Last week, Ku’uipo Lawler, owner of Santee’s Pacific Islander Beer Co., sent an email to customers thanking them for the patronage and urging them to visit other breweries in his community. It was a selfless act devoid of marketing for his own business. Those close to Lawler are well aware of his supportive spirit, but perhaps none so much as Trevor Anderson, Andy Lloyd and Jerren Zeferjahn, homebrewers PIB’s owner urged to go pro after tasting their recreational brews. Fast forward three years and they’re busy bringing their Three Frogs Beer Co. to life right on Mission Gorge Road.
The trio will keep things close to the small-scale homebrewing they’ve now been doing together for half-a-decade, likely opting for a two-barrel system and producing around 100 barrels in Three Frogs’ first year. They intend to keg all of their beer and offer it exclusively at their brewery’s tasting room, which will be located in a 1,400-square-foot space at 10366 Mission Gorge Road.
All three of the “frogs” will brew, but Anderson will serve as head brewer. While they do not plan to limit the styles they produce, they enjoy brewing multiple India pale ales and wheat beers—including a version infused with hibiscus flowers that has done well for them with early fans. They also plan to offer rotating hazy IPAs and SMASH (single hop and single malt) beers, but will experiment with ales ranging from blonde to stout, plus pilsners and assorted lagers.
The business’ name is based on the number of founders and the fact Anderson has always loved the namesake amphibian. When asked about the eventual look and feel of their tasting room, Lloyd replies, “You know, something a frog would like…cool and comfortable,” before clarifying, “AIR CONDITIONED!” Their 200-square-foot cellar will also be temperature-controlled.
By opening in spring of 2019 as projected, Three Frogs figures to become Santee’s fifth operating brewery, joining BNS Brewing and Distilling Co., Council Brewing, Groundswell Brewing and Pacific Islander Beer.