Head Brewer, 32 North Brewing Co.
It wasn’t all that long after Miramar’s 32 North Brewing Company opened that the business’ head brewer hit the road to pursue other projects. Recently, owner Steve Peterson hired an East Coast transplant to take the reins of his 32 North’s brewhouse. I could work to eloquently introduce this rather unique individual, but feel his personal flair for storytelling is such that I’ll cut to the chase and allow him to do so.
How did you get into the brewing field?
From an early age, it was clear that I was not like other kids. If my parents left anything fermentable lying around like grain, grapes, apples or honey, it would be transformed into delicious alcohol nearly immediately. Unsure of how to raise a child with my unique abilities, they swaddled me in Liefman’s wrappers and left me on the doorstep of Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. The school started to have way better parties. I am not at liberty to discuss much of the events that followed, but some years later, an owl dropped a letter down my chimney notifying me that my skills were needed in the private sector, and I began to travel the country aiding and abetting the activities of such elite units as Rock Bottom, Boscos, Parish Brewing Co. and Heartland Brewery in their collective mission to drench this great nation in delicious craft beer.
What led you to San Diego?
I was working in a little beverage-backwater known as New York City, where I was routinely forced to choke down IPAs of lesser than 100 IBUS and darker than 0.5 SRM. The situation was untenable. But I knew in my heart that on a far-off coast there was a land where the sun is always shining, the beer is bracing, the surf is stunning, the tacos are tantalizing, the punk rock is punishing and the weather is basically perfect. I kept the faith and have been delivered through the desert to the Promised Land. A choice assignment, indeed!
What has been the most challenging part about joining 32 North?
Catching up. This summer, I walked into a brewery with a lot of empty tanks, some cranky equipment and no instruction manual, but we’re getting it into shape and I’m starting to see a point where I have time to really put myself into new product development.
How will you alter the beer lineup?
As I understand it, the lineup at 32 North has been shifting since opening. Moving forward, you can expect to see us hone in our focus on putting out a solid and consistent lineup of ales available year-round as well as continuing to experiment with our Lactobacillus and wild yeast-fermented Berliner weisse. We also hope to get our barrel program off the ground in the coming months. I’d also like to add that anyone who hasn’t come by the taproom in a while will find several light, dry session beers, something that seemed to be absent when I arrived.
How does it feel to be in such a brewery-dense section of San Diego and have you had a chance to get to know some of your “Beeramar” neighbors?
It’s wonderful. I once swore I’d never work in another industrial park, but I made an exception here because it seems everyone around here makes something awesome. I can walk to some of the best breweries in the country, and if I walk to too many I can just sleep in my office. We’ve been swamped, so I haven’t gotten to bring brownies around to everyone like I hoped to, so if anybody reads this, come say “hi.”