Homebrew Summer: Flight to Cancun

As a major brewing company that was born in the backroom of a local homebrew-supply store, it’s fitting that Ballast Point Brewing is once again taking part in our annual Homebrew Summer program. This year, Specialty Brewer Michael Bracey selected the recipe for a mango-infused blonde/wheat ale hybrid from homebrewer Ivan Castillo. Working together and making slight tweaks to the original, homebrew-scale recipe, they brought the beer to life on the five-barrel system at Ballast Point’s Little Italy Kitchen & Tap, and will be tapping Flight to Cancun later this week. Check out the all-grain and export versions of the recipe below, then head downtown to get a taste of the genuine article.

This is one of over 20 beers we’ll be sharing recipes for throughout the summer, so be sure to check back with us often. Or, if you prefer, you can sign up for our email newsletter, and we’ll send all of the recipes directly to your inbox. Cheers to homebrewing and another fun Homebrew Summer!

Michael Bracey
Specialty Brewer, Ballast Point Brewing

I picked this beer for its refreshing and crushable quality; plus how can you go wrong with mango? The blonde wheat crossover isn’t a terribly common style, so the novelty was a draw, as well. A perfect pint for San Diego’s summer weather.

Ivan Castillo
Homebrewer

This beer started as a fun idea tied to a dream I’ve had for a long time – opening a baseball-themed brewery called Full Count Brewing. I wanted to brew something that felt like the perfect “season’s over” beer. Whether your team just got knocked out of the playoffs or you’re just ready to leave everyday life behind for a bit, this is the kind of crisp, refreshing beer that makes you start thinking about booking a flight somewhere warm. It’s perfect served in a tajin-rimmed glass or as the base for a Michelada. Teaming up with Ballast Point to bring that idea to life was an awesome experience, and one of the coolest parts of the brew day was seeing just how similar commercial brewing is to homebrewing. At the end of the day, the process is almost identical—you’re just working with much bigger equipment. On the brew day, we subbed in Briess American Honey for the crystal malt and Dolcita hops in place of Citra. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your hop additions either. That’s one of the best ways to fine-tune the aroma and make the beer your own while still staying true to the spirit of the recipe. Homebrewing is all about learning, making adjustments and enjoying the process. Hopefully this beer inspires you to do exactly that.

Ballast Point Brewing is located at 2215 India Street in downtown San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood