Toolbox Brewing Co. (1495 Poinsettia Avenue, Suite 148, Vista) has built a solid reputation for making a number of interesting and tasty sour beers. Enough that, earlier this year, the Toolbox crew decided to convert the operation to a 100% wild ale brewery. Doing so presents a number of challenges as far as keeping beers on tap and producing enough stock to keep the business profitable and healthy.
Ownership says that, while head brewer Peter Perrecone showed great talent, it was necessary for them to part ways with him in order to bring on a brewer with more professional experience. As of Thursday, Perrecone is no longer a part of Toolbox. But it didn’t take him long to catch on with another brewery. He has accepted a position to head the upcoming sour program at Belching Beaver Brewery, another Vista interest not far from his old digs.
Back at Toolbox, the company has signed Ehren Schmidt to man its brewhouse. Schmidt was slated to open a new business called Gaslamp Brewing Co., but that wild ale brewery project turned out to be a no-go. His previous industry experience includes consulting for start-up business Lake Tahoe Brewing Co., serving as head brewer at Tucson’s Nimbus Brewing Co. and brewing at Schlafly Beer in St. Louis.