In 1996, brothers Ron and Rick Chapman took their 10-barrel Bohemian Breweries brewing system and founded the Coronado Brewing Company (CBC) in their hometown of Coronado, Calif. Throughout its 17-year history in San Diego county, CBC has been happily brewing away and a lot has changed.
The Crown City
Coronado, known as “Crown City,” sits off of California’s southern coast, across San Diego Bay from downtown San Diego. The resort-like town has a rich military naval history, and sits near notable sites like the Naval Base San Diego, the USS Midway Museum, the Hotel Del Coronado and the Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, a training center for Navy SEALs and SWCC.
Once CBC started gaining a foothold in the local market, their first keg was sold to the Hotel Del Coronado. The Hotel Del (as it’s commonly referred to) dates back to 1888. This world famous, luxurious and historical hotel was once the largest resort in the world. It has hosted royalty, celebrities and accommodated 16 U.S presidents.
When asked about the craft beer scene in San Diego, Shawn DeWitt, co-founder and regional sales manager for CBC said: “It is completely crazy! We recently had a 240 bottles of a limited edition barrel-aged stout that were gone within a day. There are over 90 brewers here, and we love the growth we’re experiencing in this friendly market. You see our tap handles alongside many great brewers in San Diego.”
Coronado’s Recent Growth and Success
CBC has been growing by leaps and bounds in the recent years with no signs of slowing down. In 2012, CBC produced 8,000 barrels. A year later, production hit 18,000 barrels and the brewery is on schedule to hit about 30,000 barrels in 2014.
In 2012, CBC opened a new 30-barrel brew house in a 22,000 square-foot building in the Tecolote Canyon area to fit their growing demand. This year, Coronado is expanding with an Imperial Beach brewery, restaurant and tasting room with 16 taps serving their beer.
Coronado was named the Champion Brewery and Brewmaster Mid-size Brewing Company the 2014 World Beer Cup. This global competition, hosted by the Brewers Association, takes place every two years, and is often referred to as “The Olympics of Beer Competitions.”
At the same World Beer Cup, CBC also received a well-deserved gold medal for their Islander IPA, a fresh and very hoppy beer with bursts of piney bitterness and notes of apricot, grapefruit and mango. They also picked up a silver medal for their Old Scallywag barley wine.
In April 2014, Coronado released Frog’s Breath IPA, a seasonal that was adapted from a recipe developed by two Coronado homebrewers who are also retired Navy frogmen. Frog’s Breath uniquely utilizes kaffir lime leaf, lemon and orange zest.
Coronado’s Popularity
The friendly folks at CBC tend to attribute their popularity to a few things, one of which is their wide variety of approachable beers.
“Our beers are very drinkable and approachable,” said DeWitt. “We have 24 different beers on tap at all times. For every person who says they don’t like beer, I can find you a beer that you’ll like. Our beers are simple, easy to drink and approachable.”
Another factor that definitely impacts CBC’s popularity is the welcoming nature and friendliness of their staff.
“I would say it’s the family-friendly, personal vibe we give off,” said DeWitt. “We have a lot of family members working here. We hear from out-of-towners that this place has a feeling like you’re hanging out at someone’s house. People feel very comfortable here. I can’t say enough about our regulars. When new customers come in, our regulars guide them, tell them about the menu and give them recommendations. All our employees know our regulars by name, and vice versa.”
Having friendly, approachable and knowledgeable people surround you when you are a new, or a returning patron is indispensable. Many times it’s because of people like that, that we become returning patrons in the first place, and it seems like CBC really has this area covered.
Amazing beers served by terrific people is what you can expect from all of CBC’s locations. When enjoying the beer, weather and scenery with these great people, you see that Coronado Brewing Company really is a jewel in America’s Crown City.
Allan Wolfe is a craft beer brewer, reviewer and whisky connoisseur who also runs BeerandWhiskeyHQ.com. Allan’s passion is finding out why and how different beers taste the way they do. Besides brewing, you’ll find him playing music, reading books, playing with his dogs and enjoying his favorite pint or dram. He’s always open to answering questions, talking beer or teaching anyone who is willing to listen about distilling!
CraftBeer.com is fully dedicated to small and independent U.S. breweries. We are published by the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s small and independent craft brewers. Stories and opinions shared on CraftBeer.com do not imply endorsement by or positions taken by the Brewers Association or its members.
Share Post