A decade ago, a technically new brewery opened in La Mesa, bringing with it a name familiar to a small number of ahead-of-the-curve beer fans who patronized a short-lived yet historically significant beer-making outfit born in a Quonset hut in Fallbrook in 1987. Dubbed Bolt Brewery, that fermented-beverage forerunner lasted a year before shuttering, but it remained so near and dear to one of the innovators behind it, brewer Clint Stromberg, that he and his then fiancée (and now wife), Molly, saw fit to resurrect it in San Diego’s East County. In doing so, they set up a headquarters, complete with a brewery-equipped Quonset hut and plenty of outdoor space for patrons to enjoy their beers, often in tandem with live entertainment.
“It was a personal journey Clint needed to see through,” says Molly. “With his 35 years of brewing experience and being one of the first to brew in San Diego county post-Prohibition, it felt important to bring the brand back to life. It brought him full circle.”
Located off Interstate 8 roughly a mile west of Grossmont Center, Bolt became a hangout for locals looking for equal parts suds and sunshine. The business’ expansive, multi-tiered patio and family-friendly environs made it an ideal site for all manner of public and private events. Selling almost all of their beer from that location, Bolt generated enough revenue to open a restaurant on India Street in downtown’s Little Italy neighborhood. That satellite venue quickly became the company’s top-grossing property, emboldening the Strombergs to try their hands at other non-brewing hospitality projects in La Mesa and Old Town San Diego.
It’s been an eventful 10 years for the couple, and while they’ve amassed many fans-turned-friends and brilliant memories they hold dear, the Strombergs say they are getting older and looking to simplify their lives. Running a brewery and a restaurant is simply too much, so they plan to sell the former in order to provide adequate energy and focus to the latter.
Bolt’s La Mesa property comes in at more than 5,000 square feet. The brewery and cellar account for 1,500 square feet, while 200 square feet of office space and a pair of bathrooms make up the other enclosed space. The aforementioned outdoor area comes in at 3,500 square feet. A purchase would include a 10-barrel steam brewhouse, two 30-barrel fermenters, seven 10-barrel tanks, three 10-barrel brite tanks, a semi-automatic keg-washer, forklift, 40-foot cargo-container cold box, 20-foot outdoor cargo container bar and two 20-foot storage units.
The Strombergs believe their HQ presents a solid opportunity for an entrepreneur that would be interested in adding on to the facility, building a full-on entertainment venue and perhaps delving into production of alternative beverages such as cider or distilled spirits.
Back in Little Italy, the only significant post-sale difference will be that Bolt will no longer supply its beer. But the Strombergs say they’re not concerned about that since there is a wealth of amazing breweries producing high-quality beers with which to stock their taps.
We will continue full operation of the Little Italy location, hosting local beer brands and hopefully becoming an outlet for other small breweries to showcase their beer in a downtown venue. We love the Little Italy community. They have supported us for many years and have become our family. We enjoy the bar-and-restaurant aspect of this location, giving us the opportunity to feature not just great beer but beautiful cocktails and amazing food.”
Molly Stromberg, Co-owner, Bolt Brewery
In particular, the Strombergs call out the chef at the Little Italy location, Juan Haro, for his contributions, including a new brunch menu that will debut on September 7. It’s a peek into the future for operators who are eager to turn the page, thanks mostly to how much they enjoyed the events and characters in the preceding chapter.
“I think our greatest accomplishment was being able to serve our community. We hosted so many charity events, created a place for people to come together and supported live music acts,” says Molly. “We had such a broad range of success, beer being the root of it all, but we all know, in the end, it is the people that matter and we have had so many amazing people come into our lives because of the venture. We are so grateful.”
The Strombergs invite parties interested in the possibility of purchasing Bolt to reach out to them via email. Until they find a buyer, they intend to continue operating the brewery as they have up to this point. And when it comes time to transition to a new operator, the couple says they intend to do everything they can to make it an easy, seamless process for them as well as Bolt’s dedicated customers and vendors.
Bolt Brewery’s headquarters is located at 8179 Center Street in La Mesa, and its satellite bar and eatery is located at 1971 India Street in Little Italy