Ballast Point Brewing Company
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| Location | San Diego, California | ||||||||||||||
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| Opened | 1996 | ||||||||||||||
| Key people | Jack White (Founder) [1] Jim Buechler (President and CEO) [1] | ||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Constellation Brands | ||||||||||||||
| Website | ballastpoint.com | ||||||||||||||
| Active beers | |||||||||||||||
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Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits Company is an American craft brewery and distillery founded in 1996 by Jack White in San Diego, California. Ballast Point Brewing Co. started in the back of Home Brew Mart, a homebrew supply store White founded in 1992. As of 2014 it was the second largest brewer in San Diego County and the 37th largest brewery in the country based on sales volume.[2] The company's main production facility is in Miramar. It also has brewery locations in San Diego's Little Italy and Scripps Ranch neighborhoods, as well as its original Home Brew Mart location in San Diego's Linda Vista neighborhood.[3]
Ballast Point is also the first microdistillery in San Diego since Prohibition. They currently produce 14 spirits: Old Grove Gin, Old Grove Barrel Rested Gin, Three Sheets White Rum, Three Sheets Barrel-Aged Rum, Three Sheets Spiced Rum, Opha Herbal Liqueur, Fugu Vodka, four flavored Fugu Vodkas (Horchata, Jamaica hibiscus, Pina, and Habanero), and the Devil's Share Whiskey family, including Single Malt, Bourbon, and Moonshine.
History
Founder Jack White developed a taste for beer in college. He and his college roommate Pete A’Hearn began home brewing in their apartment at UCLA. They found they had trouble obtaining the various supplies and ingredients they wanted, and had no access to other home brewers to share ideas with.
In 1992, White opened Home Brew Mart in San Diego, selling the supplies and ingredients needed by home brewers. The shop also became a place where home brewers could communicate with and encourage each other. Many of Home Brew Mart's customers went on to found breweries of their own, and the store has been credited with helping to launch San Diego County's reputation as a craft beer mecca.[4][5]
While White ran Home Brew Mart and dreamed of starting his own brewery, A'Hearn went off to the University of California, Davis to get a master brewer’s certificate. He became the company's founding brewmaster; however, he left the company soon after the launch of the brewery and became a science teacher. The two hired Yuseff Cherney, an award-winning home brewer, as Home Brew Mart’s first employee. A'Hearn and Cherney developed a “back room” brewery behind the shop, and in 1996, Ballast Point Brewing was born. The company takes its name from Ballast Point, a historically important site on San Diego Bay in Point Loma.
By 2004, Ballast Point had outgrown its back room location and moved into a larger production brewery in Scripps Ranch. In September 2013, Ballast Point added a third location: a brewery, tasting room, and restaurant in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood, which functions as the company's laboratory for research and development. By the end of 2013, Ballast Point had outgrown Scripps Ranch. In mid-2014, Ballast Point finished construction on a 107,000 square foot brewery in the Miramar area equipped to support the brewery’s growth. Two large copper kettles discovered in a brewery in Lohr, Germany are the centerpiece of this new brewery headquarters, which also features a state-of-the-art laboratory, tasting bar, and restaurant.
In 2008, Ballast Point Spirits was founded, with Old Grove Gin as its first product released. The Ballast Point Spirits family now includes 14 spirits, all made and bottled on site in Scripps Ranch, as well as 2 cocktail mixers: Bloody Mary and Mai Tai.
White served as CEO from the company's inception in 1992 until 2015. In 2012 Jim Buechler became the company's president and general manager, and in June 2015 he became president and CEO, leaving White with the title of Founder.[6] Cherney is the company's chief operations officer and head brewer.
In October 2015 Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits Inc. filed an initial public offering of stock. This offering would make it the first of San Diego County's breweries to go public.[6]
On November 15, 2015, Constellation Brands announced it would acquire Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits for $1 billion.[7] The acquisition, which was completed in December 2015, was financed with a combination of debt and cash.[8][9]
Awards
In 2010, Ballast Point won three gold medals for their beers, as well as the "Small Brewery Champion" award, at the World Beer Cup.[10]
In 2013 and 2014, Ballast Point's distillery arm was named the California Distillery of the Year two years in a row at the New York International Spirits Competition.[11]
By beer:[12]
Abandon Ship
- 2008 Gold Ribbon at the San Diego County Fair: Craft Brewer's Competition
- 2012 Silver at the San Diego International Beer Festival and Competition
Big Eye
- 2006 Silver, 2008 Bronze, and 2009 Bronze at the LA County Fair
- 2004 2nd Gold, 2005 Silver, 2007 Bronze Certificate, 2008 Silver Certificate, and 2011 1st Gold at the California State Fair
- 2002 Bronze at the World Beer Cup
- 2010 Bronze at the Great Japan Beer Festival
- 2008 Silver at the Australian International Beer Awards
Black Marlin
- 2002 Gold, 2004 Gold, 2006 Bronze, 2007 Gold, and 2008 Bronze at the LA County Fair
- 2005 2nd Gold, 2007 Bronze Certificate, 2008 Bronze Certificate, 2011 1st Gold at the California State Fair
- 2003 Bronze at the Great American Beer Festival
Brother Levonian
- 2008 Gold Ribbon at the California State Fair
- 2013 Bronze at the San Diego International Beer Festival and Competition
Calico
- 2002 Best of Show Gold, 2003 Gold, 2004 Silver, 2006 Gold, and 2008 Bronze at the LA County Fair
- 2004 2nd Gold, 2005 Gold, 2007 Silver Certificate, 2008 Gold, and 2011 Silver at the California State Fair
- 2002 Gold at the World Beer Cup
- 2001 Gold at the Great American Beer Festival
- 2011 Bronze, 2012 Gold, and 2013 Gold at the San Diego County Fair International Beer Competition
- 2012 Gold and 2014 Silver at the European Beer Star Awards
- 2011 Bronze at the Australian International Beer Awards
- 2014 Gold at the Los Angeles International Beer Competition
- 2014 Bronze at the Brussels Beer Challenge
Dorado
- 2004 Gold, 2005 Gold, and 2009 Gold at the LA County Fair
- 2007 Silver Certificate at the California State Fair
- 2006 Bronze at the World Beer Cup
- 2002 Gold, 2003 Gold, 2004 Bronze, 2005 Gold, 2006 Bronze, and 2007 Gold at the Bistro Double IPA Fest
Even Keel
- 2007 Silver Certificate at the California State Fair
- 2014 Bronze at the Brussels Beer Challenge
Fathom
- 2010 Gold at the World Beer Cup
- 2010 Gold at the Great American Beer Festival
Grunion
- 2014 Gold at the Great American Beer Festival
- 2015 Silver at the Best of Craft Beer Awards
Indra Kunindra
- 2012 Bronze at the San Diego International Beer Festival and Competition
- 2013 Gold at the LA County Beer Competition
Longfin
- 2007 Gold at the LA County Fair
- 2007 Silver Certificate at the California State Fair
- 2007 Gold at the San Diego County Fair: Craft Brewers Competition
- 2013 Gold at the San Diego International Beer Festival and Competition
- 2013 Gold at the LA County Beer Competition
Navigator
- 2002 Gold and 2007 Bronze at the LA County Fair
- 2013 Silver at the San Diego International Beer Festival and Competition
- 2014 Bronze at the World Beer Cup
Pale Ale
- 2004 Gold, 2006 Bronze, 2007 Gold, 2009 Gold at the LA County Fair
- 2004 Silver, 2005 2nd Silver, 2007 Silver Certificate, 2008 Bronze Certificate, and 2011 Silver at the California State Fair
- 2011 Bronze at the San Diego County Fair International Beer Competition
- 2013 Honorable Mention at the LA County Beer Competition
- 2014 Gold at the Los Angeles International Beer Competition
- 2014 Silver at the Brussels Beer Challenge
Pescadero
- 2002 Bronze at the LA County Fair
Piper Down
- 2003 Gold and 2007 Silver at the LA County Fair
- 2014 Silver at the Great American Beer Festival
- 2015 Gold at the Best of Craft Beer Awards
Reef
- 2012 Silver at the San Diego International Beer Festival and Competition
San Salvador
- 2013 Beer Category Winner at the Great Food Awards
Sculpin
- 2011 Silver at the California State Fair
- 2010 Gold and 2014 Gold at the World Beer Cup
- 2007 Bronze and 2009 Silver at the Great American Beer Festival
- 2012 Bronze at the San Diego International Beer Festival and Competition
- 2006 Bronze at the Bistro 9th Annual IPA Festival
- 2011 Gold and 2012 Gold at the Great Japan Beer Festival
- 2010 Gold and 2011 Gold at the European Beer Star Awards
- 2014 Bronze at the Los Angeles International Beer Competition
- 2014 Modern IPA Gold at the Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival
Sea Monster
- 2011 2nd Silver at the California State Fair
- 2013 Silver at the LA County Beer Competition
- 2014 Imperial Stout and Porter Silver at the Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival
Three Sheets
- 2005 Silver at the LA County Fair
- 2013 Silver at the San Diego International Beer Festival and Competition
- 2014 Bronze at the Los Angeles International Beer Competition
Tongue Buckler
- 2007 Gold at the LA County Fair
- 2005 Silver at the Great American Beer Festival
- 2013 Silver at the San Diego Beer Festival and Competition
- 2013 Gold at the LA County Beer Competition
Victory at Sea
- 2009 Silver at the LA County Fair
- 2007 Silver Certificate and 2011 1st Gold at the California State Fair
- 2007 Silver and 2008 Gold Ribbon at the San Diego County Fair: Craft Brewer's Festival
- 2011 Bronze at the San Diego County Fair International Beer Competition
- 2014 Gold at the Brussels Beer Challenge
Wahoo
- 2002 Gold, 2003 Gold, 2006 Silver, 2007 Gold, and 2009 Silver at the LA County Fair
- 2004 Silver, 2005 Bronze, 2007 Silver Certificate, 2008 Silver Certificate, and 2011 Silver at the California State Fair
- 2013 Silver at the LA County Beer Competition
Main packaged beers
- Big Eye IPA is a 7% ABV India Pale Ale. This India Pale Ale won a Gold Medal at the 2011 California State Fair .
- Ballast Point Pale Ale is a 5.2% ABV Pale Ale.
- Sculpin IPA is a light bodied heavily hopped India Pale Ale of 7% ABV. It won a gold medal at the World Beer Cup 2010 (list of 2010 WBC winners).
- Black Marlin Porter is 6% ABV Porter featuring notes of caramel & coffee. This Porter won a Gold Medal at the 2011 California State Fair .
- Calico Amber Ale is a 5.5% ABV American Amber Ale. Formerly named Calico Copper Ale, this brew won a gold medal at the 2001 GABF in the American Amber Ale category (list of 2001 GABF winners).
- Wahoo White Beer is a Belgian Witbier inspired ale of 4% ABV. Its unique citrus character comes from adding orange peel and coriander to the boil.[13]
- Victory At Sea is a 10% ABV Imperial Porter. Imperial Porter brewed with coffee and vanilla. This beer is released once a year between Oct. & Dec. This Imperial Porter won a Gold Medal at the 2011 California State Fair .
- Sea Monster Stout is a 10% ABV Imperial Stout. Sea Monster Stout is released once a year between Sept. & Nov.
- Tongue Buckler is a 10% ABV Imperial Red Ale. Tongue Buckler is a very highly hopped Imperial Red Ale with 107 IBUs. This beer is released once a year.
- Dorado is a 10% ABV Double India Pale Ale. Dorado is a very highly hopped Double India Pale Ale.
- Fathom is a 7% ABV India Pale Lager. Fathom IPL won Gold Medals at the World Beer Cup 2010 (2010 World Beer Cup/) & 2010 Great American Beer Festival(2010 Great American Beer Festival)
- Even Keel is a 3.8% ABV Session IPA. It is a full-flavored beer with a silky malt backbone and a bright hop profile of herbs and citrus.[14]
- Grapefruit Sculpin is a 7% ABV variant of the Sculpin IPA with Grapefruit added.[14]
- Grunion is a 5.5% ABV Pale Ale that won a Gold Medal at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival.[14]
See also
References
- ^ a b Ballast Point crew
- ^ "Brewers Association Lists Top 50 Breweries of 2014". Brewers Association. March 31, 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
- ^ "Ballast Point announces new brewery location in San Diego". Ballast Point website. November 4, 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
- ^ "Beer lovers learn to brew-it-yourself". San Diego Union Tribune. September 12, 1999.
- ^ Elder, Adam (March 2010). "San Diego: America's Beer Capital". San Diego Magazine. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
- ^ a b Graves, Brad (October 19, 2015). "Ballast Point, S.D.'s No. 2 Brewer, Files for IPO". San Diego Business Journal. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- ^ "Constellation to Acquire Ballast Point for $1 Billion". Brewbound.com. Retrieved 2015-11-16.
- ^ Tripp Mickle (November 16, 2015). "Constellation Brands to Buy Craft-beer Maker for $1 Billion". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
- ^ http://www.beveragedaily.com/Markets/Smart-investments-for-Constellation-Brands-beer
- ^ "Past Winners: 2010". World Beer Cup. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
- ^ Levy, Adam (October 9, 2013). "New York International Spirits Competition 2013 Winners Announced". New York International Spirits Competition. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
- ^ "Beer Awards". BallastPoint.com.
- ^ "Wahoo Wheat Beer".
- ^ a b c d "Ballast Point Limited".