Head Brewer, Abnormal Beer Company
There are movers and shakers in the local beer-brewing and beer-drinking subculture. Then there is Derek Gallanosa, a BMOC among both factions who, while coming up in the industry with Karl Strauss Brewing before leaving to open and head brewing operations at Rancho Bernardo’s Abnormal Beer Company, maintained his recreational fanatic status via beer trading, tourism and bottle shares. On top of that, he has spent the past three years as an instructor in San Diego State University’s Business of Craft Beer certificate program. Few are the craft-inclined in San Diego who don’t know of him, making his announcement earlier this week that he’ll be moving away to pursue a new brewery project all the more surprising. We sat down to ask him about it and found out the opportunity he’s pursuing is as exciting as it is bittersweet.
What is most exciting about taking on a new endeavor?
Starting fresh with a new lineup of beers and new customers. It’s going to be a learning process just like any new chapter of your life but I feel I have the experiences to succeed in most situations.
What are you able to share about your next chapter?
The name of the brewery will be released in the near future but it will be somewhere in Northern California. I will be a partner in the business, and we will have a big focus on direct-to-customer sales with a lot of can and bottle releases. Just like Abnormal, I will continue to innovate, learn and grow as a brewer. There is no “brewmaster” here, just someone who wants to spend a lifetime knowing more than he did the day before.
Will you continue to collaborate as you did at Abnormal?
The collaborations will continue and will be a part of our marketing strategy. There is so much knowledge to share and so much to gain through collaborating with other breweries. I am excited to continue the friendships I have gained during my time at Abnormal and hope to expand my network with even more like-minded craftsmen.
What is your transition plan?
I am confident Abnormal will continue on without any change in quality. We have a talented team in place and I will spend the next month unloading everything I have learned in the past two-and-a-half years running the brewery. We are a dynamic company and will always try to push the limits our creativity, so my job is to set them up for success as they continue to be a big player in the craft-beer scene.
Do you think the brewing style will remain the same at Abnormal?
Abnormal has always been about keeping a few core beers [perpetually] on tap while having a bunch of specialty one-offs fill up the rest of the in house tap list. I see that still being the case moving forward, same core beers and a few other specialties that cater to the demand of our customers.
Who will be taking over brewing at Abnormal?
The new head brewer for Abnormal will be Nyle Molina as of October 1. The knowledge and experience he has gained from previously working at Green Flash Brewing and Funky Buddha Brewery was the reason we brought him into the Abnormal family. In the few weeks he has been here, he has shown great work ethic and a passion to produce quality products. With that being said, we are now looking for a new brewer to fill his role so send those résumés to info@abnormalbeer.com.
What is the hardest part about leaving Abnormal?
All the people that I work with that have been so supportive of the beer coming out of the brewery, the fact that I have an awesome restaurant I can order lunch from every day, the beer dinners, the camaraderie of the San Diego brewing scene, the drinking community that I love to geek out with, and all that beer I’m leaving in oak barrels for the next guy will be things I will miss. But the most important thing I will miss by moving away are the friends and family that I love who have supported me along my personal and professional journeys.
Any parting words for the San Diego beer community?
Thank you to all the fans of our beer from San Diego and beyond. A lot of people ask me what it’s like to live a dream. I’ve been responding with, “I don’t know,” because right now I feel like I have been living beyond a dream. It’s too much to comprehend. The people who choose to spend their hard-earned money on our beer or take the time, money and effort to listen to me lecture in my Marketing Craft Beer class at SDSU are the ones whose hands I would love to shake in the next month. So once again, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!