Portrait of a Brewer: Matt Davis, Home Brew Mart

There are hundreds of talented brewing professionals giving their all to help maintain the San Diego beer industry’s storied reputation. While these industrious practitioners share numerous similarities, each is their own unique person with individual likes, dislikes, methodologies, techniques, inspirations, interests and philosophies. The goal of San Diego Beer News’ Portrait of a Brewer series is to not only introduce readers to local brewers, but dig in to help them gain a deeper appreciation for the people making their beer and how they have contributed to the county’s standout craft-brewing culture.

Today’s featured brewer is…

Matt Davis
of Home Brew Mart

What is your current title?
I don’t know if I have a formal job title. We’re currently a team of four who brew by committee, so we all share responsibilities and wear many hats.

Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in California, but have also “grown up” in Baltimore, Maryland and Northern Arizona.

What brought you to San Diego?
We took a family vacation to San Diego to explore the breweries and check out the dog beaches. We loved it so much that a few months later we had the opportunity and decided to make it our home.

What was the first beer and/or alcoholic beverage you ever had?
Hmm, I’d say tequila was my first, second and third alcoholic beverage at a neighborhood block party. After that, I found myself laughing with the dogs on the floor. Since then, tequila and I have developed a mutual respect for each other.

What was your a-ha moment that turned you on to craft beer?
Does Yuengling count as craft beer? When I was living in Baltimore, I couldn’t get enough of it, and that’s what first got me hooked on exploring different beer styles.

What led you to consider a career in brewing?
Homebrewing. It all started when a friend loaned me The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Charlie Papazian and gave me a used five-gallon homebrew kit. He showed me the ropes of brewing beer at home, and I was instantly captivated by the process. I was initially pursuing a career in IT when I moved to San Diego, but everything changed a few months later when my friend who gave me my first brew kit came to visit. We decided to brew together again, so we set out to find some homebrew supplies. That’s when we discovered Home Brew Mart. While gathering supplies, I noticed a small sign near the grain mill about an open position for someone with ‘home brew’ knowledge. That’s when I met George Cataulin. That was back in 2013, and I can’t express how great things turned out!

What was your first brewing/brewery position?
My first position in the brewing industry was as a Home Brew Advisor at Home Brew Mart. I began by assisting customers with their homebrew questions and helping them create their own beer recipes. Over time, I started pouring tasters in the tasting room while sharing the story of Ballast Point and their exceptional beers.

Who have been the individuals that have helped you the most to learn and advance in your career, and how?
I was surrounded by so many talented people at Home Brew Mart and Ballast Point who helped me advance in my career. Legends like George Cataulin and Doug Duffield served as invaluable mentors, teaching me the art and science of brewing with their real-world experiences. Technicians like Aaron Justus and Doug Pominville enhanced my technical skills, guiding me through complex brewing processes. And of course, the amazing Jim Johnson, whose dedication to keeping everything running smoothly made it an exceptional place to thrive.

What singular piece of advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a professional brewer?
Start with homebrewing. It’s the best way to learn the basics, experiment and see if you truly love the process.

What ultimate career goal would you like to achieve?
My ultimate career goal is to stand on stage to accept a Great American Beer Festival or World Beer Cup medal.

What is your favorite beer you’ve ever brewed, be it on a professional or amateur level?
My favorite beer I’ve ever brewed is Awkward Morning, my first homebrew that someone said they would actually pay for a pint of. It’s a Scottish ale crafted as an ode to Four Peaks Kilt Lifter. I had the opportunity to serve this beer at the Ballast Point booth during the 2015 National Homebrewers Conference in San Diego. It was the first time I handed a glass of my own creation to a total stranger. Watching their reaction was an unforgettable moment.

What is your least-favorite beer you’ve ever brewed on any level?
My least-favorite beer I’ve ever brewed was my first all-grain batch. At the time, I was producing some great extract batches and felt ready to graduate to all-grain brewing. I decided to brew an oatmeal stout and thought I did everything right. I even toasted the oats in the oven before mashing, however, after popping open my first bottle, I knew it would be challenging to drink the rest of the batch. It was a humbling experience that taught me there’s a lot more to all-grain brewing than I had anticipated.

What are your favorite and least-favorite hop varietals at present?
Favorite: Fuggle! Who doesn’t love saying “Fuggle”? I even named one of my dogs Fuggle! Beyond the fun name, I love using Fuggle hops in my Scottish ale for their earthy and subtle floral notes that perfectly complement the maltiness of the brew. Least Favorite: We have a bucket of cheesy hops stashed in a corner of the shop…talk about stinky! Only someone who loves brewing sours can truly appreciate a good cheesy hop.

What are some of your favorite brewing ingredients that aren’t hops?
Dextrose! That suspicious white powder works wonders, boosting ABV (alcohol-by-volume) while keeping the malt profile clean and dry.

If you weren’t a brewer, what do you think you would do for a living?
Something boring, like inventory management.

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?
This is a tough question, as it really depends on the scale, but I truly appreciated the incredible quality team we had at Ballast Point. They had the tools and expertise to provide invaluable insights to the brewing staff on every batch.

What is your favorite beer style?
Scottish ales

If you could wipe one style of beer off the face of the earth, what would it be?
Artificially flavored IPAs…especially watermelon-flavored double IPAs!

What single brewing company’s beers and/or ethos/style has been most influential on your style?
Sierra Nevada Brewing. Their commitment to quality and innovation as a family-owned brewery has stood the test of time and influenced my approach to brewing.

What is your favorite San Diego County brewing company?
My favorite San Diego County brewing company is Battlemage Brewing. I had the pleasure of working with Ryan Sather and Chris Barry at Home Brew Mart before they opened Battlemage. It’s been amazing to see their plan come to fruition.

What is your favorite brewing company outside of San Diego?
My favorite brewing company outside of San Diego is Riip Beer Co. in Huntington Beach. I recently visited them and was blown away by their exceptional IPAs and the friendly, laidback atmosphere. Their dedication to crafting West Coast IPAs really stood out to me. I wish they were closer so I could visit more often.

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

What are your favorite local beer events?
Victory at Sea Day was always a fun event to look forward to. Plus, working at Home Brew Mart I was paid to attend the event. How cool is that! San Diego Beer Week is a close second. I remember my first SDBW working at Home Brew Mart. I think we tapped a new cask every day. I tried my best to save all that beer.

If you were to leave San Diego, where would be the next-best place you’d want to brew?
I’d love to take fermentation experiments further with NASA or SpaceX. Let’s open a brewery in outer space!

Which musical genre or artists are on your brew-day soundtrack/playlist?
Brew days are all about rocking out! My playlist often features Ween, Primus, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, and Jimi Hendrix. I also enjoy listening to archived or bootleg recordings of concerts I’ve attended.

What motto rules the way you brew and approach brewing in a professional brewhouse?
Plan ahead and be ready to overcome challenges.

What do you consider your greatest professional accomplishments?
I won a gold medal at the 2018 California State Fair Homebrew Competition in the American IPA category!

What are you proud of having achieved in your personal life?
I’m proud of earning my pilot’s license before graduating from high school. On weekends, I spent time at a small airport in Southern California pursuing my love for flying. I was solo-piloting a small Cessna airplane before I had my driver’s license.

When you’re not at work, what do you like to do for fun?
I really enjoy looking through a camera lens and editing photos. I still like to play a good video game. I would also love to travel more.

Where do you like to drink off-the-clock?
Wherever the beer is fresh!

What is your favorite beer-and-food pairing of all time?
Bring on the spicy chicken wings and a West Coast IPA.

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?
Everyone’s invited…bring a beverage to share! I’d love for Jumi Pitiwartarlai from Sovereign Modern Thai and Tommy the Fishmonger to collaborate on an unforgettable dinner.

Who do you think you are (a purposely broad question)?
Just a guy navigating the journey through space and time.

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].