I attended the earlybird session of Lost Abbey / Port Brewing’s 5th anniversary celebration last Saturday. The 2007 GABF Small Brewery of the Year has one of the largest tasting rooms in San Diego, and it was packed with party-goers (as was the parking lot that sits between the brewery’s properties off Mata Way in San Marcos). Luckily, I was able to snag Port / L.A. Director of Brewery Operations Tomme Arthur for a few minutes during the well-behaved chaos.
West Coaster: Well, it’s been five years. How do you feel?
Tomme Arthur: It’s been crazy five years, it doesn’t feel like it’s been five years.
WC: If you could pick one high point in the past five years, what would it be?
TA: The people. We’ve met so many different people, and there are so many new people here. It’s surprising to see so many new faces here today.
WC: What’s on the horizon?
TA: More of the same. In the five years we’ve been open we have finished up three warehouses at 25,000 square feet total. This should be enough to get us to the next five years.
WC: Any plans to increase distribution?
TA: We’ve been adding one new territory a year. We are going to double our production in the next five years. We brewed 8000 barrels last year.
WC: What brew are you most proud of?
TA: This year’s 2011 batch of Red Poppy may go down as one of the best sour beers we’ve ever made.
For pictures from the event, please visit our Facebook.
