Indian Joe Brewing Co. owner Max Moran stands in front of his newly acquired building
Twice a year, I assess the landscape of in-process brewery-owned projects and pick a few that I feel are the most promising. I’ve been at this for nearly four years at this point, so I thought this time around I’d take a look back on the ponies I bet my money on in previous years and see how they turned out. Today, we’ll start with upcoming businesses in the northern expanses of San Diego County.
Belching Beaver Tavern & Grill, Vista: The name of the company and some of the beers would lead one to expect some sort of dive-bar with greasy fried vittles out of this soon-to-open brewery-equipped restaurant, but after touring the space, this former bank is going to look downright stylish and offer a great deal in the way of food, drink and indoor-outdoor comfort. Read more about why this tops my list of North County projects in the near future on the West Coaster site.
Indian Joe Brewing, Vista: The ownership behind this family brewery made a nondescript business park suite look downright beautiful and now they’ll get a chance to work their magic with a large, two-story facility stocked with way more taps, a giant, high-def television, outdoor eating-and-drinking area and a full-time head brewer. That last one wasn’t part of the equation before, so yeah, this figures to be a big next-step for this small business.
Northern Pine Brewing Company, Oceanside: Not a lot is known about this Kickstarter-funded brewery project, except that its owners hail from Idaho and New York, and one of them teamed with Vista’s Mother Earth Brew Co. to brew a beer paying homage to fallen Marines. But the fact that giving back to the community is one of the few for-sures with this business gives it an anticipatory edge.
Past Promising Projects: North
2013: Bagby Beer Company (Oceanside; Grade—A; spacious, unique, wide-ranging, outstanding quality), Pizza Port Bressi Ranch (Carlsbad; Grade—A; carries on the tradition with two stories and views of production), Prodigy Brewing Company (San Marcos; Grade—B; still tons of promise, but beer production stunted by business hiccups and move), Plan 9 Alehouse (Escondido; Grade—C; great food and guest tap list, but house-beer production woefully sporadic)
2014: Green Flash Brewing Company Cellar 3 (Poway; Grade—A; nice next chapter with good décor), The Hop Concept (San Marcos—A; stellar hoppy beers from hoppy beer experts), Second Chance Beer Company (Carmel Mountain—A; Rock Bottom’s loss is inland North County’s boon)
2015: Belching Beaver Brewery – Oceanside (Oceanside—Grade B; better system maintaining company’s quality beers); Mason Ale Works (Oceanside; Grade—B; early beers promising and place is perpetually packed); North 40 (Carlsbad; Grade—N/A; farm-to-table, ground-to-glass collective project still getting off the ground)