It was 1996 when brothers Rick and Ron Chapman took over a vacant Orange Avenue restaurant space in Coronado with plans to bring their island hometown its first taste of truly local beer. Coronado Brewing Company’s (CBC) origin story is common in this day and age, but back then the Chapmans were far ahead of the curve. Their beer enthusiasm predated San Diego’s craft-beer culture, and while they understood the quality presented by that liquid medium, they quickly discovered that most of their would-be customers did not.
“In the beginning, it was hard to sell beer, as many of the retail accounts didn’t understand this new thing called ‘craft’,” says Rick. “It took lots of pavement-pounding, and educating accounts and consumers on the joys of craft beer. I guess you could say we were lucky that we opened the pub before we really started trying to sell our beer outside our doors.”
Early on, the Chapmans referred to their brewpub as their “golden goose.” The location provided them an opportunity to grow their brand in their small hometown and cultivate a fan base before attempting to grow CBC beyond its namesake municipality. It was beginning of a slow and steady advancement that has seen CBC evolve into one of the largest, strongest craft-beer brands in San Diego County and beyond.
According to data compiled by national trade organization, the Brewers Association, CBC is the 49th largest craft brewing company in the country in terms of beer production. Its ales and lagers are distributed in 12 U.S. states and 10 countries. Even with that vast reach, 80% of the company’s sales come from California.
“It’s been a hell of a ride with many ups and downs,” says Rick. “We’ve been fortunate to have continued to grow the last few years, so we’re just continuing to focus on our brands and making excellent craft beer for our customers.”
Meanwhile, the Chapmans’ staff are setting their attention on celebrating CBC’s 30-year anniversary. Rather than plan a singular event to do so, they opted to spread the party out over the entire month of August.
“Extending the celebration gives our fans more opportunities to experience and appreciate the special beers, merchandise and features we’ve created, many of which pay tribute to our history, legacy and where we started,” says CEO Clinton Smith. “It also helps keep the excitement going, because after one big party people tend to move on and the memories fade. Thirty years is a milestone worth celebrating over time, and as we’ve grown as a brewery, this felt like the right way to honor it.”
While CBC’s August release calendar includes a pumpkin-spiced addition to their award-winning hard cider line, it will mostly provide a trip down memory lane. Today, the company is releasing what Smith refers to as “the McRib of San Diego Beers”, Mermaid’s Red. A “California amber ale,” the beer was retired in 2018, then brought back as a limited annual offering in 2023 in response to customer demand. Next up is a re-release of former core offering Islander IPA on Friday, August 14, followed by a guava-infused version of that beer on Friday, August 21.
Additionally, there will be food specials, and pints and six-packs of CBC’s enduring citrus- and honey-infused wheat ale, Orange Avenue, will be discounted at both of the company’s locations all month long. And on CBC’s official anniversary, Monday, August 31, pours of all beers will be offered for just $5 apiece.
Coronado Brewing is located at 1205 Knoxville Street in Bay Park and 170 Orange Avenue in Coronado