January 2, 2016 – Bitter Brothers Brewing Company gave San Diegans another reason to celebrate the New Year. After 2 years of fierce anticipation (placing 1st on ZAGAT’s Most Anticipated Brewery Openings of 2016), San Diego is blessed with yet another outstanding, local brewery to join its bustling craft beer scene. Located at 4170 Morena Boulevard, Bay Park, the tasting room and production facility boasts 3,200 square feet, 14 bar taps, 15 brew barrels, and an outdoor space that begs for food truck gatherings and catering events.
The brewery was founded by real life bitter brothers Bill and Kurt Warnke, along with co-founder Monica Andresen. Bill has a penchant for food and drink, having been involved with Lightning Brewery based in Poway, CA and is also an esteemed chef from award-winning Waters Catering Co. His brother Kurt is a long time home-brewer. The brothers’ affinity for beer stems back to their family roots in the 1800’s when their great-grandfather was the brewmeister of Stroh’s in Germany. Monica is the Senior Event Designer at Waters Catering Co., bringing a wealth of food and beverage operational knowledge. With Monica’s background, we hope to see beer dinners in Bitter Brothers’ future. Also on board are head brewers John Hunter and Bruce McSurdy, who have collectively brewed for the likes of Karl Strauss, White Labs, Lightning, and 32 North.
The grand opening was everything a new establishment could hope for. From just before noon until closing, the 700 square foot tasting room was packed with excited fans, friends, family, and beer enthusiasts from up and down the West Coast to celebrate the occasion. Guests were invited to taste five Bitter Brother brews: The Golden Child Hefeweizen, Little Brother Session IPA, The Prodigal Son Amarillo IPA, Brotherly Love Dunkelweizen, and a coffee porter dubbed Black Sheep.
Making good use of their outdoor space, Bitter Brothers welcomed Chef Keoni Simmons of Hungry Chef and Chef Jeff Roberto of Sushi on a Roll to provide food for purchase. The menu included BBQ beef and pork sliders, chicken wings, and a variety of sushi rolls, including a deep fried sushi pizza.
Plan on a trip to Bitter Brothers Brewing Company. With plenty of parking, a rotation of food caterers, and great craft beer, it’s the start to a great day.
