It was August of 2020, a mere week into San Diego Beer News’ existence, when we shared the COVID-era launch of a small Santee brewery. Going by the name Three Frogs Beer Co., it was the product of a friendly trio of homebrewers – Trevor Anderson, Andrew Lloyd and Jerren Zeferjahn – determined not to let their dream of going pro fall victim to the pandemic after having invested a whopping four years on their passion project.
With three-barrel batches of beers both traditional and exotic (including a much-loved golden stout brewed with coffee from nextdoor-neighbor roaster, Motorcycle Monkey), a fun, come-as-you-are atmosphere and air conditioning (a major value-added in oft-blazing East County), Thee Frogs earned a following made up mostly of Santee residents happy to support a hometown business. Considering Three Frogs’ quiet debut, small size and lower-profile location away from the city’s epicenter, it was a rather impressive achievement.
In recent years, Anderson and Zeferjahn were drawn away from the day-to-day, leaving most of the brewing and management of the business to Lloyd. Despite the increased workload, he continued to relish both the work and the clientele who appreciated it. All the same, after a half-decade of serving those fans, Three Frogs’ owners have decided to close the business, a decision they shared this morning via the company’s social-media accounts, which read…
What started as an adventure in brewing in our backyard grew into something bigger than we ever imagined. With your support, Three Frogs became more than just a place for beer – it became a place for community, laughter, and memories. From those first small batches to many great beers always on tap, every milestone was possible because of you. Each pint poured carried a story, and each visit reminded us why we started this journey in the first place.
The official statement goes on to invite customers over for one last toast, sharing that the business will remain open under modified hours through the end of the month.
While never one of the county’s most brewery-dense communities, Santee did experience a craft-beer boom in the mid-2010s, when since-shuttered operations Twisted Manzanita Ales, Finest Made Ales, Council Brewing and Pacific Islander Beer Co. laid down stakes there. The facility previously operated by the latter has since been taken over by Sunny Grove Brewing, a one-year-old concern that was named “best new brewery” at the 2025 San Diego Beer News Awards. It is among three remaining brewery-owned venues within the municipality, along with the Santee link in the Orange County-based Oggi’s chain and BNS Brewing & Distilling. The latter has quietly been up for sale for more than a year.
Three Frogs will be open Wednesday through Sunday, from 3 to 8 p.m. through the end of September or “until the beer quits flowing”.
Three Frogs Beer Co. is located at 10366 Mission Gorge Road in Santee