San Diego’s namesake beermaking operation opened in a strip mall on Friars Road in 1993. While San Diego Brewing Co. (SDBC) secured and maintained a special spot in the hearts of locals – particularly those in Mission Valley, the College Area and other nearby neighborhoods – not a lot changed in the decades that followed. The menu became a stagnant collection of greatest hits and house beers largely remained the same, as did the brewing equipment used to brew them. But when a new ownership team purchased the brewpub in the fall of 2023, that all changed.
The bar, dining room and patio have since been completely remodeled, the menu has been updated and veteran brewer Chris Hotz (Ballast Point Brewing, Societe Brewing) was brought on last September to up SDBC’s ale-and-lager game. Working with longtime SDBC brewer Matt Navarre, Hotz has updated house-beer recipes while introducing a number of new offerings, including a Five Peak Series of IPAs, each of which is named for one of the summits that are part of nearby Mission Trails Regional Park “Five Peak Challenge”. Several of SDBC’s new beers have been crafted using state-of-the-art hop products, the likes of which, prior to the ownership change, were unheard of at the historic but stuck-in-a-rut spot, and a growing collaboration calendar, plus programs devoted to lagering and barrel-aging ensure more good things are on the horizon.
The SDBC team is pleased with the progress they have been able to make over the past year, but they are far from finished. The next phase of their improvement plan is all about providing the business and its brew crew the proper tools to continue advancing the beer program in terms of production, packaging and distribution.
“The plan has always been to make sure that beer fans consider SDBC worthy of being at the top of the conversation about who is making thoughtful, innovative, quality beer in San Diego and beyond,” says co-owner Tyson Blake. “We brought in Chris to hone in on our vision and kill it in the brewery. Even with older equipment, he and our team have improved the product. Guess what’s going to happen when the right fermenters, filter, ingredients and more come into play. Greatness!”
Earlier this month, SDBC installed four new 10-barrel unitanks to take the place of four well-worn seven-barrel fermenters. Those vessels increase the brewpub’s overall production capacity by nearly 30%, maxing out the facility at just over 600 barrels annually. They are the latest in a line of purchases that includes cooperage and a small canning line. The latter will be used to package four-packs of to-go beer, while the former will be key in getting SDBC’s beers and names beyond its homebase and into retail accounts.
Tyson stresses that ownership, which includes his wife Kristina and San Diego Chicken Pie Shop owners Lisa and Bob Townsend, is taking a “thoughtful” approach. While the changes they’ve implemented thus far have happened quickly, they want to slow things down so they can first focus on doing the best they can for SDBC customers, then strategically get their beer into the market with retailers they and local beer enthusiasts know and respect. From there, they will look to broaden distribution into San Diego area restaurants and hotels.
Back at their restaurant, the Blakes are preparing to hold the first of their new monthly beer-pairing dinners on the evening of Sunday, February 23. The couple introduced, coordinated, hosted and executed those events in the early 2000s when they worked at the brewpub under its original owners, and are thrilled to bring them back.
“My first beer dinner was at SDBC and I was nervous as hell,” recalls Tyson. “I prepped all the food and readied a pretty decent pairing with a range of beers, and Kristina literally plated every dish as I worked the front of the house and led the pairing. It was very grass-roots.”
Since that first dinner, the Blakes have put on around 150 beer-pairing events, perfecting the model at SDBC before picking it back up when Tyson moved on to manage Kearny Mesa beer bar, O’Brien’s Pub. He is now a partner in that business, as well as West Coast Tap & Smokehouse and The Pub at Lake Cuyamaca, where the Blakes also hold beer dinners. Additionally, they’ve helped with pairing affairs at numerous restaurants and special-event venues. In bringing back this tradition, the seasoned duo plans to put that experience to work while taking things to the next level.
“For this dinner series, I will be creating dishes that are fun and explorative, as well as nostalgic, and also bringing new pairing experiences to San Diego Brewing Co,” says Tyson.
The menu for the February 23 dinner (tickets available online) includes Duroc pork cheek with black garlic salsa macha and corn soubise, duck confit with a cornbread crostino, and citrus trés leches cake with passionfruit curd. That dessert is served with SDBC’s hazy pale ale and a cocktail made with Fulano Tequila, the beverage-maker whose wares will be the focus of the brewpub’s April beer-pairing dinner.
“We have a liquor license, so we look forward to cocktails and wine coming into play as well as mocktail options,” says Tyson. “The future of SDBC is inspiring and it’s gonna be fun restarting this series we began nearly 20 years ago at our alma mater.”
San Diego Brewing Co. is located at 10450 Friars Road in Mission Valley