There are hundreds of talented brewing professionals giving their all to help maintain the San Diego beer industry’s storied reputation. While these industrious practitioners share numerous similarities, each is their own unique person with individual likes, dislikes, methodologies, techniques, inspirations, interests and philosophies. The goal of San Diego Beer News’ Portrait of a Brewer series is to not only introduce readers to local brewers, but dig in to help them gain a deeper appreciation for the people making their beer and how they have contributed to the county’s standout craft-brewing culture.
Today’s featured brewer is…
Sam Billheimer
of Ketch Brewing
What is your current title?
Head Brewer and Director of Brewing Operations
Where did you grow up?
Las Cruces, New Mexico
What brought you to San Diego?
I moved here for the PhD program at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. That was 16 years ago! I ended up studying and working there for seven years before switching to brewing full-time.
What was the first beer and/or alcoholic beverage you ever had?
A warm can of Budweiser “borrowed” from the kitchen pantry. It tasted a lot different to me then, much more strongly flavored than it does now. My first craft beer was a Rogue Dead Guy Ale and Stone Brewing’s Arrogant Bastard ALe pretty soon after that.
What was your a-ha moment that turned you on to craft beer?
There was not really a specific a-ha moment, but more of an ongoing process that first started when I began brewing beer at home. At the time, I was doing seasonal work commercial salmon-fishing in Alaska and just trying to save money during the offseason by making my own beer. Turns out I didn’t save much money, but it inspired an ongoing journey, discovering the variety and dimensionality of craft beer.
What led you to consider a career in brewing?
Honestly, it was just more fun for me than working in science. I was also inspired by the beers on a visit to Prague for an oceanography conference.
What was your first brewing/brewery position?
Pulling cans in exchange for low fills, shortly after Mike Hess Brewing had fired up the then-new canning line at its North Park facility.
What breweries have you worked for over your career and in what roles?
I was a packaging technician (eventually a paid position) at Mike Hess Brewing, did an internship at Benchmark Brewing, was a Brewer at Fall Brewing, then on to Head Brewer at Ketch.
Who have been the individuals that have helped you the most to learn and advance in your career, and how?
There are a lot. Matt and Rachael Akin as mentors at Benchmark and beyond. My advisors and teaching staff at the UCSD Extension Professional Brewing program (Teresa Grosch, Yuseff Cherney, Lee Chase, Gwen Conley, Paul Segura, Chris White and Lee Chase) for developing the program and sharing their knowledge. Greg “Chief” Hoover and Ivan Maldonado for hiring me at Fall and teaching me practical brewing and cellar techniques. And a large number of individuals in the San Diego brewing community for not just willingness, but enthusiasm for technical conversations and sharing advice.
What singular piece of advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a professional brewer?
Be safe and take care of yourself physically
What ultimate career goal would you like to achieve?
I care about people and I care about quality. I want to carry that ethos with me, continue learning and make the best beer possible. Recognition through competition results is always a nice bonus.
What is your favorite beer you’ve ever brewed, be it on a professional or amateur level?
I once brewed two beers at home on the same day, an IPA called “Bonnie” and a saison called “Victor”, which were named after my friends and housemates at the time. I brewed them to each person’s taste, and they were both very much enjoyed by their namesakes. I think that’s why they were my favorite.
What is your least-favorite beer you’ve ever brewed on any level?
Early on, I tried to homebrew something similar to Tequiza – a discontinued, margarita-inspired malt beverage from a couple of decades ago – by fermenting agave syrup and halved limes. It was horrible.
What are your favorite and least-favorite hop varietals at present?
I’ve always been a fan of the classics Cascade and Columbus (CTZ). Lately I’ve really been enjoying beers that are Riwaka- or Nectaron-forward. I haven’t seen Sorachi Ace around for a while. That was a weird one.
What are some of your favorite brewing ingredients that aren’t hops?
Non-hop thiol precursors and biotransformation enzymes. It’s a whole new dimension with a lot of exploration left to do
If you weren’t a brewer, what do you think you would do for a living?
Probably oceanography. The kind where you go on research expeditions and collect data.
What is your favorite beer style?
Czech-style Pilsners and Brett-finished saisons
If you could wipe one style of beer off the face of the earth, what would it be?
Milkshake IPA with vanilla, coconut cream, cinnamon, coriander, rhubarb, gooseberry and chocolate-pecan pie
What single brewing company’s beers and/or ethos/style has been most influential on your style?
Probably Pilsner Urquell. They invented a brand new style of beer – pale lager – over 180 years ago that is globally copied to this day and probably the most popular singular style of beer ever. The beer is still amazing, and really opened my eyes to the possibility for the full flavors that pale lagers are capable of.
What is your favorite San Diego County brewing company?
Pizza Port. You know that anything you pick on the board is going to be delicious.
What is your favorite brewing company outside of San Diego?
Bierstadt Lagerhaus and Wayfinder Beer for their commitment to brewing excellent lagers.
What three breweries that you haven’t yet visited—local or elsewhere—are on your current must-see bucket list?
Sierra Nevada Brewing, Anheiser-Busch (St. Louis), and Augustiner-Brau
If you were to leave San Diego, where would be the next-best place you’d want to brew?
The community at McMurdo Station in Antarctica could probably use some fresh beer.
What motto rules the way you brew and approach brewing in a professional brewhouse?
Sweat the details. Be as meticulously consistent as possible with each technique and input. Then, when you want to experiment, you can change one thing at a time and be confident in what you’re testing.
What do you consider your greatest professional accomplishments?
Winning a gold medal at the 2025 Great American Beer Festival! Also, the continuous progress at Ketch Brewing with quality, consistency and growth, getting to the point where it is today. I’m hoping that my greatest professional accomplishment is still ahead of me.
What are you proud of having achieved in your personal life?
Getting barreled at Black’s. I also sang Lizzo at karaoke one time.
When you’re not at work, what do you like to do for fun?
Surfing, desert camping, playing poker with friends, the occasional round of disc-golf. Also, drinking beers with friends.
Where do you like to drink off-the-clock?
OB Brewery and Pizza Port Ocean Beach
What is your favorite beer-and-food pairing of all time?
Street tacos with habanero salsa and a cold Tecate
If you could somehow plan your last beer dinner before dying, what would you drink and eat, and who would you invite to join you?
I’d barbecue all day with family and close friends and an ice chest full of Jever Pilsners. There would be green chile and elk stew with an assortment of smoked meats enjoyed with Orval. And we’d cap off the meal with a lineup of Cantillon gueuzes.
Who do you think you are (a purposely broad question)?
A human being composed of approximately 60% water, who also is a brewer aspiring to learn and improve. Also an aspiring cat dad.
If you’re a brewer at a San Diego brewing company and would like to be featured in our Portrait of a Brewer series, drop us a line at [email protected].