An Ambitious Museum Of Beer Is Planned For Downtown San Diego

April 2, 2019

Local entrepreneurs are seeking funding to open an official Museum of Beer in downtown San Diego's East Village. Paying homage to our city's world class craft beer scene, the museum hopes to offer high-tech, hands-on exhibits that will educate guests on beer history and the brewing process, as well as house an onsite brewery, beer garden and pizza eatery.

Anthony & Molly Ridenhour, Mike & Christine Kociela, and local beer writer Bruce Glassman have teamed up in hopes of developing a Museum of Beer in downtown San Diego. The crew is seeking $150,000 in funding through Indiegogo and are looking at various locations in San Diego East Village to construct the ambitious project. 

"Museum of Beer is going to be San Diego’s Beer Welcome Center," explained Bruce Glassman, the museum’s Curator of Craft. "It's going to be that jumping-off place where everyone can come to begin their personal craft beer journey. It will seek to inspire hardcore beer fans and also educate those new to craft beer who have a thirst to learn more."

Expected to be more than 10,000 square-feet, the San Diego Museum of Beer hopes to house dozens of high-tech, immersive, hands-on exhibits about beer, beer history, and the brewing process. Guests will learn how beer is made, explore different beer styles from around the world, and learn about San Diego’s rich craft beer history. Visitors will also have the opportunity to be entertained by various experiences that take users inside a brewhouse, through the crowds of beer festivals, and face-to-face with some of San Diego’s most famous brewers through virtual reality-based exhibits. The eight immersive and interactive exhibits planned include The Science of Beer, The Beer Universe, America's Hoppiest City: The Story of San Diego's Craft Beer History, Be the Brewer Experience, Gettinng Beer to You, The Art of Craft: From Can to Canvas, Beer For Breakfast with 91x Media Center, and The Sun, Surf, and Beer! San Diego Experience. 

The Museum of Beer also hopes to house a tasting room with 65 taps of local craft beer and an expansive bottle list, as well as a merchandise section annd artisanal craft pizza eatery from St. Louis-based Firecracker Pizza’s Chip Schloss. The bar and restaurant component hopes to have a private event space, an onsite brew house, and an outdoor beer garden with a stage for live music. 

"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," said San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer. "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." 

The Museum of Beer team will be hosting an open forum Q&A on April 15 at the Amplified Ale Works’ East Village location at 7 P.M. Guests will have the opportunity to learn more about the Museum, and to meet the curators and ask questions.

The Museum of Beer hopes to open in mid-2020. For more information, visit museumofbeer.com.