I'M OURAY COUNTY. ONE OF THE VOICES IN THE NEW KPBS TV SERIES KINGS OF THE CRAFT SAYS SIMPLY THIS HAS TO BE DOCUMENTED. THE STORY HAS GOT TO BE TOLD. AND THAT STORY IS ABOUT THE RISE OF SAN DIEGO'S CRAFT BREWERIES. IS MOST SAN DIEGANS ARE WELL AWARE CRAFT BREWERIES HAVE EXPLODED IN POPULARITY IN OUR REGION FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS CREATING A NEW AND THRIVING INDUSTRY. AND SAN DIEGO HAS EARNED THE REPUTATION AS BEING AT THE EPICENTER OF INNOVATION IN THE CRAFT BEER. SO HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT? AND WHO ARE THE PEOPLE BEHIND THESE FANTASTIC FOAMING FACTORIES THAT ARE TRANSFORMING THE VERY CONCEPT OF BEER? THE KINGS OF THE CRAFT PREMIERING THIS THURSDAY ON KPBS HOPES TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FOR JOINING ME NOW ARE RAY AND DuPONT, PRODUCER OF KINGS OF THE CRAFT. WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: BEN MOXLEY IS DIRECTOR OF KINGS OF THE CRAFT. WELCOME TO THE SHOW. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: RAN, SOME GUYS GOT TOGETHER AND DECIDE TO MAKE BEER. WEISS IS A GOOD SUBJECT FOR A TV SERIES? WHILE CONVERSELY, IT IS VERY INTERESTING. IT IS WAY MORE THAN JUST BREWING BEER. THIS IS A LIFESTYLE CHOICE FOR THESE GENTLEMEN AND WOMEN AS WELL AS IT IS A PASSION. THEY ARE VERY CREATIVE, VERY INTO IT AND THEY HAVE A STORY TO TELL. THAT IS KIND OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO BRING ABOUT IN KINGS OF THE CRAFT COSH OATH IT IS MORE THAN JUST GOOD BEER THAT IS BEING BURIED HERE IN SAN DIEGO PICK WE ARE THE NATION'S NUMBER ONE CRAFT BEER DESTINATION RIGHT NOW BUT IT IS ALSO THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE. ARE VERY INTERESTING AND THEY ARE VERY CREATIVE. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: HOW TO THE CRAFT BREW SCENE BEGAN TO GROW IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY? IT STARTED, I THINK CUP IN, HELP ME OUT IF I MESS UP YOUR, BUT IT STARTED ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, IT STARTED MAJORLY GROWING. THERE WAS A COUPLE BREWERIES THAT WERE, SOME OF THE BIG NAMES THAT WE KNOW TODAY SUCH AS STONE AND KARL STRAUSS BREWING SOME BEER AND THE BUBBLES SORT OF BURST. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: SO TO SPEAK . YES AND CRAFT BREW, WENT BACK DOWNHILL AGAIN. ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO IT STARTED ON THE RISE AGAIN AND GET MUCH MORE HUGE THAN EVER AND NOW I THINK WE ARE OVER 100 BREWERIES IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY ALONE AND WE HAVE ABOUT OVER 40 ON THE WAY AS WELL. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: THEN, LET'S START TO STOP A MINUTE AND IF I CRAFT BEER. WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT THAN MILLER OR POD OR OTHER COMMERCIAL BRANDS? CRAFT BEER, IT IS NOT THIS MASS-PRODUCED DRINK. YOU HAVE GENUINE PEOPLE JUST LIKE US MAKING THIS DRINK JUST BECAUSE THEY LOVE DOING WHAT THEY DO. IT DOESN'T HAVE A LAUNDRY LIST OF INGREDIENTS, IT HAS FOUR INGREDIENTS IN IT. AND THAT IS -- A GROSS GREAT WITH ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS LIKE FARM TO TABLE AND ORGANIC SORT OF PRODUCTS THESE DAYS AND IT IS REALLY JUST PEOPLE WITH THE STORY MAKING A DELICIOUS BEVERAGE THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR CENTURIES. FOR THEM, THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES CRAFT BREWERS BASED ON HAVING THE STORY AND HAVING THE PASSION TO DO THIS RATHER THAN SEEING IT AS MAKING MONEY AND THE BUSINESS. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: LET'S HEAR WHAT LOCAL BREWERS YOU INTERVIEWED HAD TO SAY ABOUT HOW SAN DIEGO CRAFT. STACKS UP WITH BEER IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. IN SAN DIEGO MORE THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IS A LOT OF REALLY TRY, SUPER HOPPED UP IPAS CUP ELITE HEALTH AND DOUBLE IPAS. [ MUSIC ] I THINK SAN DIEGO IS RENOWNED FOR THE INDIA PALE ALES. THE THING ABOUT NIPA IS OUT HERE IT IS A HOBBY OR THE BETTER. THE EAST COAST IS MORE MELLOW AND MORE BITTER. THE MIDWEST IS KIND OF A MIX OF THE TWO, GET YOUR IMPERIAL IPAS CUSTOM OF THAT BUT YOU CAN DEFINITELY TELL THE DIFFERENCE IF YOU HAVE NIPA ON THE WEST COAST OR ON THE WEST COAST. FOR US WHAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER NIPA IN OTHER CITIES IS A DOUBLE IPAS OR WHAT WE MIGHT CONSIDERED A PALE ALE IS NIPA IN OTHER CITIES. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: THAT IS JUST A CLIP FROM KINGS OF THE CRAFT, A NEW SERIES PREMIERING THIS WEEK ON KPBS TV. I HAVE THE PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR HERE WITH ME. YOU MADE AN INTERESTING COMMENT, RAY AND, YOU SAID THIS IS REALLY A LIFESTYLE FOR THESE FOLKS. TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT. WILL COME ANY OF THESE BREWERS -- THEY DIDN'T ORIGINALLY STARTED OUT BREWING BEER. THEY WERE ON THE ROAD TO BECOME LAWYERS WERE THEY WERE PARESIS OR SOME OTHER SORT OF JOB. THEY KIND OF BREW BEER ON THE SIDE OR THEY HAD MET PEOPLE IN THEIR PREVIOUS JOBS THAT HAD BREWED BEER AND INTRODUCED THEM TO IT. THEY LOVE THEIR. THEY LOVE THE CREATIVITY BEHIND IT. THEY LOVE THE ATMOSPHERE THAT THE BEER BROUGHT AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. AND SO THEY CHOSE TO CREATE A BREWERY, START BREWING HERE WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND NOW IT IS JUST EXPLODING. THEY ARE BREWING RAPIER HIGH DOING GREAT THINGS HERE IN SAN DIEGO AND IT IS CONTINUING TO BE ON THE RISE. THEY ARE SUPER HAPPY WITH THEIR LIFESTYLE CHOICE IN CHOOSING TO DO CRAFT BEER. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: JUST ABOUT HOW MANY CRAFT BEER BREWERIES TO WE HAVE IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY? THERE, AS OF MAY, THERE ARE 104 BREWERIES WITH 46 UPCOMING THAT ARE IN PLANNING RIGHT NOW. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: 46 UPCOMING APLENTY? YES. THE NUMBER KEEPS GROWING EVERY SINGLE MONTH. NO ONE SEES AN END -- SUCH AS THE BUBBLE BEFORE, NO ONE SEES AN END TO THIS GROWTH BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY MORE PEOPLE GETTING INTO IT. CRAFT BEER ONLY HAS ABOUT 4% OF THE ENTIRE MARKET SHARE RIGHT NOW SO THEY ONLY SEE UPWARD TRANSFER THEM. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: YOU WERE SAYING COPY FOR, BEN HOW THAT WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU ARE DOING CRAFT BEER IS THAT IT REALLY SORT OF MESHES WITH A LOT OF OTHER FOOD MOVEMENTS AND FOODIE MOVEMENTS THAT ARE GOING ON IN SAN DIEGO. TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. WHAT COLOR WE TALKED TO GREG COOK HE REALLY HAD SOME INTERESTING THINGS -- OF STONE BURIED -- HE HAS AN INTERESTING THINGS TO SAY, HE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW WE REALLY NEED TO BE EMBRACED -- EMBRACING REALLY SOME GREAT THINGS ARE COMING OUT OF SAN DIEGO. WE DON'T HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO GET ANYTHING ANYMORE. WE CAN HAVE IT ALL RIGHT HERE FROM SAN DIEGO. AND IT IS ALL OF THESE FARMERS MARKETS AND LOCAL PRODUCTS THAT ARE MADE BY SMALL BUSINESSES THAT REALLY MAKE THIS TOWN WHAT IT IS. AND CRAFT BEER IS IS ONE OF THE MANY HOW MANY THINGS THAT YOU CAN GET MADE IN THE HEART OF SAN DIEGO AND YOU CAN ENJOY IT AND IS FRESH. IT IS CLEAN AND IT IS USUALLY ORGANIC. SO IT IS A REALLY GREAT PRODUCT. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: LET ME PLAY ANOTHER CLIP FROM THE KINGS OF THE CRAFT. YOU VISITED MORE THAN A DOZEN BREWERIES INCLUDING JACOB McCAIN, CEO AND FOUNDER FROM MODERN TIMES BEER IN POINT LOMA. LET'S TAKE A LISTEN TO HIM. MODERN TIMES HAS BEEN OPEN FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND HALF NOW. OUR GROWTH OVER THE LAST YEAR AND HALF HAS VASTLY EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS. WHEN I PUT TOGETHER MY BUSINESS MODEL PLAN I DID MY BEST GUESS ON HOW MUCH. WE WOULD BE MAKING EACH YEAR AND WE ARE NOW PAST MY FIFTH YEAR OF PLAN FOR THE BREWERY. SO TO SAY THAT IT HAS GONE WELL WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT. GARY COBB VERY STOKED WITH HOW WELL OUR BEER HAS BEEN RECEIVED. HOW WE HAVE BEEN WELCOMED IN THE COMMUNITY BY BOTH OTHER BREWERS AND YOUR AFICIONADOS. IT HAS BEEN AMAZING.MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: THAT IS ANOTHER CLIP FROM THE KINGS OF THE CRAFT. 3N, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE VISUAL ELEMENTS OF THIS SERIES. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SEE AS THIS SERIES GOES ON? THAT IS PART OF THE -- SOME OF MY FAVORITE PARTS ABOUT KINGS OF THE CRAFT IS, WE HAVE -- I FEEL BROUGHT KIND OF THE NEW AND VIBRANT SORT OF FEEL TO THE CRAFT BREWERY INDUSTRY. A LOT OF THESE BREWERIES HAVE BEAUTIFUL, GORGEOUS TASTING ROOMS AND BEER IT SELF HELP WHEN IT IS BEING BREWED, IS A VERY FASCINATING THING. A LOT OF OUR EPISODES ARE VERY VISUAL. WE HAVE BRIGHT COLOR'S, THERE IS GREAT MOVEMENT, WE HAVE INCORPORATED A LOT OF SLOW-MOTION OR HIGH PACED CLIPS IN THERE SO YOU KIND OF -- IT SLOWS DOWN, HAS IS BEAUTIFUL BUBBLES IN THE BEER, THAT KIND OF METAL STYLES AND A BIG PART OF IT AS WELL IS OUR EDITOR AND THEN AS WELL, OUR DIRECTOR, THEY CREATE A LOT OF HUMOR. BREWERS THEMSELVES ARE VERY INTERESTING, FASCINATING STORIES AND THEY ARE ALSO VERY HUMOROUS SILICON BRING THAT INTO PLAY. IT COMBINES HAVE FUN, HAPPY STYLE AS WELL AS WITH A LITTLE BIT OF COMEDY IN IT AS WELL. IT MAKES IT VERY VISUALLY ENTERTAINING TO WATCH. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: I READ THAT THIS SERIES CAME OUT OF AN AWARD-WINNING STUDENT PRODUCTION CALLED PEACHES AND BEER? IS CRACKED? PARTIALLY. BEACHES AND BEER WITH A STUDENT DOCUMENTARY THAT WE DID WELL IN SCHOOL. MYSELF, BEN AND STEPHEN, OUR EDITOR, AND CINEMATOGRAPHER, AND THAT KIND OF BROUGHT US INTO REALIZING THAT THE CRAFT BEER INDUSTRY WAS A FASCINATING AND AS ON THE RISE. KINGS OF THE CRAFT IS A SEPARATE ENTITY FROM OF BEACHES AND BEER. WE ARE DOING MANY DIFFERENT STYLISTIC CHANGES AND DOING INTERVIEWING A LOT OF OTHER DIFFERENT OTHER BREWERIES AS WELL. OF BEACHES AND. DID PERK -- PIQUE YOUR INTEREST. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: HOW DID YOU PROMOTE THIS WHEN YOU WENT TO KPBS TV AND SAID POINT WHERE HAVE AN IDEA FOR A SERIES? WHEN HE TELLS THEM WHAT YOU WANT TO MAKE A TV SHOW ABOUT. THE KIND OF LAUGHING YOU AND THEY ARE REALLY READY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. WE REALLY HAD TO DIVE DEEP INTO EACH EPISODE AND HOW EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO PLAY OUT BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT IMPORTANT TOPICS THAT SURROUND CRAFT BEER IN THE COMMUNITY. SO ONCE YOU GET TO TELLING THEM ABOUT THE BREWERIES STORIES IN THEIR LIVES AND WHERE THEIR PASSION COMES FROM AND HOW THEY HAVE KIND OF CREATED THIS BROTHERHOOD OF BREWERS WHERE THEY CAN LEAN ON EACH OTHER FOR INGREDIENTS OR EQUIPMENT OR HELP IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG YOU REALLY GET TO SEE THIS COOL ECOSYSTEM THAT REALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYWHERE ELSE. THERE IS NO INDUSTRY I KNOW OF WHERE YOU CAN GO AFTER COMPETITOR TO BORROW INGREDIENTS BECAUSE YOU RAN OUT. SO WHEN'S YOU GET INTO THAT AND START LEARNING ABOUT THEIR LIVES IT REALLY BECOMES INTERESTING AND YOU CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF IT. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: REAON, IS CRAFT BREWING THE IDEAL PEOPLE GETTING INTO THIS AND REALLY RELAXING HOW DIFFERENT BEERS CAN ACTUALLY TASTE? NOT JUST FROM THE SUPERMARKET BUT FROM ACTUALLY BEING BREWED -- DO YOU THINK CHANGING THE WHOLE STEREOTYPE OF THE WAY FOLKS DRINK BEER, THE STEREOTYPE TYPE -- STEREOTYPE WE JUST SIT IN FRONT OF THE TV EATING CHIPS AND DIP AND -- [ LAUGH ] WELL, YES, CRAFT BEER IS ACTUALLY VERY FAMILY ORIENTED. YOU DO HAVE TO BE 21 TO DRINK IT, OF COURSE BUT WHAT THESE CRAFT BREWERS AND THESE BREWERIES ARE TRYING TO DO IS BRING THAT FAMILY TOGETHER, THAT FAMILY ATMOSPHERE. MANY OF THESE PLACES ARE OPEN TO HAVING YOUR FAMILY COME WITH YOU, YOUR DOGS, YOUR CHILDREN, THAT KIND OF THING AND YOU CAN COME OUT FOR AN AFTERNOON OF JUST HAVING FUN WITH -- THERE ARE GAMES IN A LOT OF THESE TASTING ROOMS AS WELL SO THE STEREOTYPE OF JUST SITTING AT HOME IS YOU CAN, YES, OF COURSE, IT IS VERY WIDELY AVAILABLE TO WHERE IT IS COME TO WILL TO SIT AT HOME AND DRINK A CRAFT BEER BECAUSE IT IS GOOD AND DELICIOUS AND YOU CAN HAVE A WITH DINNER AND THAT KIND OF THING BUT IT IS ALSO, I THINK, MORE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ASPECT AND ABOUT BRINGING YOUR FAMILY OUT AND HAVING A GOOD AFTERNOON. MEETING UP WITH PEOPLE AND SOCIALIZING AND JUST HAVING A GOOD LIFESTYLE IN THAT SENSE AS WELL. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: BEEN MAC, YOU THINK THIS SHOWS FOR A GENERAL AUDIENCE OR DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE A CRAFT BEER CONSUMER TO WATCH IT AND UNDERSTAND IT? THIS SHOW IS FOR A GENERAL AUDIENCE. IT IS MORE THAN JUST ABOUT CRAFT BEER. SURE, WE INTRODUCE YOU INTO THE CRAFT BEER WORLD BUT WITH THE FIRST EPISODE IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, YOU CAN HOP INTO ANY EPISODE BECAUSE IT IS MORE ABOUT MORE ABOUT OTHER TOPICS AS WELL AS PASSION, CAMARADERIE AND OTHER THINGS AND IT REALLY IS A VERY ENERGETIC FAST-PACED FUN SHOW THAT CAN KIND OF BECOME ADDICTIVE TO WATCH BECAUSE YOU JUST WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THEM AND YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT. SO IT IS SEPARATELY FOR JUST ANYONE WHO WANTS TO KIND OF SIT BACK AND RELAX AND WATCH A FUN SHOW. YOU WON'T EVEN REALIZE IS THAT THROUGH 30 MINUTES OF CRAFT BEER TV SHOW. [ LAUGH ] MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: DO HAVE A PARTICULAR PARTY ANY OF THESE EPISODES THAT YOU REALLY ENJOY? THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT QUESTION. HONESTLY, THERE IS SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE REALLY LIKE BUT I THINK THAT SOME OF IT THAT I REALLY CAN'T REALLY DO ENJOY IS JUST THOSE KIND OF VISUALLY STIMULATING ELEMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN THEIR. A LOT OF THE SLOW-MOTION IS JUST BEAUTIFUL TO WATCH THE WHOLE BREWING AND PROCESS BEHIND IT AND THEN KIND OF HEARING WITH THE BREWERS HAVE TO SAY THAT ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL VERY PASSIONATE. JUST THOSE ELEMENTS OF HEARING THE PERSONAL SIDE OF THE STORY AS WELL AS SOME OF THE VISUAL ELEMENTS OF THE ACTUAL BEER ITSELF. MAUREEN CAVANAUGH: I WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THE FIRST EPISODE KINGS OF THE CRAFT AIRS THIS THURSDAY NIGHT AT 9 PM. I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO RAY AND DuPONT AND BEN MOXLEY AND THEY'RE BOTH CREATING THIS NEW KPBS TV SERIES KINGS OF THE CRAFT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
When it comes to craft beer, San Diego County may hold the throne.
A new documentary series that will air on KPBS TV tells the story of how the region came to be known as the "hoppiest" place on Earth.
The six-part series, “Kings of the Craft,” features the stories behind some of San Diego's most recognized breweries — from Stone Brewing to Escondido to Modern Times in Point Loma to Toolbox Brewing in Vista.
Ben Moxley, director of the series, said the brewers who were interviewed have created a “brotherhood.”
“You really get to see this cool ecosystem that doesn’t happen anywhere else,” Moxley told KPBS Midday Edition on Monday. “There’s no other industry where you can ask your competitor for ingredients because you ran out.”
Producer Raeanne Dupont said it’s more than just brewing beer.
“It’s a lifestyle choice as well as their passion,” Dupont said. “They are very creative, very into it and they have a story to tell.”
San Diego is home to more than 100 breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs. According to a recent study, the industry had a $600 million economic impact in 2014.
"Kings of the Craft" debuts Thursday at 9 p.m. on KPBS.
