In 2017, the owners and CEO of Coronado Brewing teamed with investor John Gallegos to breathe life into CBC head brewer Ryan Brooks’ vision for a cross-border, multi-cultural company. Over the past two years, that operation, SouthNorte Beer Co., has won awards and risen to prominence, particularly among consumers interested in Mexican imports such as Corona and Modelo. Last week, Gallegos announced he has bought out CBC’s owners, rendering him majority owner of South Norte. Brandon Richards, former Coronado CEO who has since moved on to become president of AleSmith Brewing, will remain involved in an advisory role, while CBC will continue to produce and package SouthNorte beers under contract. Says Brooks, “I am excited to keep growing SouthNorte and working on projects that we have talked about doing in the past and just haven’t done yet.”
Latitude 33 Brewing is in a state of flux. The Vista company has sold its production facility in Vista to Local Roots Kombucha, a two-year-old company previously based in Carlsbad. The introduction and subsequent success of Local Roots’ newer line of alcoholic kombuchas led its leadership team to seek increased production capabilities. This year, the company produced 1,000 barrels. Acquisition of Latitude 33’s facility has it pegging its 2020 production at 35,000 barrels. Even with the move, Local Roots will continue to operate out of its existing tasting room on Poinsettia Avenue. Latitude 33 will continue to operate its tasting room and brew on a small-batch basis, while also brewing on a larger scale at Green Flash Brewing’s Miramar facility as it concludes its move to a new headquarters on Whiptail Loop in Carlsbad.
Last year, a collaboration beer was brewed for Ocean Beach’s Springboard West music festival. The beer was such a success over the multi-day event, that it is being rebrewed this week in anticipation of this year’s fest, which will take place January 9-11. Dubbed Springboard Pale Ale, it will be brewed at OB Brewery with representatives from Amplified Ale Works, Belching Beaver Brewery, Hodad’s Brewing, Mike Hess Brewing and Pizza Port Ocean Beach present to assist. It will be available at all of the stages during the festival’s first-ever Band and Brew Crawl on January 11, as well as a VIP tasting at OB Brewery before the event.