The first phases of a new project bringing together multiple concepts in an eco-friendly framework are near completion in Barrio Logan. Dubbed “The Boiler,” the collective of sorts is set in the Fraser’s Boiler Service Building at 1735 National Avenue, adjacent to Thorn Brewing’s production brewery and tasting room. One of the founders of that beermaking interest, Dennis O’Connor, has led conceptualization and implementation of the project, which takes reuse and upcycling of its furniture, décor and products to impressive levels with a goal of zero waste. That includes the expired beer used to create vodka and gin from O’Connor’s ReBru Spirits, which will debut alongside barbecue eatery Sideyard BBQ by HottMess on Thursday, November 19, and later be joined by HottMess Woodfired Pizza. We sat down with O’Connor ahead of this week’s opening to find out more about what he and his team now refer to as the “Acre of Awesome.”
What made Barrio Logan the ideal location?
First and foremost, because it’s a true neighborhood. Barrio Logan has tons of character and rich history. Everyone on the team loves Barrio. Our Operations Manager, Ernie Salgado, is second-generation born and raised here. My father grew up on 25th and Imperial and went to Our Lady’s, and Executive Chef Kenzo Inai’s mom and her family are from here, as well. I think we bring our own flair to Barrio Logan, drawing from our unique backgrounds and favorite foods and drinks, which translate to hints of various cultures in our cuisine. The other thing that’s nice is that our location is on the edge of Barrio Logan and Downtown. When it comes to the food-and-beverage scene here, it is growing. Barrio has, up until recently, mostly been focused on that main stretch of Logan Avenue where you will find Salud, Border X Brewing and other awesome spots. Now, you have businesses in the Mercado, MishMash and the La Vuelta team who set up shop on the edge of East Village and Barrio Logan. It’s nice to see small businesses spread out to offer the community and visitors different options within the extended area. I think small businesses have the ability to claim a bit of what has been lost and I think that’s great for any neighborhood.
What inspired you to bring this multifaceted concept to life?
For ReBru started playing with the concept of upcycling craft beer over five years ago, using Thorn beers. Our Head Distiller, Neil Lotz, was relentless with R&D and process creation. It took a while to figure out what worked and what didn’t. Hoppy beers, which are so prevalent in San Diego, in general, aren’t the best for distillation. So, we had to get creative by playing with oxidation levels, using additional grains and adjuncts, double and sometimes triple distillation, blending and more until we found a combination that worked best. Things also change depending on the beer we are using. It really did take years to hone this craft. As for the space, it’s been this evolving creation and it’s still not quite done. There was no single inspiration. It wasn’t one person’s vision but a true team effort. It has hits of Pappy and Harriet’s, Valle de Guadalupe, Texas, The Boiler Room, and even Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. It’s super unique and there are many layers to this space that are yet to be opened to the public. You will just have to wait and see!
What are you most excited about with this project?
Probably sharing our end product with people, sharing the story and educating people on the process about what is possible. We took a unique approach toward our products that is good for the environment, and it just took trying a little bit harder to get it done. We are using spent grains for our pizza, upcycling craft beer, compositing food waste, making zero-waste cocktails, utilizing solar power, repurposing an industrial warehouse, refurbishing furniture versus buying new, banning plastic wherever we can, and the list goes on. We are focusing our attention to details that matter to the bigger picture of the environment and sustainability.
Have you faced any COVID-related complications while working on this project?
The pandemic has been terrible for most businesses. We still haven’t even opened the restaurant that has been finished since March, and we are keeping closed for the time being. We have spent the last four months trying to create a unique outdoor option for customers since it looks like that is going to be the new norm and a requirement for any chance at success. We are leading this launch with Sideyard BBQ by HottMess and our barbecue program. We have Dave Kendall, who was the original pit master at Grand Ole BBQ y Asado in North Park, and we believe we are going to have the best damn barbecue in San Diego while offering a COVID-safe environment outside. We are confident we have something special here and just hope for the best with the current situation.
Which breweries are contributing out-of-code beer for your spirits?
We get some of the beer direct from breweries, but most of it comes by way of the distributors. They were the ones during the pandemic that had a surplus problem of draught beer sitting in warehouses since bars and restaurants stopped ordering beer during the shutdown. We got beer direct from Stone Brewing, Thorn and Boochcraft. Then, from Craft San Diego and Stone Distributing Co., I’d say we likely touched almost every brand in their portfolio, including Mother Earth Brew Co., Fall Brewing, The Lost Abbey, Oskar Blues, AleSmith, Mikkeller, Bear Republic, Three Weavers and Great Divide, just to name a few. We look forward to working directly with many breweries in the future. One of my favorite things about the brewing industry is the desire for collaborations; making great products with great people within the same industry. We want the distillery to have that same quality. Collaborations and unique offerings are what makes craft “craft”. We would like to do this within the spirit world and, obviously, within craft beer.