Our story starts with Michael and Brian. Michael Poulson has been brewing beer since 1994 and Brian McClure has been brewing beer since 2000. Both brewed in their kitchen and fermented in five gallon carboys. Both guys had a hard time finding hops, grain, and equipment. While they were testing recipes their beers got better and better. Michael made beers for weddings, birthdays, parties, etc… When Brian was asked to bring his beer to parties, that was when he realized he had something.
Thanks to Roger Marvin, who is Michael’s best friend growing up and is Brian’s step dad, both guys started brewing together. They discussed new brews together, how they changed a batch, what equipment they had to make or change and tasted their many beer recipes together. In 2012, Michael decided to groom his kids, now in college, to run the family owned construction company that built custom homes in San Diego for the past 25 years. They wanted nothing to do with it… Brian hinted that they wanted to start a brewery together Everyone thought our beers were good, and our neighbors loved then since they were FREE, so to make sure our beers were smooth to drink, we entered home brew contests, along the west coast. To mention a few, Pacific Brewers Cup, Anaheim Fest of Ales and Del Mar Fair. Between 2012 and 2015 we entered brew contests constantly taking home thirds, then seconds, then firsts, until we were winning best of show. Once we won first three times, we stopped changing our recipes.
All of the beers we serve at Jacked Up Brewery are award winning. In 2012 the name was chosen, Erick Toussaint, another part of the family was in Minnesota working on a masters in Graphic Arts while working at Blue Rhino. Erick was asked to give his input for the brand to “Jacked Up Brewery” and when you come into the brewery his work is on the walls. The name and brand is after a 1940’s oil can. The part you don’t see is the licensing (ABC, City of Escondido, TTB) , learning about city zoning, being introduced to the tuned in and versed company CCI, finding our knowledgeable architect (James Cummings), obtaining building permits from Escondido, writing the business plan, implementing marketing strategies with the Jayne Geisler, picking a location, signing leases with our insightful landlord (Jamie Loony), making changes and up dating the building at 800 West Grand.
All of the demo, insulation, HVAC, framing, painting, plumbing, electrical (Adrian Borrego) ADA changes, roofing changes, insulation, drywall, saw cutting concreting, fixing leaks, more plumbing (Paul Blacker) more construction, purchasing equipment, starting the business account with our experienced banker (Tyler Turk), building the waste water vessel with the perceptive Cynthia Esparza- from Escondido Waste Management, finding our wise and through lawyer ( Erick Altona,) building the tap room, building the cold storage, building the fermenting room ( Eddie Olea) setting up the three compartment sink, installing the floor sink, sanding and staining the floor, building and installing signs on the outside of the building, setting up security cameras and the overhead projector,TV’s pulling new cable wires and telephone wires from the antiquated old electrical box on the outside of the building only to have AT&T tell us that it still would not work, purchasing our POS system(Debbie Mendoza), more fees, more taxes, and the most difficult part, WAITING…
After we were given the green light from the governing agency’s, our team started the web site (Joel Currie) launched it with TCNet, Woody Pruitt helped us make changes, up dates and taught us how to navigate the site. Then we bought malt, hops, made yeast, chose 10 for our favorite brews to make and got to work. By January 28th we had 10 beers on tap and a soft opening. By February 28 the City of Escondido gave us a grand opening. That is our history and the future is beginning to unfold…because of this journey we have embarked on, we have meet countless people that have changed our lives and helped us. Come on in to “Jacked Up Brewery”, pull up a seat, spend some time with us, taste our a beer, meet a friend, bring your dog and kids, but most of all come in say hi. We are excited to meet you.
