SAN DIEGO — A museum of beer is coming to San Diego and on Thursday night a launch party was held for the two-million-dollar project.
The Museum of Beer is the brainchild of Anthony and Molly Ridenhour, Mike and Christine Kociela and Bruce Glassman. The quintet say they have decades of combined experience in museum management and beer journalism.
Anthony Ridenhour, who travels the world tasting beer, is the CEO and craft executive director for the Museum of Beer.
“San Diego is the number one craft beer city in the world,” he said.
Despite reports of a Ballast Point closing its trade street facility in Miramar and its brew pup in Temecula, local industry experts said there is plenty to celebrate when it comes to San Diego’s craft beer.
Ridenhour said the museum will showcase San Diego’s one-billion-dollar craft beer industry with 158 craft breweries.
There are three unspecified locations in the running for a 12,000 square-foot space that will hold eight exhibits – including a food and tasting room.
The co-founders envision a tasting room with 65 taps, an artisan pizza kitchen, an extensive bottle list, private event space, an outdoor area with a stage capable of hosting live music performances, and multiple interactive exhibits on topics like the process of brewing beer, the history of San Diego's craft beer industry and international beer styles.
“You will be able to virtually brew your own beer then we will tell what breweries brew the beer that you brewed and go try them,” said Ridenhour.
Alfonso Hernandez is the Five Star Tours director. He said that with the 35 million people that visit San Diego each year, the Museum of Beer is “really going to bring tourists to our city.”
The founding group has already received at least one high-profile endorsement of their endeavor: San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.
"San Diego is home to many of the world's finest craft breweries and the Museum of Beer will be the place to tap into all that our region's beer scene has to offer," he said. "It's been a long time coming and I hope all beer lovers will visit the museum for a taste and experience of what's brewing right here in America's Finest City."
Luke Thibodo is a craft beer fan and said like any museum, “it will expand your knowledge. The topic may not be your thing, but after you go, ok well, I have some further knowledge. I know what to go for.”
Whether you are a beer lover or new to the scene, the Museum of Beer hopes to hit the right note for everyone.
“ [It will be] a playground for beer lovers,” said Ridenhour.
The museum is tentatively scheduled to open spring or summer of 2020 at a downtown location that has yet to be nailed down.