Portrait of a Brewer: Jeremy Castellano, Mission Brewery

There are hundreds of hard-working brewing professionals giving their all to help maintain the storied reputation San Diego’s brewing scene has earned over the past several decades. Some have risen to great fame among industry pros and craft-beer enthusiasts. Some ply their trade in obscurity (and are more than happy to do so). Some are Instagram famous, trendsetters with cult followings that would rival social-media influencers. And while they share plenty of similarities, each is their own unique person with their own likes, dislikes, methods, techniques, inspirations, interests and philosophies. The goal of San Diego Beer News‘ Portrait of a Brewer series is to not only introduce you to local brewers, but to have some fun delving into the aforementioned areas so you can get to know them a little better and appreciate them and their contributions to the county’s standout brewing culture. All that plus stellar portraits from brewery lifestyle photographer extraordinaire Matt Furman.

Today’s featured brewer is…

Jeremy Castellano

of Mission Brewery

What is your current title?

Head Brewer / Senior Production Manager

Where did you grow up?

Born and raised in Oceanside, CA. I’m a native. I left for college but couldn’t stay away, so I moved back right afterwards. It’s hard to turn your back on everything SD has to offer–world-class weather, beaches, trails, food, drink… the list goes on.

What was the first beer and/or alcoholic beverage you ever had?

I recall fruity sips of my mom’s frozen margaritas and wine coolers at weddings and other special events, but never really thought much of them. It wasn’t until I reached college that alcohol really became something I encountered with any regularity, primarily Natty Lite and Keystones at that point.

What was your a-ha moment that turned you on to craft beer?

It’s split between Dogfish Head and Deschutes’ The Abyss. Dogfish Head’s creativity in the early 2000’s really captivated me. As someone who has always loved science, founder Sam Calagione’s creativity and eccentric ideas really pushed the idea of what beer could be, and tasting beers like Chateau Jiahu, Palo Santo Marron and Midas Touch blew my mind. That said, I distinctly remember the first time I had Deschutes’ The Abyss at San Diego Brewing Company off of Mission Gorge. The depth of flavor and richness I tasted in that beer was unlike any dark beer I had ever tried before. While Dogfish Head showed me beer could be fun, science-y and flavorful, the Abyss showed me it could be as smooth and layered as a fine wine.

What led you to consider a career in brewing?

I was gifted an extract homebrewing kit and brewed a hefeweizen as my first beer. It turned out surprisingly well (hefe’s are notoriously forgiving) and that early success led to the constant upgrade towards bigger and better homebrewing equipment that many of us know all too well. After seven years as a CPA, I needed a change of pace, so with the support of friends and family, I decided to enroll in the UCSD brewing program and take the leap into professional brewing. It was scary, but the best choice I ever made.

Where did you first apply for a brewing job and where did you get your first brewing/brewery position?

My first interview was during a job fair for a cellar position at Alesmith. I showed up in a suit, ridiculously overdressed in a room full of flannel and Carhart’s. Obviously, I didn’t get the job. Shortly thereafter, I applied for a position on the packaging line at Mission Brewery, didn’t dress like a stiff and got the job. I started packing bottles off the bottling line and worked my way up from there. I learned a lot during that process and now I won’t bring someone into the brewhouse who doesn’t have packaging experience. Understanding the frustrations of packaging an over-carbed product or how bottling our hard root beer would make your boots smell like sarsaparilla for days only makes a brewer more cognizant of how their role impacts everyone else’s.

Who have been the individuals that have helped you the most to learn and advance in your career, and how?

John Egan, the head brewer when I joined Mission, believed in me enough to give me a job and early on started encouraging me to take on more responsibility and a bigger role in production. While I just wanted to get into the cellar and become a brewer, he pushed me to establish our quality-control program, christen our centrifuge and pursue any projects I was interested in. Ian Watson, our packaging supervisor, encouraged me to get my hands dirty (both figuratively and literally), teaching me everything from running our bottling line to driving forklifts. Cody Morris, who’s now running the show at Embolden Beer Co. / New Motion Beverages, showed me how to be a good leader even in the worst of times and is genuinely one of the nicest, most well-intentioned people I’ve met in this industry. I learned a ton from him during our years working together and I’m happy he’s found success over at his new project.

What singular piece of advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a professional brewer?

Be humble, be open to learning and work hard. Brewing beer is easy, so qualifications really aren’t that important to me. What really matters is how your personality, critical-thinking skills and work ethic can make our team better. Our brewers are always willing to step in to help on the canning line, stock the bar or mop the floor and I’m happy that they care enough about our vision and shared goals to do so.

What ultimate career goal would you like to achieve?

I’d love to learn more about the areas where my knowledge is lacking: mixed-culture barrel programs, blending, advanced lab stuff, a BJCP certification, etc. Still, the end goal is to own or run a small brewpub specializing in slow, local beer paired with quality food and a community focus.  

What is your favorite beer you’ve ever brewed, be it on a professional or amateur level?

To me, the beers brewed with the most love, those that encompass good memories or have a personal connection, are my favorites. My first recipe as a professional brewer, a juicy IPA called Simply Azacca and a backyard homebrew with a close friend, a blonde ale with Buddha’s hand and homegrown hops called Enlightenment, are the highlights of my career. Remembering the good times surrounding the brewing and enjoyment of these beers means more than any GABF medal. I also ensure we brew an Ales for ALS beer every year in memoriam of my Uncle Carlo. Even though I’m not on the brewhouse day-to-day anymore, I’ll always brew this batch start-to-finish as a way of remembrance.

What is your least-favorite beer you’ve ever brewed on any level?

I once tried to make a homebrew sour using some hollowed out pumpkins as fermenters. While they looked awesome with an airlock sticking out of them, the amount of dissolved oxygen pickup from the porous pumpkin flesh made the beer unpalatable.

What are your favorite and least-favorite hop varietals at present?

My favorites are Chinook and Azacca. Lately I’ve been impressed with Talus too. Galaxy is my least favorite hop out there.

If you weren’t a brewer, what do you think you would do for a living?

Probably something related to engineering, architecture or landscaping.

In your opinion, what non-brewing position is of great importance at a craft-beer company but often gets overlooked or less credit than those making the beer?

The packaging team really gets overlooked. Regardless of how good the liquid in the tank is, we rely on our packaging team to get that beer into package with minimal risk of contamination, D.O. (dissolved oxygen) pickup, carb loss, etc. Any consumer drinking our beer is only doing so because of our packaging team’s hard work.

What is your favorite beer style?

Pilsners with West Coast IPAs as a close second.

If you could wipe one style of beer off the face of the Earth, what would it be?

Milkshake IPAs

What single brewing company’s beers and/or ethos/style has been most influential on your style?

Lately, this has been Green Cheek. With a motto of “drink while smiling” and a constant supply of amazing releases in everything from traditional German lagers to West Coast IPAs, their beers are always well thought-out and rarely unbalanced.

What is your favorite San Diego County brewing company?

My heart belongs to Pizza Port. While lots of SD breweries are making great beer, I feel like Pizza Port embodies the ethos of San Diego better than anyone else. It’s not just a local brewery that makes fantastic IPAs and great food, it’s also a place for friends, family and community. Plus, that whole-grain crust is fire.

What is your favorite brewing company outside of San Diego?

In the US: Sierra Nevada. Outside of the US: Augustiner-Bräu.

What three breweries that you haven’t yet visited—local or elsewhere—are on your current must-see bucket list?

Sierra Nevada, Cantillon, Jester King

What are your favorite local beer events?

The SD Beer Week Fling at Morley Field is always a great time, but I miss the intimate SDBW Friday night kickoff event where brewers would get to pour their prized possessions and chat with passionate fans and peers. 

If you were to leave San Diego, where would be the next-best place you’d want to brew?

Brazil. There are so many fruits only found in that region that I’d love to experiment with.

Which musical genre or artists are on your brew-day soundtrack/playlist?

It’s a hodgepodge: lo-fi beats, 90’s alternative, lyrical hip-hop, classic rock and acoustic Brazilian tunes. However, every Friday is tie-dye Friday, which necessitates reggae in the brewhouse.

What motto rules the way you brew and approach brewing in a professional brewhouse?

Never stop improving. I’m stoked with the quality of the product we’re currently putting out, but I’ll never stop asking every batch if we can do something to make our products cleaner, more enjoyable or last longer on the shelf.

When you’re not at work, what do you like to do for fun?

So long as the weather permits, I’m outside working in the garden, playing

with my dog, training capoeira or enjoying the company of my fiancée, Claudia, and friends.

Where do you like to drink off-the-clock?

At home, in the backyard or sitting on the roof of our house, watching the sunset.

What is your favorite beer-and-food pairing of all time?

Pretty much any beer plus a charcuterie board.

If you could somehow plan your last beer dinner before dying, what would you drink and eat, and who would you invite to join you?

Brazilian churrasco (barbeque) outside with friends and family, enjoying delicious food, beer and wine paired with laughter and music until late in the night.

Who do you think you are (a purposely broad question)?

Just a guy trying his best.

If you’re a brewer at a San Diego brewing company and would like to be featured in our Portrait of a Brewer series, drop us a line at [email protected].