Ballast Point San Francisco en route

Today, Kings & Convicts Brewing, the San Diego-headquartered owner of Ballast Point Brewing, announced it is moving forward with a retail expansion of the 25-year-old craft brewery into Northern California. Plans to open a brewpub in San Francisco were originally announced in 2018 but later halted in 2019 by former owner Constellation Brands prior to the sale of Ballast Point to Kings & Convicts. Ballast Point San Francisco is expected to open by the end of the year and will join the craft brewery’s five Southern California locations in San Diego, Anaheim and Long Beach.

Kings & Convicts also announced that, after careful consideration, it will permanently close its Chicago Ballast Point Kitchen and Taproom in the West Loop. The Illinois-born Kings & Convicts remains committed to the greater Chicagoland area and is focused on projects that better align with the future of both independent breweries. This includes a continued focus on Ballast Point’s formidable roots in San Diego and future growth in its home state.

“We love Chicago and will remain invested in the region with Kings & Convicts, but have decided it’s in the best interest of Ballast Point and its long-term success to focus on our roots in San Diego and California as a whole,” said Brendan Watters, CEO of Ballast Point and Kings & Convicts. “The ability to highlight our products in a tasting room across from a world-class entertainment facility and as part of an incredible development in San Francisco aligns well with our vision for Ballast Point.”