Even with the official start to the holiday season just days away, there’s a lot going on in local beer, where the action never really slows. Enough that a few quick-hit news items are in order.
Based across the street from Valley View Casino Center, Bay City Brewing has earned a reputation as the spot for San Diego Gulls fans. With any luck, they’ll be able to garner their share of Padres pre- and post-gamers when they open a satellite tasting room in downtown’s East Village. Sited at 627 Eight Avenue, it will certainly face its share of competition, with Knotty Barrel and its in-house Knotty Brewing tasting room on the same block and beer-bar stalwart Neighborhood across the street. Additionally, Half Door Brewing and Duck Foot Brewing’s recently-opened, food-equipped tasting room are two- and three-block walks away, respectively. The East Village is currently home to five breweries and three brewery-owned venues, not counting the planned projects from Bay City, Little Miss Brewing and cannabis-beer interest Two Roots Brewing.
Also working on a tasting room is Ebullition Brew Works. That Vista operation has been open for just over a year, and will be among a slate of hospitality venues comprising The Square at Bressi Ranch commercial development. Located in Carlsbad at Palomar Airport Road and El Fuerte Street, the shopping center will be anchored by a Sprouts market, CVS Pharmacy and BevMo, and also include several restaurants.
In other news, key members of the group behind Saint Archer Brewing, the Miramar-based business that sold to MillerCoors in 2015, are in the process of building another brewery brand. That interest will go by the name Harland Brewing, and is being cobbled together by Saint Archer founder Josh Landan (he left the business in 2017), ex-vice president Jeff Hansson and ex-market manager Anthony Levas. Once operational and producing beer, that product will be distributed by Scout Distribution, a boutique distribution and marketing company founded by the aforementioned trio. That company’s clients currently include local interests Abnormal Beer Co., 32 North Brewing, Bivouac Ciderworks and JuneShine.