The founders of San Diego's popular Alpine Beer Company, which was purchased by Green Flash Brewing in late 2014, are launching a new concept at the site of the original Alpine Beer. McIlhenney Brewing is expected to open this fall.
In November 2014, it was announced that Green Flash founders Mike and Lisa Hinkley and Alpine Beer Company founders Pat and Val McIlhenney would join forces. Essentially, Green Flash acquired Alpine and the "partnership" eventually went south with Green Flash being foreclosed on in March 2018 by Comerica Bank, which had previously issued a loan to owner Mike Hinkley. Green Flash was ultimately acquired by an investment group that included former executives from Budweiser. This past March, the parent company that owns Green Flash, WC IPA LLC, laid off longtime Alpine brewer Shawn McIlhenney and other members of the Alpine team.
Now Alpine's former father-and-son brewing team Patrick and Shawn McIlhenney have formed a company called McIlhenney Brewing and have signed a lease on their original brewery and tasting room in Alpine. The team plans to move in as soon as the current tenant, Green Flash Brewing, vacates the space. Green Flash has until June 30 to vacate Alpine’s original location at 2363 Alpine Boulevard.
