting rooms, yet Helix is the only one that remains. Despite being in a non-residential area, the brewery has converted plenty of La Mesa residents into die-hard fans. So, it’s not under-the-radar to those folks, but most outside of its hometown aren’t aware of what a chill, fun place Helix is or the high quality of their beers, particularly their hoppy stock. Such is the case with many small, neighborhood-focused breweries that lack marketing resources or the ambition to go beyond servicing their immediate area. With these types of operations, the onus is on enthusiasts to make the journey, and this weekend will provide a nice impetus for doing so. Tomorrow, Helix will celebrate its 11-year anniversary with a party that is free to the public (no tickets is a big deal to owner Cameron Ball) and will include this week’s featured beer, Moon Juice. Tropicality was the goal with this West Coast IPA, and the mission was accomplished. Passionfruit hits the olfactory before reappearing on the palate with pineapple, orange zest and a citrus pithiness that brings balance to this hoppy fruit salad. Today’s craft-beer landscape looks much different than that of the 2010s. It’s largely populated by smaller breweries like Helix, the successes of which are based on connecting in a meaningful, lasting way with a customer base that consists primarily of their neighbors. It’s time to drink like a local in an even more local sense, and checking out a much beloved business on its 11th anniversary is one of the most splendid ways to do so.

One of my favorite parts of the brewing process is ripping open bags of hops, then instantly sinking my nose into the aromas where my mind and senses dance. The most recent crops of Strata (2025) and Australian Galaxy (2026) are loaded with juicy tropical citrus and passionfruit aromatics beyond previous years. I thought “Hey, I could make some moon juice with these two hops!” So I began thinking to revive Helix fan favorite Galaxy Rye IPA, which has been on tap since opening day, and turn it up to level 11 for our 11th anniversary. The beer is designed to be super pale in color using premium pale Pilsner malt to allow the hops to vibrantly shine. I’ve been a fan over the past years of using no hops on the hot side in order to bring out the ‘true to bag’ aromas in the finished beer. Building upon a favorite base of Citra and Mosaic hops, Galaxy and Strata send this beer to next-level aromatics. Those lucky enough to have snagged a taster on canning day have said this is the best beer they’ve ever had. I am a tough judge, but I can tell you that when I do crack a can of Moon Juice I can instantly smell it without even bringing it to my nose. I hope you can join the entire Helix team and I this Saturday as we blast everyone to the moon!”

Cameron Ball, Owner & Head Brewer, Helix Brewing

Helix Brewing is located at 8101 Commercial Street in La Mesa