Image courtesy of Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits.
The award-winning San Diego-based brewery, Ballast Point, known fondly for its Sculpin IPA—of which several experimental variations have become notable hits, including the popular Grapefruit Sculpin and other innovative dives into fruity flavors—is opening a brewpub in Long Beach.
Set to open in the former location of Khoury’s Restaurant, off of Marina Drive in Alamitos Bay, the over 11,000-square-foot space boasts a view of the sparking ocean and a surefire location to spend many a sunny Sunday. Along with serving their award-winning beers, as well as great food, Ballast Point plans to build brewing capabilities on-site and will focus on expanding their sour beer program, according to Hilary Cocalis, vice president of marketing.
“Long Beach is a great beer-loving community, and we’ve long been embraced by folks in the LA/OC area,” Cocalis told the Long Beach Post. “We wanted a location to serve these customers, and with our nautical influence, the Marina seemed like a no-brainer.”
Following a monumental move by the City of Long Beach to amend its zoning laws to allow craft brewers into Long Beach, and a public notice hung in early February on Khoury’s Restaurant’s old locale, informing passersby that the craft titan had filed for a beer manufacturing license, the excitement regarding the city’s growing number of breweries continues at a high point.
While the once-independently owned brewery was purchased by Constellation Brands (Corona, Modelo and Pacifico) for more than a $1 billion last year, the recent acquisition has not deterred Ballast Point’s business from growing as an entity known for craft beer. Its new Long Beach location will allow the city to capitalize on the brand’s momentum, as well as the momentum of Southern California’s craft industry as a whole.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the brewpub is in the process of hiring its staff, while Cocalis told the Post that an opening date has yet to be set as they are “still very much under construction.”
This story was updated at 3:40PM with a statement from Ballast Point’s Vice President of Marketing and more information regarding the brewpub’s opening date.
The site is located at 110 Marina Drive.
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