Last month, the San Diego History Center (SDHC) at Balboa Park debuted a new exhibit touching on the history of the local brewing industry. Taste San Diego Craft Community and Culture provides just that, a figurative and literal amuse bouche capable of sparking greater curiosity in the county’s compelling craft-beer scene. For the foreseeable future (at least a year, though the exhibit may remain longer based on public reception), SDHC visitors can view photos and artifacts from the era preceding Prohibition shutdowns while familiarizing themselves with the variety of beermakers in operation today. One of those businesses, Little Miss Brewing, teamed with SDHC staff to provide a beer-tasting experience on site. Guests of legal drinking age can have a quartet of diverse beers from the Miramar-based company poured by “beer docents” at an on-site sampling space. Following the debut of the exhibit—SDHC’s second following 2013’s Bottled & Kegged: San Diego’s Craft Brew Culture—we asked SDHC President and CEO Bill Lawrence what visitors can expect.
What were the impetus and goals for this exhibit?
We love a good story and there is no better story than how San Diego has become known internationally for its craft beer. Even though the headlines tend to focus on the business aspect of it, it’s also a story about community coming together. We strive to capture the excitement of innovation along with the passion of the community. As a museum, we provide an educational opportunity for visitors to be able to sample something they might not feel comfortable doing in another space. We are not a bar and not selling beer. We are providing an opportunity to experience craft beer in a place you might not otherwise be able to find or try it.
What is the flow of the exhibit like?
As you walk in, an introductory panel addresses the question of why San Diego has become a craft-brew capital. The first part of the exhibition focuses on pre-Prohibition beer history in San Diego, what happened during the Prohibition era and the ensuing years using some of the historic imagery we are known for as well as some artifacts from our collection. This is where you will also see the beer docent from Little Miss Brewing, ready to discuss the selection of tastings. The second room picks the story back up in the early 1980s after favorable legislation opened the door for homebrewing, as well as a bit of an interactive experience on the main ingredients of beer, the brewing process and beer pioneers. Visitors can also take a seat to watch selections from the Kings of Craft documentary television documentary aired by KPBS in 2015. Overall, our goal is to make this exhibition experiential and informative, rather than simply didactic.
How did you come to partner with Little Miss, and do you plan to involve any other local breweries?
The SDHC and Little Miss had been working together for several years before the pandemic. We partnered during Balboa Park Food Truck Fridays as well as December Nights. [Owner] Greg Malkin and his team at Little Miss have been very supportive of the SDHC and this exhibition really takes our relationship to a new level. We are excited that they care about San Diego and its history. As the exhibition evolves and we determine the level of success, we could partner with other local breweries. We do see the concept being a long-term component of how we connect with the community to tell the history of our region.
How does the tasting portion of the exhibit work?
It’s a curated experience that is part of the exhibit rather than a “tasting room”. We do not have “bartenders”, we have “beer docents”. Little Miss Brewing offers four selections to provide both novice and seasoned palates with the flavor profiles of Little Miss IPA (full-bodied, bitter and hop-forward), Little Miss Porter (full-bodied, malty and dark) Little Miss Lager (light, crisp and smooth) and Little Miss Sour (refreshing, tart and fruity). It is an opportunity to try different styles and discover what makes them each unique.
The San Diego History Center is located at 1649 El Prado in Balboa Park. The “tasting experience” portion of the exhibit is offered from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m., Friday through Sunday. The cost is $10 for a flight of four samples or one full pint of a single beer.