Count the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) among the many factions that recognize the significant, positive impact that the local brewing industry has on the county. Enough that the governmental organization has declared February as San Diego Brewing Month in an effort to spotlight local brewing companies and coffee roasters, both of which benefit—as do their end customers—from having clean, healthy and reliable water resources.
“San Diego is the capital of craft beer, generating an economic impact of more than $1.1 billion a year,” says Matthew Zirpolo, co-founder of Burgeon Beer Co. and president of the San Diego Brewers Guild. “Like every industry in this region, we rely on the Water Authority and its member agencies to deliver our most precious natural resource so that we can do what we do best—make the award-winning beers that define our region.”
Brewing Month is part of the SDCWA’s larger Brought to You by Water outreach and education program, which was designed to convey the importance viable water supplies play for the county’s 3.3 million residents and its $220 billion economy. Over the past year, the SDCWA has highlighted various other local industries, including tourism and manufacturing.
“This is an exciting opportunity to showcase local craft beer and coffee roasters that share one common core ingredient—water,” says SDCWA Board chair Jim Madaffer. “San Diego’s celebrated craft beers and its growing coffee industry together provide thousands of jobs and help define this place we call home.”
As part of Brewing Month, the SDCWA is conducting a social-media contest. To participate, San Diegans are being asked to post photos of their favorite local beers or coffee using the #B2UbyH2O hashtag on Twitter and Instagram. Winners will receive items donated by local companies as well as bags of a special blend of kosher, fair-trade, organic coffee dubbed Authority 1944 Blend produced by Barrio Logan’s Cafe Moto. Winners will be drawn randomly each week from posts that meet contest rules.