Many of San Diego’s top beermakers will gather more than 1,000 miles away from home on Tuesday night to root for their favorite baseball team — and against their namesake.
They’ll be at their own version of the playoffs: The Great American Beer Festival in Denver. But they’ll find time, a television and, sure, maybe a drink or two as they sweat out another Padres-Brewers postseason game.
Beer may have made Milwaukee famous, but San Diego has led the craft brewing scene for decades.
And Petco Park has long been an outlet for San Diego’s beer culture, offering dozens of local microbrews for sale throughout the ballpark and holding Padres BeerFests in Gallagher Square throughout the season.
(That doesn’t count the official, unofficial and Padres-adjacent beers for sale year-round throughout San Diego: So what’ll it be: Swingin’ Friar Ale or .394 Pale Ale? Holy Sheets or Murky Machado or Crone Zone? Throwback Lager or Beat L.A.?)
The Union-Tribune talked baseball, beermaking and more with four Padres fans and real-life brewers. Their responses have been lightly edited:
How long have you been Padres fans?
Tomme Arthur, co-founder and director of brewing operations at Lost Abbey Brewing: I would say my fandom began in earnest around 1982-83, when Tony Gwynn broke through. I remember following the ‘84 team on their journey to the World Series and was an avid clipper and scrapbooker of the Tribune back then (we got the afternoon paper).
Anthony Tallman, co-founder and head brewer at Burgeon Beer Co.: I have been a lifelong Padres fan (39 years). Oh man, it’s way too hard to choose just one favorite player. I love the hometown hero Joe Musgrove, (am a) big Manny Machado fan, and I love to watch Michael King on the bump.
Blake Masoner, co-founder and head Brewer at Craft Coast Brewing: I’ve been a Padres fan my entire life. I’m born and raised in North County and have been going to games for as long as I can remember. I had the privilege of watching Tony Gwynn on many occasions, and he truly is the ultimate Padre. I also loved watching Ken Caminiti and Trevor Hoffman. Currently, I like (Fernando) Tatis (Jr.) — he’s the guy you want on your team and not have to play against.
Marlow Myrmo, director of brewery operations for Hodad’s: My grandpa was a doctor for Jack Murphy Stadium and later Qualcomm Stadium, so I grew up going to many Padres games with him. Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman are both legends, and I was fortunate enough to watch them play. My favorite player on this year’s roster is Manny Machado; he’s our captain, and as he goes, the Padres go. However, I root for all our guys, from King to Salas …
Despite liking the Padres, do you have a soft spot for the Brewers, given what you do for a living?
Arthur: I’ve never really thought about the Brewers that way. … That being said, I have always loved Bernie Brewer, and the sausage races slay me.
Masoner: Until this series, I would have said yes. But since it’s gone this way, the soft spot is gone. I also liked their glove logo because it’s a BM, just like my initials.
Myrmo: I liken it to the craft beer vs. macro beer rivalry in our industry. It’s us small guys against the big corporate breweries, so no soft spot here. Respect for the Brewers, though. They’re a great baseball team, but I will always be rooting for the Padres.
Compare the San Diego and Milwaukee beer scenes. …
Tallman: I would say the major difference between the two cities’ beer scenes … is that San Diego has a strong craft beer community, while Milwaukee has a long tradition of older, larger breweries like Miller. I had the chance to take the tour at Miller Brewing, and let me tell you, it was pretty damn cool!
Myrmo: Milwaukee has the traditional beer history with Pabst Blue Ribbon and Miller breweries, but San Diego has the modern craft beer history, with notables like Karl Strauss, Stone and AleSmith.
What makes San Diego a special place for beer?
Arthur: San Diego — like the Padres — found an identity almost at the same time. Beer in San Diego from the time I started (1996) was not world-class and generally recognized as being worthy of your time and attention. Fast forward to today: the Padres deliver world-class baseball experiences and locally craft-brewed beer is there every step of the way to support the team. Today, San Diego is widely regarded as a beer mecca, and fans from the world over travel here for our amazing breweries and brewers. It’s been an incredible wave we have surfed in the past 30 years.”
Myrmo: San Diego’s beer scene is known worldwide, and I’ve been fortunate enough to witness it firsthand from Japan to Germany. While traveling, I’ve had great conversations with international brewers who are now brewing their own takes on West Coast IPAs. It’s even more of a trip being in a foreign brewery and seeing “San Diego Style IPA” on their menu board. San Diego is well known, but the rest of the country and even the world is catching up.
Tallman: Not just that, but breweries and brewers who were trend-setting and creating the best examples of a wide variety of beer styles, not just the hoppy stuff, which we all know San Diego has the best of.
If you had to brew a beer for this Padres season, what would be in it and how would it taste?
Arthur: It would be a hop-forward lager. Easy enough to drink more than one at the game and possessing just enough bitterness to remind me that even the smoothest seasons have bitter endings sometimes. Only one team hoists the trophy, but every fan base gets to hoist suds daily.
Tallman: I would have to say that based on this current team and how complete of a team it is, a pale ale would be the perfect fit. It has all the flavor, approachability and is a great example of how to create balance with the use of your ingredients.
Myrmo: I would’ve brewed a barrel-aged beer in March that started out decent, even a bit bitter, but after a few months of cellaring, it tasted great in September and hopefully hits its peak in October.
Which of your beers would you drink to celebrate a Padres win? Or to feel better after a Padres loss?
Arthur: The one in front of me, generally speaking. I am most fond of Moral Codes, and it’s a win-or-lose beer. Either way. I win, even with a loss.
Tallman: I would have to say Carlsbad Crush … is the go-to beer. It just packs great flavor and balance into an approachable 5.8% pale ale.
Masoner: If I’m at the brewery watching the game, I’m typically drinking (an extra pale ale) or some kind of West Coast IPA, win or lose. However, after a loss, the strength of the IPA may increase to help calm the nerves.
Myrmo: You can catch me drinking our Surf Punk Baja Lager during most baseball games, whether they win or lose. I think Padres baseball in San Diego is truly special, and I’m happy that I can contribute, even it’s in my own little way.