San Diego’s brewing industry and overall beer scene didn’t spontaneously occur. It was forged over decades by thousands of entrepreneurs, craftspeople, employees and fans. And key to it all have been the brewing companies that have added their own unique spirit, personalities, motifs, influences and, of course, ales and lagers to the equation. In our Rear View Beer series, we take a moment to look back and honor brewing operations that are no longer with us; companies both large and small that leant their passion, ideals and liquid wares to the local scene before exiting it. And we’re doing so with the support of California State University San Marcos’ Brewchive, which has been actively preserving the history and artifacts of San Diego County’s craft-beer community since 2017.
Today we remember Benchmark Brewing with co-founding Head Brewer Matt Akin.
Akin was no stranger to San Diego’s award-winning brewing industry when he and his wife, Rachael, teamed up with Matt’s parents, Jim and Margaret, to open their family business in 2013. Already a decade into his brewing career, he’d had a large hand in helping build the region’s sterling reputation, but had done so far from the glare of the spotlight, plying his trade as part of AleSmith Brewing’s small-but-mighty production team. Feeling he had something of his own to offer to the scene he so loved, he made a big leap and beer fans were the better for it. Installed in the base level of a Grantville business park structure, Benchmark quickly became one of the county’s most popular breweries despite being much smaller in size than upper-echelon operations of the day, like Stone Brewing, Ballast Point Brewing and Green Flash Brewing. The Akins’ ability to hang with the big boys was all the more impressive considering they did so with a mostly low-alcohol portfolio of “beer flavored beer”, traditional styles proudly free of flavor additives and new-wave twists that the couple (who are both certified beer judges) considered gimmicks. Benchmark went against the grain in many ways, but in doing so appealed to hardcore beer fans who respected the Akins’ appreciation for beer as beer was intended to be. More than six years since the couple shuttered their passion project, “beer-flavored beer” remains an oft-used term within the local community and fans count themselves lucky to have Matt continuing his contributions to the industry as the Head Brewer at Miramar-based Duck Foot Brewing.
Matt & Rachael Akin
What inspired you to open a brewery and what did you aim to bring to the local beer scene?
Opening a brewery was always the thing that I was going to do. After about eight years at AleSmith, I left to pursue other brewing opportunities and Benchmark is what came of that. We wanted to bring delicious but smaller beers to the market. Our core beers were all modest in alcohol content with Benchmark IPA being the largest at 5.1% ABV (alcohol-by-volume). We made plenty of big beers all year round, too, but we wanted people to be comfortable having two beers in a sitting.
How did you put your own personal stamp on the business?
From the “ranger station chic” tasting room aesthetic to the easy-to-drink classic beers, everything about Benchmark was about having a couple beers with friends. That pretty much sums up my daily goals.
What are some of the most memorable moments you hold dear?
The days that we had Santa Claus come to the brewery for pictures were some of the most chaotic and entertaining days we had – those events really brought out the entire community. All of the “Drinking with Matt” events (pictured below) we hosted were so much fun. But the best memory, the one I come back to the most, is always that I got to work with my wife every day. We were always there for each other through all of the great things and the really rough times. I miss getting to spend my days at work with her. As far as things that I am proud, it’s hard to find a starting place, but I’d say Great American Beer Festival (GABF) medals, having a Belgian-style table beer that people sought out, having the chance to mentor several great brewers who have gone on to run brewhouses themselves, and so many more.
Which of your beers do you miss the most?
I am lucky in that I still get to brew several of my favorites at Duck Foot. The Belgian-style beers that I love so much all get to come back pretty regularly. Table Beer is under the name Friar Duck, Voyager Dubbel is Platypug and Feisty Fleur is now Sasquack. Oatmeal Stout makes an appearance every now and again in a slightly higher-ABV format, but the heart of the recipe remains the same. The one that I have not gotten to brew that I am really missing these days is our wee heavy, Stargazer. But again, I am lucky I get to keep brewing and I have new favorites now, too.
How have things been since you’ve moved on from Benchmark?
It was very hard closing and leaving behind something that I had worked so hard on. We are almost seven years removed from that and I still think about it every day despite the fact that I am very busy as the Head Brewer at Duck Foot. We are cranking out some very tasty beers that I am very proud of. I feel lucky to have landed here and to have gained the trust of the owners to let me brew beers the way I think they should be brewed. One of the greatest pleasures that I have had at Duck Foot has been seeing people who were regulars at Benchmark make their way up to Miramar to see what I am up to. Anyone out there who has not found me, come by and say “hi”.
If you could do it all over again, what, if anything, would you do over again?
Damn near all of it, right up until the part where it broke down.
What advice would you share with someone looking to open a brewery?
How many pages are you giving me for this? Briefly though: If you think you have enough money, get out there and find that much again while still trying to avoid debt as best as you can. The market is tough and good beer is not enough to keep an operation up and running these days, so you will need to nail every aspect of the business. Build a team that you can trust with people who can specialize in each aspect of the business and let them run with it. Be in constant, honest communication about every aspect of the business with an eye on every dollar spent, and be ready to find a new plan when something does not work out.
From the Brewchive
Brewery Name: Benchmark Brewing
Business Address: 6190 Fairmount Avenue, Suite G in Grantville
ABC License Type & Issuance: 23, May 2013
Business Opening: June 2013
Satellite Location Address: 4112 Napier Street in Bay Park (now operated by Harland Brewing)
Satellite Location Opening: Opened July 2018
Business Closure Date(s): Temporarily closed January 2019, reopened and permanently closed June 2019
Awards: Oatmeal Stout, GABF, gold in Session Beer category (2016); Oatmeal Stout, GABF silver in Session Beer category (2014)