New Thorn series spotlights hops, artists
Barrio Logan business' Shades of Haze line of NEIPAs brings local art to forefront
Thorn Brewing is excited to announce the kick-off of a brand-new series of hazy IPAs that highlights local San Diego artists.
“San Diego is home to so many amazing artists,” says Thorn CEO, Marc Martin, “so, for our Shades of Haze series, we reached out to local artists from each of the neighborhoods where we have tasting rooms. Each artist created a beer label for us and we will be hosting a release event featuring their art for each beer release.”
The first artist in the series is Hector Villegas, a first-generation Chicano from the historic neighborhood of Barrio Logan. His artwork is a blend of Mesoamerican glyphs, textiles and three-dimensional geometry that he calls “Neo-Mexika”.
“The Barrio Logan art scene is rooted in working-class Chicano culture,” says Villegas. “It’s relentlessly resourceful and always the vanguard of new, exciting art forms. The art scene here has established artists as well as youth and up-and-coming folks. Venues and galleries come and go but there is always a pulse of artists making sense of the world through the Barrio lens. I encourage folks to suit up and show up to Barrio Logan to enjoy the scene. As long as you come here with respect, you’ll love the energy and vibe of this community.”
Villegas’ artwork adorns the can label for the The Portal Hazy IPA, which will be released on Saturday, January 21. Thorn Brewing Barrio Logan will host a release party to celebrate with food, live music, local vendors and limited-edition screen-printing onsite.
The Portal Hazy IPA will be available throughout San Diego County starting on January 23.