LOS ANGELES — Maltitude Brewing, a Los Angeles-based brewery in planning run by Phil Limon and Sandra Toledo, received the opportunity to brew their winning beer called the Ruby Sun Saison — a Jamaica (also known as Hibiscus) Saison — at Anchor Brewing’s pilot brewery and taproom in San Francisco. Limon and Toledo are members of SoCal Cerveceros, the largest latino focused homebrew club in the country spanning from Los Angeles to Orange County, which was selected by Anchor Brewing as the 2019 Homebrew Club of the Year.
“We are so grateful for having SoCal Cerveceros as a resource for us homebrewers and are honored to be selected by such a well-respected brewery like Anchor to brew our Jamaica Saison,” said Limon. “The experience brewing at Anchor has motivated us even more to make our dreams of opening our own brewery a reality and we thank the whole Anchor team for welcoming us into their home, it really made us feel like we were brewing with family.”
The Jamaica Saison will be released to the public on Friday, April 12 at Anchor Public Taps, Anchor Brewing’s pilot brewery & taproom. Customers will be able to chat with Limon and Toledo, and the Anchor team, and hear more about the recipe and process of using hibiscus. “The inspiration for the beer comes from a popular agua fresca in Mexico that I grew up with and it’s also known around Los Angeles, where you can find it in restaurants, taco stands and in markets. We knew it would be the perfect style for the California weather especially given the warm Spring season approaching,” said Toledo.
Maltitude worked with Dane Volek, Anchor Public Taps’ pilot brewer. “After having chosen SoCal Cerveceros, I was excited to see the contending beers,” Dane said. “I love Jamaica, and after reading the label and seeing the color, I was nearly convinced even before tasting it. The process of engineering that winning beer on our system has been stunning. A lot of fun and with good people too!”
Soon after the release event, Maltitude will be part of the Los Angeles homebrew festival Coldxela, which is a nonprofit event planned by SoCal Cerveceros who is also celebrating their four year anniversary. The club has been a huge support to Maltitude owners and the over 133 members.
“I think the answer is obvious why Anchor chose Maltitude,” said SoCal Cerveceros Homebrew Club president Ray Ricky Rivera. “Although we sent three really good homebrews to be judged by the Anchor team, a hibiscus (jamaica in Spanish) saison was the most creative submission. Maltitude took a Belgian style base beer and added their own Mexican cultural influence. In essence, Anchor is getting a multicultural beer with Maltitude’s hibiscus Saison. I think Sandra and Phil delivered a unique beer, and that alone was deserving of a win.”
The Ruby Sun Saison release event is open to the public between 5-11 p.m. on Friday, April 12 where the brewers will also be in attendance.
The Coldxela festival, taking place on Saturday, April 27, will feature over 50 homebrewers with proceeds going to local nonprofit The Gumball Foundation, which provides middle/high school students with hands on entrepreneurial training and college prep programs, paid summer internships and zero percent loans to local entrepreneurs.