Ballast Point Launching Home Brew Mart – Homework Series

A brewhouse installed at the rear of Home Brew Mart in 1996 is where the beers of White’s now more prominent company, Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits, originated. That operation, which was named the best small brewing company on the planet at the 2010 World Beer Cup, has gone on to open a second facility in Scripps Ranch that includes an award-winning distilling operation, and is currently searching for sites in which to install facilities that will house a 150-barrel brewhouse, as well as a five-barrel pilot brewery that will be overseen by specialty brewer and former Home Brew Mart manager, Colby Chandler.

Recognizing Home Brew Mart’s place in local history as well as its contributions to San Diego’s status as the craft beer capital of the United States (it’s the first place the infamous Sculpin IPA, Tongue Buckler, Indra Kunindra, and Victory At Sea Vanilla Coffee Imperial Porter, as well as industry-leading chili and spirit barrel-aged beers were brewed), upscale grocery chain Whole Foods Market recently approached White and company, encouraging them to brew a special series of beers under the Home Brew Mart brand to be sold at their stores.

Image courtesy of Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits

Dubbed The Homework Series, the beers will be developed by brewers operating the aforementioned pilot system. The first batch of those brews is an India Red Ale—a hoppy 7% ABV beer given additional character and nice balance by substantial caramel malts—which Chandler pulled from his personal homebrew archives. He first brewed the beer as a homebrew at his house and then at Karl Strauss Brewing Company’s La Jolla brewpub so that he could serve it at his wedding held at Karl’s Sorrento Mesa location. Back then, it was known affectionately known as "Ball and Chain Ale."
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