Brouwerij West’s outdoor patio. (photo: brouwerijwest.com)
By now, you should have heard about the impending closure of Brouwerij West, one of the most San Pedro spots in all of San Pedro.
To say this is a blow to San Pedro as a community is an enormous understatement. The brewery has become an event space, a gathering spot, and a uniquely San Pedro destination for almost nine years. It will leave a massive hole in what so many of us enjoy about San Pedro.
Founder Brian Mercer, a fourth-generation San Pedran, traveled around Belgium for almost a decade getting to know the beer industry and eventually started up a company to import a specific type of sugar to help American brewers recreate the sweet taste of old Belgian beers. His passion for beer eventually led him back to San Pedro to create Brouwerij West.
I remember all that went into opening Brouwerij West. It was almost a three-year undertaking that went through countless challenges. Converting an old Navy warehouse built during World War II into a modern and sustainable beer operation was not for the faint of heart.
Countless code and construction obstacles jumped in the way, and the original 16-week construction timeline quickly ballooned to 42 weeks. I distinctly remember a last-minute change that required them to install standard fire doors next to the enormous rolling doors to meet the fire code, even though the big doors are always wide open when the brewery is in operation.
The community couldn’t wait for it to finally open, and every day during those three years, there was another social media complaint about how long it was taking to finish the renovations of a historical building.
Brian and his partner, Dave Holop, are passionate about beer and sustainability. One unique aspect of the operation is it uses 30 percent less water than most breweries and runs primarily on solar power. The two even dreamed of creating a desalinization plant to reach the ocean outside the breakwater.
Brouwerij West. (photo: Facebook)
I’m not much of a beer drinker, but I’ve enjoyed countless events at Brouwerij West, including the Taste of San Pedro, numerous music concerts like POPFUJI and the San Pedro Music Festival, many a trivia night, and sometimes I just went there after shopping at CRAFTED or to grab a Miller Butler pizza.
Brouwerij West is a place to run into old friends and make new ones. Although I’m disappointed it never had a permanent restaurant, I love all of the local food trucks that rotated through there and also that the space is dog-friendly.
COVID-19 may be less of an environmental concern today, but the economic effects remain. Shutting down operations and in-person gatherings and reduced demand for craft beer at that time set the whole industry back financially. The Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland led to severe restrictions on large public spaces, even though the two structures have no comparison regarding access and fire safety.
Events are only a piece of the overall business. Production and distribution are a considerable part of craft brewing at this scale. With changing tastes and demographics, as well as younger folks becoming more calorie-conscious and consuming cannabis edibles for recreation instead of beer, the craft beer industry has suffered nationwide.
The opening of Port Town Brewing Company—and soon, West Harbor—could create a better concentration of breweries, which is helpful for all three, as it creates a draw for folks who love beer.
Brouwerij West has also been a satellite site for other events and music fests. With a new cruise ship terminal that can also function as a convention center and proposed hotels at Cabrillo Marina, Phase 2 of West Harbor, and possibly on top of Warehouse One, Brouwerij West could be a place to hold even more weekday events and private functions.
Countless toasts, hugs, and laughs have been given at this brewery. Brian, Dave, and the whole Brouwerij West family have poured their hearts and souls into this space, and it hurts to see them closing.
I hope Brouwerij West can somehow pull off a miracle with investors, partners, or supporters to remain a uniquely San Pedro destination. I was there for the grand opening and plan to be there for the closure. spt
