Most people are surprised to discover that beer journalism is real, much less some peoples’ vocation. Nowadays a growing number of writers, bloggers and multimedia mavens cover the brewing scene in their own unique ways, thanks largely in part to forerunners who, decades ago, bore witness to the rise of craft beer and deemed it something worth writing about. Count Peter Rowe as one of those individuals. Though he already had plenty to cover as a reporter for the San Diego Union-Tribune, he was so intrigued by beer and its emerging presence in America’s Finest City in the mid-90’s, that he took on the beat and reported on the local industry for a quarter-century before retiring earlier this year. Over that span, Rowe met a great many pioneers, saw a great deal of change, and drank great quantities of beer. We made him take a brief break from the latter activity for a quick catch-up session.
How did you begin writing for beer for the UT?
As an undergraduate in the ‘70s, I enjoyed scouting out new beers, anything beyond Bud, Miller and Coors. These were rare on the ground then, so finding an Anchor Porter or a Harp Lager was thrilling, even if I didn’t always enjoy or appreciate these brews. This was a private hobby until I turned 40. As a birthday gift that year, my brother-in-law gave me 40 beers. For fun, I jotted down brief reactions to each. Margaret King, who was then the Food Editor at the UT, agreed to cover the cost of those beers. Right then, I knew I had to make this a regular deal. That was 25 years ago, and a series of editors—none of them beer afficionados, by the way—generously allowed me to write a beer column as a sideline to my regular reporting gig. It was initially a monthly column in the Food Section, and later became a weekly feature in Thursday’s Night & Day insert.
What was the local beer scene like back then?
In 1995-96, the beer beat was pretty sleepy. Karl Strauss Brewing was the dominant player, Skip Virgilio was making a name for AleSmith Brewing, and several others—Stone Brewing, Ballast Point Brewing and Pizza Port—were getting into the act. Still, San Diego’s beer scene was pretty underdeveloped, and so was my palate. When Stone IPA debuted in ’96, I wrote a scathing (and remarkably ignorant) review. Stone co-founder Greg Koch took it in stride, perhaps because I had labeled Stone Pale Ale the best beer in San Diego. Rather than ream me, he predicted my “beer journey” would eventually lead to a happier appreciation of that landmark beer. He was right.
Who in the brewing industry played key roles along the way?
Greg, surely one of the most fascinating and important figures in craft beer, was not the only person who tried to educate me. At the Great American Beer Festival in ’97 or ’98, I confessed to [then Pizza Port brewer and future partner and Director of Brewery Operations for The Lost Abbey] Tomme Arthur that abbey ales, lambics and other Belgians baffled me. He responded by giving me a guided tasting tour of a dozen excellent U.S. versions of various Belgian styles. Virgilio was also generous with his time, answering countless clueless questions, as was O’Brien’s Pub and Nickel Beer Co. owner Tom Nickel, Pizza Port c-founder Gina Marsaglia, Karl Strauss Director of Brewery Operations Paul Segura, former Green Flash Brewing brewmaster [and current Silva Brewing co-owner] Chuck Silva and more. With few exceptions, I’ve always found the local beer community to be warm and welcoming.
Looking back, is there anything you might do differently?
I made plenty of rookie beer-writing mistakes. Perhaps the biggest was my initial focus on beer reviews. I’ve come to believe that ranking beers is a fool’s errand, because we all have different palates ad preferences. One of my daughters-in-law is a wonderful person who nonetheless hates chocolate. Chocolate! This baffles me, but I can’t say she’s wrong; our likes and dislikes are personal and don’t need to be justified. Two caveats: 1.) reviews are useful if descriptions help readers determine whether they might enjoy certain beers, and 2.) critics perform a service by warning consumers against deeply flawed beers.
What were some challenges you faced as the industry grew?
As San Diego’s beer industry expanded, then exploded, it was no longer practical to try to review the most notable local beers. I was given about five hours a week to cover the beer beat. Under those constraints, the Brewery Rowe column highlighted one interesting beer, hit on major trends and developments, and tossed in the occasional beer-related literary quote. My last editor disliked that final item and urged me to drop it. I resisted for two reasons: 1.) as a voracious reader, I’m always tickled by beery passages in Hemingway, Gillian Flynn or whoever, and 2.) quotes from across the centuries and around the globe demonstrate beer’s central position in our culture. Beer, and what it means, is too important to be left to mega-breweries’ glossy ads, which focus on image a la Clydesdales and the Swedish Bikini Team, rather than substance such as style, history, ingredients and flavor.
How has retirement been and what do you foresee for the local industry?
In retirement, I continue to scribble notes about beers that I enjoy. I’m still writing about a variety of topics, largely for my own pleasure. It’s been said that we write to discover our true feelings about experiences, and I’ve found this to be true. I have faith that San Diego’s beer industry will continue to thrive, despite significant challenges. As everyone knows, the market is overcrowded, and the current pandemic will accelerate the inevitable shakeout. More critically, though, individual breweries need to consider their goals. National and international players? Stone, Ballast Point and Green Flash all made a stab at this, and the results have not been encouraging. Regional-slash-West Coast titans? Modern Times Beer seems to be following this path. To a limited, California-only degree, so is Karl Strauss. Neighborhood favorites? To me, these are some of the most enjoyable breweries to visit, whether it’s Automatic Brewing operating out of Normal Heights’ Blind Lady Ale House or Barrio Logan’s Border X Brewing or San Marcos’ Wild Barrel Brewing. For purely selfish reasons, I wish them all success. Good beer is always worth celebrating, in a glass or on the page.