It’s been just over a year since I got back from San Diego and I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss it every single day. I wake up and yearn to be back in that gorgeous place; many days back here in DC feel draining, especially given the recent weather. But life must go on.
The smaller breweries in San Diego, the size of our Right Proper’s Brookland production taproom, really stood out, with just enough space outside to make it worthwhile (they benefit from year round perfect weather), but that’s not the interesting part. At least two of these brewery locations acted almost like a co-op type of space, which is something I’ve been advocating for years here in DC.
Take Seek Brewing Co and Barley and Sword Brewing. Barley and Sword and Seek are located right next to each other, about the same size. I’m serious, they share a main wall and outdoor space. The lines between the two small breweries are almost non-existent. The same goes for Border X and Mujeres Brewing, though the 100% women-owned Mujeres seems to actually be a part of or related to Border X Brewing, according to their website.
I find this especially intriguing because here in DC, the beer industry folks are not nearly as competitive as the distilled spirits or even the wine industry. If one brewery needs to borrow an extra bag of grain or some yeast, or hell, a clamp, or equipment they know they can ask another brewery without blinking an eye. You’ll see many brewers heading to another brewery for shift beers, and the brewery friend circle is vast and intertwined. But what you don’t see are any breweries that are literally right beside each other; sharing walls, outdoor space or direct patrons. Not really sure why that is, but I personally thought this concept would be amazing here in the District. Especially with all the small, local beer brands that contract their beers via larger breweries, and the impressive amount of Black-owned beer brands who contract brew out of larger, established breweries with enough capacity to do so.
These brands might benefit greatly from such a partnership, allowing them to share equipment and costs, while having the freedom to brew what they want without going through a bigger, completely different brewery space. When our beloved, and sizable 3 Stars Brewing closed during and due to COVID, this was my first idea. How cool would it have been to create a beer hub in this massive space that’s honestly a pain in the ass to get to without driving? Now I’m not saying this idea would be the final platform for these small, start up beer brands, but it would be one helluva kickstart into the brick and mortar beer business. It could have been the true Chocolate City Co-op, with Bitter Fruit, Soul Mega, Sankofa, Joy Hound, Black Beauty, Liquid Intrusion, and Urban Garden.
Having a beer co-op space for up and coming/new beer brands would provide an incredible amount of business opportunities, and room for growth. They would be able to tweak their recipes, figure out what is best for them and their beer brands, learn the ins and outs of starting a brick and mortar brewery, but with the knowledge that they aren’t in it alone. Less risk, too. They would have their immediate community to fall back upon and grow together, like training wheels for a brewery. Then, once they have revenue coming in, again sharing the brick and mortar space with another brewery, would allow them more flexibility with money and not having to pay as many overhead costs for rent; they would be more likely to save up and get their own space if that’s what they wanted. City-State’s monthly rent in Eckington started at $36,000 a month. Woof, I can’t imagine any small brewery being able to afford that long term.
Think of a food hall, like DC’s Union Market, filled to the brim with all kinds of different local businesses and food, but for beer and beer brands. It would be incredible to see the newer beer brands such as Lost Nomad or all the Black-owned ones to finally have their brick and mortar, a huge aspect that sadly is missing here in DC (and across the US). Perhaps it’s the scary aspect of the unknown, or the lack of access to capital, and some folks aren’t good with sharing space, I get that, but it doesn’t have to be a forever home, just the starting point.
Looking at it from a consumer standpoint is even more enticing. How freaking cool would it be to brewery hop and drink a vast array of beers from different breweries without having to drive, call an uber, or even move too far from your seat? I know a bunch of my Untapped-obsessed friends would not leave until they checked in everything. That’s a bunch of business coming in. These are just my two cents and my ADHD imagination getting the best of me. Funding for such large endeavors and real estate here in the District is the hardest hurdle for all of the aforementioned businesses, and of course we, with deeply saddened anger, can (and will always) trace it back to lack of capital, stemming from systemic racism.
I reached out to a few of the previously mentioned breweries in San Diego, and was delighted to hear back from Mike Howell, owner and brewer of Barley and Sword. It was important to me that I actually get feedback from someone who is living this idea. I asked Howell how the size of the brewery affects output and patron consumption, he responded, “The size of our brewery has been both beneficial and a challenge. Working on a 10 barrel system allowed me the ability to be flexible with my batch size as well as gave me time to work out the kinks prior to scaling up production. However now as we’ve grown I am brewing more double batches than single which takes a lot of time and resources. In the end it is all worth it, but I am considering what an upgrade might look like. We produced 395bbls in 2024. In 2025, I will surpass that number by the end of the month. I expect to produce a minimum of 800bbls”
I am always impressed how much beer one can produce on such a small system, and in my opinion, sharing a wall, space and patrons with their brewery neighbor helps alleviate some stress on trying to produce more to meet high demands, as we know sometimes quality does not maintain well when there is an increase in quantity, unless you are a massive brewery, with all the money, bells, whistles, and staff to hold it all down.
I further asked his personal feelings on being in such close proximity to his beer neighbors and if there are perks or have any positive feedback from guests regarding this layout. “The proximity to Seek (and previously GOAL) has had both benefits and challenges. It is fortunate that our focus is on significantly different styles, so we really don’t overlap in many areas. Our vibe and aesthetic is also different. The benefits that we see are from folks that like the option for variety between the two businesses. The drawback for us is the consumer focus on more ‘hype’ styles which Seek produces. I have two IPAs and one sour in my entire recipe book, and each of those are a more traditional approach to the styles. There is a demand for the beer I brew, but it’s much more of a slow burn. A challenge I chose, but a challenge none the less.”
I was curious if they partnered with Seek or would welcome more breweries so close in proximity to B&S. Howell responded, “We have partnered with Seek for events such as craft markets and Oktoberfest, and will continue to do so. More people coming out is always better. In the end, I would prefer to be in a location where we were the primary focus for consumers. I feel that our brand would stand out even more. I was very surprised when I entered the industry how much the personality of a brand impacts the clientele, vibe, and relations with neighbors. The beer is important, but the personalities behind the operation make all the difference.”
This response ties in and goes along with what I was saying; sharing space doesn’t have to be permanent, you can have bigger dreams, a bigger space, more beer, but as a place to start as a small brewery/business, you could do much worse. If you are in San Diego, make sure to visit Barley & Sword, and thank you again to Mike Howell for answering my questions. I wish him and his brewery all the best.
It was refreshing to see such camaraderie between the breweries in San Diego and the smart layout of these spaces to promote foot traffic and overall growth of the industry there.
