Beer of the Week: Illumination

In the old days, individuals interested in getting into the craft-beer industry would often do so by offering their services to brewery owners, often free of charge. It proved a rather effective form of instruction. There’s nothing like actually doing the job to teach an aspirant what that occupation is all about. This practice also helped countless professional brewers get their foot in the door and start their careers. This doesn’t happen nearly as often nowadays for a variety of reasons (not the least of which is the fact it’s illegal). Key among them, locally, is the existence of accredited vocational training programs set up for aspiring brewers at community colleges. Locally, MiraCosta College‘s Technology Career Institute awards a Craft Brewing Technician certificate through its BrewTech program, and San Diego Mesa College offers a Fermentation Management curriculum. Established over the past decade, both have helped brewers, cellarpeople and other craft-beer professionals get their start, while providing local brewery owners with quality candidates equipped with understanding of the job they want that goes beyond mere curiosity. Sean Haggerty, the owner of Miramar-based organic beer business, Protector Brewery, onboarded a BrewTech graduate and is singing his praises in relation to this week’s featured beer, Illumination. This organic blonde ale predates that hire, but Haggerty says it wasn’t until the industry entrant took a shot at massaging its base recipe that it really shined. (See what I did there?) Resultantly, fans have flocked to this sessionable, everyday drinker, with its mild, fruity aromas and rich cereal notes. Seeing that professional certificate his applicant’s résumé helped Haggerty identify a solid employment candidate, while saving that staffer from weeks or months spent toiling away in a situation that, traditional or not, would have been iffy in terms of landing a job, not to mention more than a tad sketchy.

Our Illumination Blonde Ale is brewed with Organic Maiden Voyage Malt and Organic Midway Malt from Admiral Maltings to give it a sweet aroma and subtle biscuity flavor. We infuse organic Contessa hops for aromas of floral and light pear. This combo of ingredients turned out great for this 4.4% ABV (alcohol-by-volume) brew and makes it a great go-to beer at both our Hide Site and our Miramar taproom locations. This beer is also a step up with the help of MiraCosta College TCI’s BrewTech program. Protector hired Jonathan Morris from the program, and the partnership has helped refine our quality control and just make our whole production better in so many ways. That program is the real deal for the San Diego beer industry and a great curriculum that is local within our community. Shoutout to Jonathan and the BrewTech program. Both helped get this beer elevated to become one of our best-sellers.”

Sean Haggerty, Founder & Head Brewer, Protector Brewery

Protector Brewery is headquartered at 8680 Miralani Drive, #128 in Miramar, and its Hide Site taproom is located inside the Intercontinental San Diego Hotel at 901 Bayfront Court, Suite 102 in downtown San Diego