USA, CA: Alta Brewing to close for good at month’s end

In the summer of 2017, John Bull opened the doors to Alta Brewing in Barrio Logan, San Diego. It was the community’s second brewery, following in the footsteps of Border X Brewing, and later joined by Thorn Brewing and the Attitude Brewing brewpub, westcoastersd.com reported on November 26.

Over the past two-plus years, the business has had some ups and downs. When original head brewer Brett Stampf departed Alta last summer, it temporarily closed, opening again several weeks later. On November 26, however, it was confirmed that Alta will shutter again at the end of the month, but this time it will be permanent.

“As of November 30, Alta Brewing will be closing. The business has been challenging [as we] try to recover after the original partnership failed,” says Bull. “There has been a lot of hard work and effort by the staff to keep the business running. Unfortunately, without a fairly large influx of capital, the business has little to no chance of succeeding. Continuing operations would only compound that.”

Chris Angel came aboard to take Stampf’s place last year, helming the company’s five-barrel brewhouse. In addition to producing house beers, that system fulfilled the requirements of a contract-brewing arrangement with Kearny Mesa’s Hopnonymous Brewing. Bull will keep Angel on until December 15 to make good on that arrangement.

“It saddens me to have to close the doors at this time,” says Bull. “We have made a lot of good friends and had some wonderful times. I hope this location can be utilized by another brewery in the future.”

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