When contemplating expansion via a non-manufacturing hospitality venue, brewery owners typically spend a great deal of time examining the pros and cons of various communities in search of an ideal fit. Such was not the case for Bill DeWitt and Zack Brager, co-owners of Sorrento Valley’s California Wild Ales. They’ve talked about opening a satellite tasting room for a few years. All the while, they only had eyes for one unique locale—Ocean Beach.
“The idea of California Wild Ales was born in Ocean Beach. Both Zack and I were living there at the time and couldn’t find any barrel-aged sours or wild ales, so we set out to make our own,” says DeWitt. “OB was the only place we ever considered for our second location. We love this neighborhood and the vibe that OB puts out into the world. We are so excited to become part of the fabric of this community.”
The opportunity for DeWitt and Brager to realize their dream came when non-alcoholic and THC-infused beer operation Two Roots Brewing decided not to renew its lease on a tasting room on Newport Avenue. The company inherited the satellite when it purchased the assets of defunct Helm’s Brewing in 2017. With the pandemic and the challenges presented to breweries care of government regulations geared to curb the spread of COVID-19, Two Roots ownership decided it best to vacate OB. Interest in the space was instantaneous, with several breweries inquiring about it as soon as news broke about its impending availability.
California Wild Ales’ new tasting room comes in at roughly 1,200 square feet and is equipped with 16 taps. DeWitt and Brager expect to offer at least 10 different sour beers, with the remaining half-dozen taps reserved for some “surprises.” Revamping the venue to match California Wild Ales’ motif will take a while, so for now the rough arrival time frame for the OB tasting room is the first half of 2021.
Less than a block away from DeWitt’s and Brager’s new digs, Chula Vista-based NOVO Brewing recently took over a tasting room previously operated by Culture Brewing when that Solana Beach-based interest opted to focus its attention on a new satellite space in Los Angeles’ Manhattan Beach community. That spot, which serves NOVO’s beers as well as the alcoholic offerings of its NOVA Easy Kombucha sister brand, debuted to the public in last month. Even with COVID restrictions in place, that location has done well, drawing solid patronage behind an infusion of color that’s in line with the colorful OB community. The avant garde nature of California Wild Ales’ wild, sour, fruited and barrel-aged brews stand a good chance of being embraced by a neighborhood where out-there is in and originality is appreciated above almost all else.
“Ocean Beach has been home to my family for 12 years. I am beyond thrilled to have a presence here and introduce the community to something different than your traditional IPA,” says DeWitt. “Our adventurous wild ales are the perfect beverage for those who want to send their taste buds on a wild ride. We hope to follow in the footsteps of other iconic OB locations such as OB Noodle House, Hodad’s, Nico’s, OB Hardware and more.”
California Wild Ales’ satellite tasting room will be located at 4896 Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach