A recent press release from the California Craft Brewers Association revealed that as of this month, more than 980 breweries are operating in California, more than there were in the entire country in 1995. Additionally, 95 percent of this state’s residents live within 10 miles of at least one craft brewery. More stats: 2012’s CA brewery count was fewer than 300; in 2017, more than 54,000 full time jobs were supported with an average annual salary of $56,839 ($3.1 billion in labor income); craft breweries paid $1.6 billion in taxes in 2017; and these breweries produced 3.3 million barrels of beer in 2017. California craft’s total economic impact that year: $8.2 billion.
Mira Mesa’s Longship Brewery continues their series of small batch releases this Sunday with the debut of a Belgian tripel made with açaí. Patrons that day can also be a part of the latest BWC (Brewing with Chuck) event at 3 p.m., when lead brewer Chuck Nation will take participants through a brew day (a saison, for release May 12). More upcoming events include the May 4 Imperial Stout release (“May The 4th Be With You” event), and May 5 Margarita beer release.
Local upcyclers The Bountiful Bag celebrate one year of repurposing used grain bags into functional lifestyle products with an event this Sunday at Wild Barrel Brewing in San Marcos, featuring other green local businesses, an art show, raffles, an educational booth by fundraising partner I Love A Clean San Diego, a photo booth, and a “grazing table.”
