Praising the Bar: GOAL. Brewing

When assembling a dream team to staff their ambitious startup, the owners of GOAL. Brewing knew they’d need two things: passionate industry veterans and some kick-ass kicks. The former – vintage Jordan-era Nike high-tops – were bestowed upon a Voltron-like quartet hand-selected for their knowledge, not only of beer, but the greater San Diego brewing scene. Together they have helped the business make a quick name for itself while putting it on the fast-track to achieve its longer-term goa…err, ambitions! Get to know the vets making this sophomore brewery such a special place to visit in the last of our series of Praising the Bar features for 2024.

Alanna Scheer
Taproom Manager

Where did you grow up?
A small, truckstop town off Interstate 5 called Orland, California.

What brought you to San Diego?
The year was 2008 and it was time to leave that tiny farm town regardless of the recession. I just had to get out!

When and how did you get into craft beer?
Growing up so close to Sierra Nevada Brewing, it was hard not to love craft beer. Watching that brewery compete with macro-beer companies and win in the early 2000s was glorious! It was powerful! It gave me such an appreciation for the way they pioneered through the beer industry and became what they did. So much so, that I carried that kind of drive – that kind of heart – with me to San Diego and was able to elbow my way into what was created here.

What other beer employers and positions are on your résumé?
I’ve worked for many other breweries, however, the one I’m most known for is Poor House Brewing. I co-founded the business with Chris Finch back in 2011 and left in 2023.

What do you love most about your job?
I love the creative freedom that I’ve been given. I love the talent that I get to work alongside and learn from. But most importantly, the product…my god. I genuinely love every single thing that we brew.

Truth time, what is the part of your job that you like the least?
I just wish we had more of a bar space! I miss being able to elicit more of that neighborhood bar feel.

What accomplishments are you most proud of from your time in the craft-beer industry?
Oh man…first of all, I’m very proud of being a woman in a predominantly male industry. Also, I’m proud of having a voice, being adaptable and embracing change. 

What do you love most about the company you work for?
I love that we are all in this together. Also, founder Jay Pizarro gifted the team Air Jordan 1 Lost & Founds for our opening ceremony. What’s not to love?!

What is your favorite beer that your brewery produces?
Coming from a girl that is selective and loves to favorite things, I can honestly say I do not have a favorite. I genuinely love every single one of our beers.

What are some of your favorite San Diego craft beers, in general?
Anything that Mcilhenney Brewing does, North Park Beer Co. (NPBC) West Coast IPAs, any of Doug Hasker’s lagers at Puesto Cerveceria, Derek Linwood’s Brett saisons at Poor House and Serpentine apricot hop cider. The last one’s not beer, but absolutely worthy!

What are some local brewery venues other than your own that you like to refer customers to or patronize when you’re off the clock?
For that neighborhood, rustic, wooden dive brewery experience, Poor House. For that hip, northern San Diego plants-and-flowers feel, Pure Project Brewing’s North Park tasting room. For that classic industrial brewery experience, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in Escondido. And for that Fast Times at Ridgemont High classic San Diego feel, Pizza Port Ocean Beach.

Who are some of your favorite regulars and why?
Ken Dog, AKA: Ken Clay. He’s a classic beer-loving San Diego native that makes you feel like you knew exactly who he was in high school. Also, my successful degenerates that have followed me from Poor House. Travis, Chuck and Awkward A are tried-and-true, and I love them so, so much! And last but not least, the Igniter fave, Eric. May we always make up raps about hop water.

Everybody has funny work stories. Would you mind sharing one with us?
When we released our first bottled dessert stout, we named it “Awe”, like when you’re in awe of something. Our beertender, Will Izor (see below), was under the impression that it was pronounced “ahhh weee” and kept correcting customers to say it that way. It was hilarious. So hilarious, that the next variant that we came out with, we named it “Aweeee” and encouraged customers to say it that way for a free sticker.

(Author’s Note: Everyone at GOAL. cited this as their funny work story…except Will Izor.)

What music genre and artists are playing in the tasting room when you’re in control?
Not early 2000s emo or post hardcore. Nope. Punk rock? Me? Never.

What do you consider cornerstones when it comes to customer service, particularly at a brewery tasting room?
It’s so important to generate a warm, welcoming experience. I’ve always described a brewery to be someone’s third place. It’s not home and it’s not work. It’s that in between where you get to gather with friends, share vibes and create memories. So, as a bartender, it’s our job to set the temperature of the room and make sure everyone is having a great time.

What advice would you give to customers looking to have the best possible experience when visiting a brewery taproom?
Try everything! Figure out what you love by trying it all. 

What are your career aspirations either in or beyond the craft-beer industry?
After earning a psychology degree in bartending the last 16 years, I’ve decided to go for the real thing in academia. I hope to open my own practice as an LMFT (licensed marriage and family therapist) in the future, with more aspirations to eventually open a hospital that offers an array of different therapies.

What are some of your favorite beer events, whether at your brewery or elsewhere?
I love our trivia nights here at GOAL. I get to emcee them! Lots of fun, lots of laughs, lots of good beer. IYKYK. Other than that, damn do I miss the Mostra Coffee anniversary events. Beer-lovers from all over the world would travel down for them. 

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work?
You can always find me at hardcore, post-hardcore, emo and punk concerts. There’s something about belting every lyric out loud next to friends that feel the same way. Also, snowboarding. I really love the mountains.

Who do you think you are (a purposely broad question requiring a succinct answer)?
Just a resilient soul having a human experience.

Cyrus Baluyot
Experience Ops

Where did you grow up? 
I moved here from the Philippines when I was one and grew up in Chula Vista.

When and how did you get into craft beer?
It definitely happened before I got into the industry. My gateway beer was Karl Strauss Brewing’s Red Trolley Ale. I tried it and couldn’t stop drinking it. That year, I went to my first International Beer Festival at the San Diego County Fair and my mind was blown. This was back in 2007.

What other beer employers and positions are on your résumé?
I started in the industry at The Homebrewer / Home Brewing Co. in 2021, and was part of the last crew before owner George Thornton closed up shop in May 2022. I worked the homebrew shop’s retail side, tended bar and brewed a few of my homebrews. This led me to Ballast Point Brewing’s Home Brew Mart in June 2022. I continued there with the same responsibilities, but was able to brew a lot more, producing anything and everything I wanted. While there, I joined GOAL. in July of 2023, mainly as a bartender. I still worked for Home Brew Mart until they closed in May of 2024*.

(* Author’s Note: Home Brew Mart has since been sold by Ballast Point and is operating under new ownership.)

What do you love most about your job? 
I love geeking out with all the beer nerds and talking to everyone. The beer community is filled with so many amazing people, so it’s nice that, even though our customers are from different walks of life, having something as simple as beer in common can easily spark a fun conversation. We have a really good crew and an amazing product, which makes selling the beer so easy. I really love educating our customers on our beers, the styles and the hops, and seeing them smile when they try something they’ve never had, a perfect example being our Ube Haze IPA or Buko Pandan Stout.

Truth time, what is the part of your job that you like the least? 
The slow days during the week. It’s clear that the industry is not what it was prior to the pandemic, so it’s hard to work on a Tuesday or Wednesday and see an empty taproom for most of the shift. It’s also frustrating seeing breweries close down and seeing people in the social-media comments say that they wished they’d have been more supportive. 

What accomplishments are you most proud of from your time in the craft-beer industry? 
Being an avid homebrewer, it’s been a privilege to be able to brew on a professional level, albeit a very small level. Being able to brew my ube beer at The Homebrewer and at Home Brew Mart has been awesome, especially when I see the reactions of people not familiar with ube. Being part of the first crew at GOAL. is a huge accomplishment. The fact Jay and head brewer Derek Gallanosa gave me this opportunity is huge. They could’ve hired anyone, so I’m definitely taking advantage of this opportunity to learn and grow with the brand.

What do you love most about the company you work for? 
I love how different we are. Our branding references our love of car culture, sneaker culture and streetwear. We need to be different to stick out, and I feel that we definitely do. This, in addition to our beers, will help the company succeed.

What is your favorite beer that your brewery produces? 
That’s easy, AMG West Coast IPA. I love those Nelson hops!

What are some of your favorite San Diego craft beers, in general? 
If I want something hoppy, usually a West Coast IPA from NPBC or Muntz from Mcilhenney. For big stouts, I love the Chaos Grid variants and other barrel-aged stouts from Modern Times Beer. And really, anything with New Zealand hops – mainly Nelson or Nectaron – is what I’m usually looking for.

What are some local brewery venues other than your own that you like to refer customers to or patronize when you’re off the clock? 
I usually refer them to NPBC, Pure Project, Modern Times, Mcilhenney and Burgeon Beer Co.

Who are some of your favorite regulars and why? 
Gotta shout-out Connie (@shes_craftyyy on Instagram). She is one the sweetest people coming in. She is always positive and I love her energy. Gotta give a shout-out to Brett and Kevin, always coming by and keeping me company at the bar. I always have good conversations with them. And I gotta shout-out my wife and the homies for always coming through and supporting.

What music genre and artists are playing in the tasting room when you’re in control? 
I’m usually playing old-school West Coast gangster rap and Hawaiian roots reggae, so I’ll usually throw on some Kurupt or Dogg Pound Radio and then some Ooklah the Moc or Katchafire Radio.

What do you consider cornerstones when it comes to customer service, particularly at a brewery tasting room? 
I would say attention, communication and knowledge. You need to be able to pick up if someone is lost and doesn’t know anything about beer. You have to be able to clearly communicate with them to help guide them to a beer they’ll enjoy. And you need to have the knowledge to back up what you’re communicating. These cornerstones lead to a positive experience, and that is definitely something I strive for every time I’m behind the bar.

What advice would you give to customers looking to have the best possible experience when visiting a brewery taproom? 
Ask questions, engage with the beertenders. Don’t be afraid to ask for a splash. We don’t want customers to pay for something they don’t like. Having a positive experience isn’t one-sided. Approach us with a positive attitude and we’ll double that energy back.

What are your career aspirations either in or beyond the craft-beer industry? 
I have a professional career in the financial services industry, so my aspirations would be different in this scenario. For the meantime, I’m here to help the brand grow and do what I can to help. I would love to grow within the company, whether it’s with the front-of-house or even with other responsibilities.

What are some of your favorite beer events, whether at your brewery or elsewhere? 
I like beer festivals. There’s nothing better than trying a bunch of different beers from all over the place with a bunch of buddies. The Firestone Walker Invitational is a perfect example. Also, I look forward to when Pliny the Younger comes out. It reminds me of the days of the pre-pandemic beer scene; trying to find out where it’s pouring, meeting with buddies, geeking out and comparing the new batch to previous years’ batches.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work? 
My wife and I are foodies, so we like to travel and find cool places to eat. I still homebrew a lot, so that keeps me busy. I love my bulldogs, Chubbs and Skye, so they definitely take up a lot of my time. And whenever I can, I love working out. I pretty much work out so I can eat and drink.

Who do you think you are (a purposely broad question requiring a succinct answer)? 
A man who loves his wife, his dogs and an occasional beer.

Allison Cochrane
Events & Experience Ops

Where did you grow up? 
In Orland, California, 20 minutes outside of Chico. Alanna and I actually grew up in the same town and went to school together.

What brought you to San Diego? 
A different job that I am no longer doing or even in the field of.

When and how did you get into craft beer?
I had been living in San Diego for about two years and was wanting to make a little extra cash aside from my day job. Alanna and I were friends on Facebook and I knew she had opened a brewery, so I messaged her to see if she needed any extra staff. Not long after that, their Sunday night shift came available and I picked it up. After working there for a short time, I realized how awesome the craft-beer community was. It was the balance I needed to contrast my corporate job at the time. I knew then that this was a community I wanted to continue being a part of.

What other beer employers and positions are on your résumé?
I started at Poor House, where I still actually work one day a week, and I have also worked at The Original 40 Brewing.

What do you love most about your job? 
Getting to serve the public a really good product while working alongside fun and awesome people.

Truth time, what is the part of your job that you like the least? 
Having to cut off people that have had a few too many.

What accomplishments are you most proud of from your time in the craft-beer industry? 
I have grown in my responsibilities here at GOAL. and help coordinate all of the events and food vendors that we host, while also doing outreach to help grow our business.

What do you love most about the company you work for? 
I love that, because I have been with this company from the start, it gives me a sense of ownership. I feel like I am a part of something here. I really want to see this company succeed and do well. The management also values our input and empowers us to make decisions. Additionally, we have some awesome industry vets working here, so I get to meet a lot of cool industry folks through them. I am fortunate to work for such an awesome company and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. 

What is your favorite beer that your brewery produces? 
Either AMG, a West Coast IPA of ours (thanks to Derek for getting me to finally like Nelson hops), or the Hard Nectar LGC smoothie sour with lilikoi, guava and mango.

What are some of your favorite San Diego craft beers, in general? 
Societe Brewing’s The Pupil (IPA), Pure Project’s Diamond Dust (hazy IPA) or Tropical Mist (citrus blonde ale), and anything from NPBC’s Hop-Fu! series (IPAs).

What are some local brewery venues other than your own that you like to refer customers to or patronize when you’re off the clock? 
See the list above…ha! If people are trying to stay in the area, I will recommend Pure Project, NPBC and Harland Brewing.

Who are some of your favorite regulars and why? 
Do food vendors count? They are all so nice and they feed me!

What music genre and artists are playing in the tasting room when you’re in control? 
We like to keep it on hip-hop mostly, so I’ll usually play stations like A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, Kendrick Lamar, Run The Jewels or Kid Cudi.

What do you consider cornerstones when it comes to customer service, particularly at a brewery tasting room? 
I think it all starts with having a happy, chill, approachable attitude with everyone right off the bat, and then giving good recommendations and letting customers try samples of whatever they would like to make sure they get a beer they are happy with.

What advice would you give to customers looking to have the best possible experience when visiting a brewery taproom? 
Be nice, try a few different styles of beer, order some food and pet dogs.

What are your career aspirations either in or beyond the craft-beer industry? 
Ultimately, I want my real-estate career to be able to fully support me, but until then, being behind the bar is a great way to help support myself and it can also be a great way of networking for real estate. I’m not sure if I will ever fully step away from the industry. I may still stay involved in some capacity even with a busier real-estate schedule. 

What are some of your favorite beer events, whether at your brewery or elsewhere? 
I like the events where you make something at the brewery that you can take home and drink beer while doing it.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work? 
I enjoy being outside, watching TV and movies, and cooking.

Who do you think you are (a purposely broad question requiring a succinct answer)? 
Happy-go-lucky girl still figuring out her path in life 

Will Izor
Beertender

Where did you grow up?|
I grew up here in San Diego, the Skyline neighborhood to be exact.

When and how did you get into craft beer?
I’m a little older than most of the beer crowd now. About 24-ish years ago, I got invited to a beer festival downtown on Columbia Street where I had AleSmith Brewing’s X pale ale and was blown away. The only local breweries there were AleSmith, Ballast Point, Green Flash, Karl Strauss and Stone Brewing, and that’s when I knew I needed in the industry. Ha!

What other beer employers and positions are on your résumé?
My full-time job is at AleSmith, running the warehouse department. I control everything coming into and leaving the building, oversee inventory, etc.

What do you love most about your job?
The evolution of beer styles.

Truth time, what is the part of your job that you like the least?
The respect and the pay for employees in production.

What accomplishments are you most proud of from your time in the craft-beer industry?
When starting at AleSmith 12 years ago, I was on the packaging line, then moved all the way up to creating a warehouse and distro department and team.

What do you love most about the company you work for?
I love working at GOAL. because of the different culture we are bringing to craft beer.

What is your favorite beer that your brewery produces? 
My favorite beer is AMG West Coast IPA.

What are some of your favorite San Diego craft beers, in general? 
My favorite beer locally would have to be AleSmith’s Islander Joy (bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout with Vietnamese coffee, coconut and vanilla), NPBC hazy triple IPAs, Mcilhenney Muntz IPA and TapRoom Beer Co.’s clear beers.

What are some local brewery venues other than your own that you like to refer customers to or patronize when you’re off the clock? 
AleSmith is always first and TapRoom is the most slept-on brewery in San Diego. Also, NPBC, Mcilhenney, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, Seek Beer Co. and Burgeon.

Who are some of your favorite regulars and why? 
My favorite regular is Old Man Kevin, who has slowly become one of my best friends in life. He’s always willing to jump in and help when needed.

What music genre and artists are playing in the tasting room when you’re in control? 
Old school funk and West Coast hip-hop!

What do you consider cornerstones when it comes to customer service, particularly at a brewery tasting room? 
To greet everyone on arrival and treat everyone equally.

What advice would you give to customers looking to have the best possible experience when visiting a brewery taproom? 
Try everything once to see if you like it and have an open mind to all beer styles.

What are your career aspirations either in or beyond the craft-beer industry? 
I hope one day to run Anvil of Hope, a non-profit organization that AleSmith created to help struggling families.

What are some of your favorite beer events, whether at your brewery or elsewhere? 
Tony Gwynn Day at AleSmith, and NPBC’s Macaroons Day and Lager Day in the Park events.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at work? 
Hanging with the wifey and my dog, Rosco, crushing IPAs with my crew and playing Call of Duty all night long.

Who do you think you are (a purposely broad question requiring a succinct answer)? 
I’m a superhero who can crush barrel-aged beer and IPAs all day!

Breweries being spotlighted via our Praising the Bar feature performed exceptionally well in San Diego Beer News Awards voting during the span of 2021 to 2024