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Lost Abbey finds a new way
Best drinking in San Diego
Lost Abbey is ramping up efforts to share its blessings with the world.
It is surely appropriate that Lost Abbey has religion as its motif; in the 18 years since Tomme Arthur’s Vista-based brewery first opened, it has earned a devoted following among beer fans, one that stretches well beyond San Diego County. We locals are fortunate that we do not have to make a lengthy pilgrimage for a chance at tasting highly sought-after beers such as the brewery’s small-batch barrel-aged series Veritas or its Duck Duck Gooze sour.
Over the years, Lost Abbey has upheld its quality and independence, bucking industry trends. Says Arthur, “The Lost Abbey was founded with the goal of being a World Class Brewery — we wanted to be known for art-isanal and unique beers. Eighteen-plus years later, we know we have honored these roots and continue to anchor our vision with this in mind. Maintaining independence remains one of the hardest things for breweries. The landscape has changed so very much over the past 20 years. But many of my friends remain successful and independent, which is awesome.”
Of course, the brewery probably wouldn’t be as successful if it catered only to beer fanatics chasing after their barrel-aged white whales. A successful religion must have mass appeal as well as transcendent obscurity. According to Arthur, two of the brewery’s top sellers are easily sipped offerings: Czech Style Pils with all Saaz hops; and Tropical Rye IPA (a lower-ABV IPA at 6.2%). And accessibility goes beyond making beers that appeal to a variety of drinkers; it requires availability. Two of Lost Abbey’s tasting rooms — the Confessional in Cardiff-by-the-Sea and the Church in Downtown — are situated in definitive San Diego locations: by the beach and a few blocks from Petco Park, respectively. Whether you’re looking to stop in for a few sips at the Confessional after a day on the sand or grabbing a pint or two at the Church before or after a Padres game, Lost Abbey has you covered. (Another tasting room, the Sanctuary, provides a more spacious setting in the San Elijo Hills.)
Even better, Lost Abbey beers should be getting easier to find at the retail level as they ramp up production after signing a deal to move from the location that they share with Mother Earth to a larger facility they will share with Eppig. Steady growth has made Lost Abbey’s current digs too small, and even forced them to put several barrel-aged projects on hold. Arthur says the goal of increasing the availability of limited beers was a driving factor behind the move — one that could immediately impact lovers of the beers for which Lost Abbey is most famous. “We have a good volume of sour base beer which we would like to be able to package. The hope is we can get back to this from day one. Next year is a Duck Duck Gooze release year, so that will start the release calendar hopefully in February or March.”
A brewery like Lost Abbey is something for which San Diego beer lovers should be grateful. Maybe they might even say a prayer of thanks and offer a petition for its continued success and independence — while sipping a pint at the Church.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Lost Abbey finds a new way
Best drinking in San Diego
Lost Abbey finds a new way
Best drinking in San Diego
Lost Abbey is ramping up efforts to share its blessings with the world.
It is surely appropriate that Lost Abbey has religion as its motif; in the 18 years since Tomme Arthur’s Vista-based brewery first opened, it has earned a devoted following among beer fans, one that stretches well beyond San Diego County. We locals are fortunate that we do not have to make a lengthy pilgrimage for a chance at tasting highly sought-after beers such as the brewery’s small-batch barrel-aged series Veritas or its Duck Duck Gooze sour.
Over the years, Lost Abbey has upheld its quality and independence, bucking industry trends. Says Arthur, “The Lost Abbey was founded with the goal of being a World Class Brewery — we wanted to be known for art-isanal and unique beers. Eighteen-plus years later, we know we have honored these roots and continue to anchor our vision with this in mind. Maintaining independence remains one of the hardest things for breweries. The landscape has changed so very much over the past 20 years. But many of my friends remain successful and independent, which is awesome.”
Of course, the brewery probably wouldn’t be as successful if it catered only to beer fanatics chasing after their barrel-aged white whales. A successful religion must have mass appeal as well as transcendent obscurity. According to Arthur, two of the brewery’s top sellers are easily sipped offerings: Czech Style Pils with all Saaz hops; and Tropical Rye IPA (a lower-ABV IPA at 6.2%). And accessibility goes beyond making beers that appeal to a variety of drinkers; it requires availability. Two of Lost Abbey’s tasting rooms — the Confessional in Cardiff-by-the-Sea and the Church in Downtown — are situated in definitive San Diego locations: by the beach and a few blocks from Petco Park, respectively. Whether you’re looking to stop in for a few sips at the Confessional after a day on the sand or grabbing a pint or two at the Church before or after a Padres game, Lost Abbey has you covered. (Another tasting room, the Sanctuary, provides a more spacious setting in the San Elijo Hills.)
Even better, Lost Abbey beers should be getting easier to find at the retail level as they ramp up production after signing a deal to move from the location that they share with Mother Earth to a larger facility they will share with Eppig. Steady growth has made Lost Abbey’s current digs too small, and even forced them to put several barrel-aged projects on hold. Arthur says the goal of increasing the availability of limited beers was a driving factor behind the move — one that could immediately impact lovers of the beers for which Lost Abbey is most famous. “We have a good volume of sour base beer which we would like to be able to package. The hope is we can get back to this from day one. Next year is a Duck Duck Gooze release year, so that will start the release calendar hopefully in February or March.”
A brewery like Lost Abbey is something for which San Diego beer lovers should be grateful. Maybe they might even say a prayer of thanks and offer a petition for its continued success and independence — while sipping a pint at the Church.
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