It was an event attended by thousands. The main ingredient was beer and the main reason was San Diego’s cancer patients.
“The people of San Diego love their beers. It’s like the Napa of beer,” said Mother Earth Brew Co. spokesperson Kamron Love.
The man may have a point.
Men’s Journal has named San Diego as one of America’s top five beer towns. DRAFT Magazine named four bars in San Diego on their list of the “Best Beer Bars in America.”
At the San Diego Beer Festival on Friday dozens of breweries opened their taps and donated their beer.
“All money raised by the end of the evening goes to cancer charities in San Diego,” said President of San Diego’s Professionals Against Cancer Candace Brown.
Last year they raised $85,000. This year they were aiming for $100,000.
“One of our largest benefactors of our event is Rady’s Children’s Hospital and their oncology unit as well as some research facilities and patient’s services to help people get chemotherapy at home and help them with their bills,” said Brown.
While raising money for charity, the Mother Earth Brew Co. from Vista also helps take care of the planet – their beer is organic.
“Not a lot of people in Southern California are doing it. It’s a lot bigger in Oregon. But we decided we were going to be the pioneers here, so that’s what we’re doing,” said Love.
So what is organic beer exactly?
“Any beer made from ingredients that are USDA certified as organic,” said Love.
Yes, organic ingredients are more expensive, but the cost of the beer won’t be, according to the company.
“We don’t pass that onto the customer, we absorb it ourselves,” said Love. “It’s more expensive, but it’s good for mother earth, so we do it.”
Another local brewery that donated their beer and time was the Manzanita Brewing Company from Santee. If you haven’t heard of them, that’s because they’re new on the scene.
“This is a brand new company, we’ve been open about 10 weeks now and have been home brewing a little over five years. We’re really dedicated to it,” said a spokesperson.
They sell to 14 or 15 bars and restaurants from the East County to Ramona and into Ocean Beach.
“The reaction here has actually been really nice. A lot of people either came back or they’ve been telling their friends and I’ve been listening to people show up and they said ‘yeah, I heard this beer’s really good’.”
Good beer. A good cause. Cheers to that.
