The Brigantine and Hodad’s branching into brewing

Two of San Diego’s most well-known homegrown restaurant chains are working to add craft-brewing capabilities. The Brigantine family of seafood restaurants and the burger all-stars at Hodad’s are both building production breweries to supply their locations throughout the county.

The Brigantine has long offered a house beer called Brig Brew. That mild golden ale has been produced by Karl Strauss Brewing, which crafts private-label offerings for other hospitality clients. Brigantine president Mike Morton, Jr. and his team want a lager for the group’s Mexican-themed Miguel’s Cocina eateries, but with Strauss’ growth (it is currently the 41st largest craft brewery in the country), the veteran beer company would be unable to accommodate that request. So, The Brigantine is installing Ketch Brewing in a vacant warehouse space at its corporate headquarters at 7889 Ostrow Street in Kearny Mesa.

The 10-barrel, direct-fire brewhouse and cellar (four 20-barrel fermenters and a pair of 20-barrel brite tanks) will share that 2,000-square-foot space, while cold storage and grain-processing will occupy other parts of the building. Morton and company are looking forward to making better use of that underutilized space, and plan to bring brewing of Brig Brew, the aforementioned Mexican-style lager and an India pale ale in-house. Those are the only set styles at present. Everything beyond that will follow the vision and imagination of Ketch’s eventual head brewer. The Brigantine is currently accepting résumés from interested applicants.

The name Ketch Brewing matches that of Ketch Grill and Taps, a new casual-seafood concept slated to go live at the Point Loma space formerly known as the Red Sails Inn. It will also be one of four concepts installed as part of a $13 million renovation of the high-profile former home of Anthony’s Fish Grotto on the San Diego Bayfront. The Brigantine currently operates 14 locations and intends to have two house taps at each. While Ketch Brewing will start out draft-only, the company may entertain canning in the future. The Brigantine will utilize a third-party distributor, and Morton says there is potential for selling Ketch beers outside of his chain’s venues.

Meanwhile, Hodad’s is installing the first-ever beer-making spot in the Serra Mesa community just north of Mission Valley. The operation, Hodad’s Brewing Company will be located at 9726 Aero Drive, Suite B, near Interstate 15. That building formerly housed a printing company. Hodad’s manager Marlow Myrmo will be in charge of brewing.

Morton projects Ketch to be operational as soon as April with beers arriving at Brigantine restaurants in May. Hodad’s Brewing’s debut is less defined, but estimated to take place before the end of the year.