Portrait of a Brewer: Sean Haggerty, Protector Brewery

There are hundreds of hard-working brewing professionals giving their all to help maintain the storied reputation San Diego’s brewing scene has earned over the past several decades. Some have risen to great fame among industry pros and craft-beer enthusiasts. Some ply their trade in obscurity (and are more than happy to do so). Some are Instagram famous, trendsetters with cult followings that would rival social-media influencers. And while they share plenty of similarities, each is their own unique person with their own likes, dislikes, methods, techniques, inspirations, interests and philosophies. The goal of San Diego Beer News‘ Portrait of a Brewer series is to not only introduce you to local brewers, but to have some fun delving into the aforementioned areas so you can get to know them a little better and appreciate them and their contributions to the county’s standout brewing culture. All that plus stellar portraits from brewery lifestyle photographer extraordinaire Matt Furman.

Today’s featured brewer is…

Sean Haggerty

of Protector Brewery

What is your current title? 

Founder, President and Head Brewer at Protector Brewery

Where did you grow up? 

Illinois

What brought you to San Diego? 

Joining the United States Navy

What was the first beer and/or alcoholic beverage you ever had? 

Classic Budweiser

What was your a-ha moment that turned you on to craft beer? 

I brewed my first batch of beer in Ramadi, Iraq, and I was hooked and committed!

What led you to consider a career in brewing? 

The great community in brewing and I wanted to show the world organic craft beer can be world-class.

Where did you first apply for a brewing job and where did you get your first brewing/brewery position?  

I only homebrewed before founding Protector in June of 2017.

Who have been the individuals that have helped you the most to learn and advance in your career, and how? 

The investors and employees at Protector Brewery

What singular piece of advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a professional brewer?

Fully immerse yourself in it and learn every detail you can.

What ultimate career goal would you like to achieve?  

Scaling Protector Brewery to distribute to every state in the US and internationally. 

What is your favorite beer you’ve ever brewed, be it on a professional or amateur level? 

Our flagship Citra Juicy DIPA

What are your favorite and least-favorite hop varietals at present? 

Organic Citra and organic Mosaic are special hops.

If you weren’t a brewer, what do you think you would do for a living? 

I probably would have stayed in the Navy.

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? 

I would say our beertenders and our wholesale reps. They have to know all about the beer and translate that info to the customer. They also have to represent the culture of our brand and the ethos of our company.

What is your favorite beer style? 

West Coast IPA

If you could wipe one style of beer off the face of the Earth, what would it be?  

Ha, I love ‘em all, so I say keep ‘em all.

What single brewing company’s beers and/or ethos/style has been most influential on your style?  

Eel River is a powerhouse organic brewery that we look up to. They paved the way for producing clean organic beer. Stone does really well branding beer. Karl Strauss and Pizza Port set high standards for quality and flavor. All of these companies and elements have influenced us over the years.

What is your favorite San Diego County brewing company?  

I would say Pizza Port.

What is your favorite brewing company outside of San Diego?  

Russian River Brewing

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

Monkish Brewing, Trillium Brewing and Firestone Walker Brewing

What are your favorite local beer events?  

San Diego Beer Week

If you were to leave San Diego, where would be the next-best place you’d want to brew?  

Probably Portland, Oregon. There’s a great beer scene up there and when fresh organic hops are harvested there each year, there are some awesome wet-hopped IPAs that can be made.

Which musical genre or artists are on your brew-day soundtrack/playlist?  

Mostly classic rock

What motto rules the way you brew and approach brewing in a professional brewhouse?  

Be meticulous in the details of brewing and extremely meticulous in the cleaning and sanitation. No shortcuts…ever.

When you’re not at work, what do you like to do for fun?  

I love hanging with the family, going to the beach and camping.

Where do you like to drink off-the-clock?  

Stone Brewing is close to where I live. I love just hanging in their garden and enjoying a brew.

What is your favorite beer-and-food pairing of all time?  

Our SD West Coast Style IPA with homemade biscuits and gravy (the gravy is made with our 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?  

Ha, I would drink our SD West Coast IPA and I would invite the whole crew of Protector!

Who do you think you are (a purposely broad question)?  

I think we are in a really good spot. We were blessed with eight international awards over the last two years and Protector launched into five additional states this year. We are launching into Texas early next year and focusing on major retail chains with our cans. So, the future looks bright and we are excited to keep the momentum up!