Veteran festival organizers Tom Nickel and Jeff Bagby know what it takes to throw a proper beer festival. Despite demanding day jobs, the two have assembled nearly 40 fests together since 2000, including the last three International Beer Festivals – and their adjoining competitions – at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
“The two festivals at the races will be my 48th and 49th beer festivals organized in this town, which is a number I believe no one else is close to touching,” said Nickel, referring to this Saturday’s beer fest with Sammy Hagar & The Wabos and another coming up August 31 featuring Ziggy Marley.
This Saturday, beer drinkers can buy five seven-ounce beer tastings for $17 at the Seaside Cabana & Concert area just west of the grandstand. The lineup’s focus is on top-rated and medal-winning San Diego beers, with the following breweries scheduled to appear: AleSmith Brewing Company, Aztec Brewing Company, Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits, Coronado Brewing Company, Green Flash Brewing Company, Karl Strauss Brewing Company, Latitude 33 Brewing, The Lost Abbey, Manzanita Brewing Company, Mission Brewery, Monkey Paw Brewing Co., Pizza Port Brewing Company- Solana Beach, Pizza Port Brewing Company- Ocean Beach, Pizza Port Brewing Company- Carlsbad, Port Brewing Company, Rip Current Brewing, Societe Brewing Co., and Stone Brewing Co.
Regional and national brands like Sierra Nevada, Firestone Walker, Dogfish Head, Lagunitas, Anchor, Sam Adams, New Belgium and Rogue will also be on hand, bringing the total number of beers being poured to over 100.
Admission to the concert area is free with track tickets, and designated drivers don’t have to pay to get into the beer fest either. And as with any great beer festival, brewery representatives will be on hand to answer questions.
So how does Nickel, who owns O’Brien’s Pub, has a stake in West Coast Barbecue & Brew, and is currently working on his own brewery in Julian, have the time?
“It helps to have a great staff,” he admitted. “Most of our staff at O’Brien’s has been with us a long time. Our kitchen manager has been with us for 11 years, and we have only one bartender who has been there for less than three years. Also, Larry (Koger) mostly runs West Coast on his own now; he has had it for about 18 months and is really starting to find a nice rhythm out there.”
Nickel also cited a complementary work style with Jeff Bagby, who is also in the process of getting his own business — a brewpub in Oceanside — up-and-running.
Yet even with great work partners who pull their weight, passion is key. “I love what I do and that makes it rarely seem like work. I have nearly 20 years in the San Diego beer business and I have loved every minute of it,” said Nickel, who added a caveat: “That said, there are certainly a lot of long days and I’m sure my wife wishes that I worked a little bit less.”