When I reinstituted my Beer Briefs quick-hit style of reporting, I figured it would make occasional, rather sporadic appearances. I prefer digging into developments so I can provide longer-form articles, but with so much happening so fast of late, this has proven a helpful vehicle for keeping readers informed. So, without further ado, here are the latest news briefs from the San Diego County brewing industry.
Last December, The Lost Abbey moved on from its alternating proprietorship and shared tasting room at Mother Earth Brew Co.’s Vista facility, moving across town to the former Eppig Brewing production HQ on Keystone Way (pictured above). Managed by Mason Ale Works’ parent company, the facility includes a 30-barrel brewhouse and extensive cellar, both of which The Lost Abbey and company founder Tomme Arthur have made good use of while installing their own tasting room within the production area. That public space operated independent of the main taproom, which has served beverages from Mason’s portfolio of mostly San Diego-based brands since Mason took it over from Eppig in 2023. But soon, that entire production facility will be managed and operated by Arthur, who is in the final stages of negotiations to take over the space. The Lost Abbey will be open for tasting room operations and looks forward to using more of the building space for hospitality in the future. The Vista facility’s hours of operation are 4 to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, noon to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 7 p.m. on Sundays.
It was just two months ago that we reported on South O Brewing getting into the restaurant business. It was a logical move, given the fact both the company’s partners boast years of experience in the hospitality industry, including numerous restaurant launches. The duo poured their collective energy into revamping the eatery inside Pacific Coast Spirits into The Mill Room, a new spot offering an eclectic menu, craft cocktails and South O beers. It sounded promising, but last Friday ownership announced the venue’s permanent closure. In doing so, they thanked their patrons but declined to share the reasons behind the sudden (and quick) shuttering.
Founded in 2021, the San Diego Brewcycling Collaborative (SDBC) has done extensive work to assist members of the beverage industry in reducing unnecessary waste and helping their operations and even their consumers properly dispose of hard-to-recycle manufacturing- and packaging-related items. But they are far from done. This month, the volunteer-driven nonprofit launched its BrewSCRAPS Transportation Pilot Program, which aims to divert even more materials (malt bags, shrink wrap, polyester strapping) away from landfills, ultimately recycling them for reuse. So far, eleven local beverage companies have enthusiastically signed on to assist in these efforts, with Scripps Ranch-based kombucha company Juneshine serving as one of SDBC’s recycling hub, and Pizza Port Brewing working with sponsor organizations RahrBSG, Yakima Chief Hops and The Bountiful Bag to produce a special beer designed to help get the word out dubbed “Fermenting Change IPA”.