THE BELCHING BEAVER
BREWERY AND TASTING ROOM OF THE MONTH
We have been raving about our local craft beer scene for years now. With well over 100 craft breweries up & running in San Diego, we need to take aim & focus our sights on the really good ones. We appreciate great beer & know the hard work that goes into producing said beer; but space and time is limited. So when we come across an outstanding product, we have to give credit where credit is due. Belching Beaver is one such brewery.
Belching Beaver has been operating at or somewhere near ‘Defcon Four’ for the past year – either they’re busy opening their newest tasting room on 30th, attending seminars and winning awards at Craft Beer festivals, hosting & catering events, planning another Belching Beaver expansion (…whaaaat?) Or making their incredible craft beer.
Owners Tom Vogel and Dave Mobley have put together a great team. Troy Smith is the brewmaster behind the funny label. He has a remarkable brewing pedigree from time well spent at Coronado Brewing Co. His knowledge ranges from “How to make the finest beer on the planet” to “What you do not want to do… Ever.” He’s a fan of offroad racing and knows where to find the freshest seafood in San Diego. Very impressive resume´ for such a young guy.
Robert Kilborne is our liason to liquid nirvana. You may recognize his name from an earlier profile on PB’s Barrel Republic. Yes, same Robert and still the busiest man in the business. Happy now as Beverage Director (cool title) for BB & everytime we’ve met with him, his passion for the craft is apparent. This time he is beyond proud, of who and what he represents – the constant parade of beer samples has lead to us (4 times now) forgetting completely what our mission was in the first place – instead of finishing a review, we wind up laughing and sharing great stories – just a bunch of friends drinking great beer.
Reasons for Belching Beavers fast success – Troy’s knowledge. Immaculate brewing conditions & the no fear attitude & willingness to take chances. Combine that with the great new location in North Park & you have Lightning in a Bottle… or pint glass. Keep an eye on these guys in 2015. This is a formidable brewery in a packed house of competitors. Highly recommended.
Try These:
Hop Highway IPA; Now the go-to / icebreaker pint everytime we visit. Hints of grapefruit, passionfruit, and citrus make this sessionable brew both clean & refreshing. ABV: 7.3%, IBU: 65
Easy Beaver; Brewed for the Spring and Summer seasons; designed to keep you refreshed and loaded with hops (without getting ripped). A session Wheat IPA – Crisp, clean, and aromatic. ABV: 4.7%, IBU: 45
