Ballast Point Brewing

Posted in Ballast Point Brewing, Headlines

Constellation closes two Ballast Point facilities, scraps future build

Constellation Ballast Point Closures

Ballast Point Brewing, who was purchased for a whopping $1 billion dollars in 2015, is downsizing.

“Trade Street”, Ballast Point’s 80,000 square foot barrel-aging facility which includes a good bit of the brewery’s sour/wild ale program will close. Addtionally, the brewery’s Temecula, California location will also close.

Last night, a future ex-employee of Ballast Point Brewing contacted us at Beer Street Journal, speaking off the record in regards to the recent moves. Last August, Constellation surprised more than 60 people, some who had only worked for Constellation a few weeks (we know of folks that left other craft breweries for positions at Constellation just weeks) were all laid off. Constellation reportedly handed the craft sales over to the Modelo import team going forward.

These recent closures and job cuts are, what is characterized by our now unemployed Ballast Point source, as Constellation “right-sizing” the Ballast Point business wing. Or – Ballast Point was not profitable as-is. It’s corporate speak for firing people. This downsizing is seemingly a direct correlation to a reported $86 million dollar impairment charge Constellation recorded for Ballast Point trademarks last summer.

An impairment charge is entered as an expense in the profit & loss account. The carrying amount of the asset is reduced by the impairment amount. This reduces the company’s net worth or book value. The net profit, too, is adversely affected in the year the charge is made. In other words, Ballast Point was grossly overvalued by Constellation Brands, prompting this “right-sizing” move.

The future Ballast Point location in San Francisco has also been scrapped.

There is no confirmed number of the employees affected by the immediate closure of the Temecula location and gradual closure Trade Street facility.

Emails to Constellation have not been returned.

Posted in Ballast Point Brewing, Headlines

Ballast Point is now Disneyland’s first on-site brewery

Ballast Point Disneyland Build

Ballast Point Brewing is now a part of the “The Happiest Place on Earth”. The brewery has opened a new location in the Downtown Disney District in Anaheim California.

While Anaheim’s Disneyland Park is dry, keeping in line with founder Walt Disney’s vision, the Downtown Disney District started serving alcohol since 2001. Ballast Point is now the first brewery in that district.

According to Ballast Point, it was Disney that approached them first about this opportunity.

Today is an exciting day as we officially welcome Ballast Point to the Downtown Disney® District family. We strive to consistently bring fresh and innovative concepts to the Downtown Disney District that we know our guests will enjoy, and Ballast Point is the perfect Southern California brand to bring its unique blend of great beer, good food, and a family-friendly atmosphere.” – Patrick Finnegan, VP of Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney.

On January 16th, Ballast Point will open a 7,000 square foot tasting room, brewery, and kitchen. The brewery has hired Executive Sous Chef, Joey Lerma to oversee the culinary arm of the brewpub. The menu will offer a mix of Southern California staples, like Baja-style fish tacos, house-made pretzels with beer mustard, and (because it’s Disney) an extensive children’s menu. $1 dollar will be donated for every kid’s meal ordered at the new location to No Kid Hungry, a national organization providing children with nutritious food options in an effort to end child hunger.

The brewhouse is a 3 barrel R&D brewery (about 90 gallons per brew), but boast 100 taps for the 220-seat restaurant. Expect their flagship Sculpin IPA always on tap, as well as a plethora of limited edition, small batch beers.

Ballast Point Brewing was started in 1996 by Jack White in San Diego, California. In 2015, Constellation Brands purchased the brewery for $1 billion dollars.

In 2015, Ballast Point sold to Constellation Brands for a record-breaking $1 Billion dollars. The brewery currently operates locations in the Miramar, Scripps Ranch and Little Italy areas of San Diego as well as Long Beach, California, and Daleville, Virginia.

Ballast-Point-Disney-Location

Posted in Ballast Point Brewing, New Releases

Ballast Point Aloha Sculpin has joined the “Sculpin IPA” family

Ballast Point Aloha Sculpin

There’s a new Sculpin launching nationally with a tropical spin. Ballast Point Aloha Sculpin is hitting shelves now. 

The story of this new India pale ale is the marriage of tropical flavor forward hops and the Bruxellensis Trois yeast selected for this beer. This fast fermenting strain of Brux lends the beer bursts of mango and pineapple flavors after fermentation. Combine those fruity flavors with a lineup of bold hops and the result is Aloha Sculpin. Also, for you haze chasers out there, this release sports a bit of that cloudiness you’re craving.

We used Brux Trois yeast to turn our award-winning IPA into a tropical oasis, enhancing its hop character with bright and refreshing notes of guava, pineapple, and mango.

The Sculpin family includes Grapefruit, PineappleHabanero, as well as Unfiltered editions.

Ballast Point Aloha Sculpin is now shipping nationally in 12-ounce bottles and draft.

Style: IPA
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: February 2018

7% ABV

Posted in Ballast Point Brewing, New Releases

Hoppy family expansion: Ballast Point Unfiltered Sculpin

Ballast Point Unfiltered Sculpin

The world of hazy, unfiltered India pale ales will get a little bigger in April. Ballast Point Unfiltered Sculpin is hitting shelves this month.

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA has splintered into separate releases like Grapefruit Sculpin, Habanero Sculpin, and Pineapple Sculpin over the past few years. Each spin on the flagship IPA has proved popular among the brewery’s fanbase.

Brewed to celebrate a decade of hoppy California goodness that is Sculpin, Ballast Point Unfiltered Sculpin IPA will join the lineup in the near future.

Craving some haze? Unfiltered Sculpin is now available in 12 ounce bottles and draft.

Style: IPA
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: April, 2017

7% ABV

Posted in Ballast Point Brewing, Don't Miss This

Let’s get weird. Meet Ballast Point Red Velvet

Ballast Point Nitro Red Velvet

Ballast Point Red Velvet, seen on draft in the past, is now apart of a new “Nitro” bottle program.

Nitrogen infused bottles, once used exclusively by world renowned Guinness, have been adopted by various U.S. based breweries over the past few years. Left Hand Brewing was notably first with Nitro Milk Stout bottles debuting at the Great American Beer Festival in 2011.  Samuel Adams and Oskar Blues have followed up with their own nitro releases. Now Ballast Point has their own nitrogen infused bottles to kick off 2017.

Ballast Point Red Velvet, a unique twist on an oatmeal stout, is a future Nitro Series release already available on nitro taps. The California based brewery created a chocolatey stout that resembles the cake for which it was named. So much so that pours red, thanks the to a hefty helping of beet juice. The foamy head on the beer truly is the icing on the cake.

You want a beer that gets weird? You’ve found it. It’s a stout that pours blood red, and tastes a bit like chocolate frosting, and creamy too. A beer that really makes you feel all the feels because your eyes are telling you one thing and your tastebuds are telling you another. Don’t worry about the beats either. You’ll only find them in the color. A tasty mindfu$k indeed.

Nitrogen bottles are a first for Ballast Point, which recently expanded their can lineup to include releases like Grapefruit Sculpin, Mango Even Keel, and Watermelon Dorado (just to name a few). 

Ballast Point Red Velvet is a 12 ounce bottle release, shipping nationally starting in January, 2017.

Style: Oatmeal Porter (Chocolate, Beets, Nitrogen.)
Availability: Draft (Current), 12oz Bottles

Debut: January, 2017

5.5% ABV

Posted in Ballast Point Brewing, New Releases

Ballast Point Manta Ray “big ABV without bite”

Ballast Point Manta Ray 6pack

Ballast Point Manta Ray is now available in bottles for the first time.

Draft only editions of Manta Ray have been available in the past, as both a sweet stout, and sweet stout with coffee, part of the brewery’s R&D Series. You might recognize previous names like The Landlord” or “Roots to Boots Double IPA“.

As of the first week of January 2017, the brewery’s tasting rooms started pouring Manta Ray.

Aromas of fresh, citrusy tangerine, melon and light pine leap from the beer and linger over a smooth finish. Like its namesake, this brew can sneak up on you – a big ABV without a bite.

Ballast Point Manta Ray is a 12 ounce bottle and draft release.

Style: Imperial IPA
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: January, 2017

8.5% ABV

Posted in Ballast Point Brewing, Seasonal Return

Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea returns. Year 2.

Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea bottle

Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea, a variant on the popular imperial porter is hitting shelves.

Much like the original, Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea features coffee and vanilla. The twist of course, is peppermint.

This Peppermint Victory at Sea is a festive take on our popular Imperial Porter. We took our trademark robust porter brewed with Caffe Calabria coffee and vanilla and added a dose of refreshing peppermint. The trio of flavors play perfectly on your palate – the brew’s sweet roastiness balances nicely with a cool, minty finish. You might even call it a breath of fresh beer.

Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea is a 22 ounce bottle offering. The flavor is much like the tried and true regular edition of Victory at Sea, with hints of peppermint throughout. For some, strong peppermint can be a turn off. Unless the 2016 edition upped the minty-ness, this beer drinks like a seasonal dessert.

Style: Imperial Porter (w/ Coffee, Vanilla, Peppermint)
Availability: 22oz bottles, Draft
Latest Release: Late November, 2016

10% ABV