Photo by Beth Demmon
Thr3e Punk Ales Brewing Co.
I can’t remember a time where I’ve been the racial minority when visiting a brewery in the United States. Sure, I’m often in the gender minority, but according to the Brewers Association’s latest statistics, white people make up 85.5 percent of craft beer drinkers. When I recently visited Thr3e Punk Ales Brewing Co. (259 Third Ave.) in Chula Vista, I wasn’t the only white person, but I was definitely outnumbered. And that’s awesome.
Representation, or lack thereof, can make all the difference in a person of color pursuing an interest or career in craft beer or not. Festivals such as the Fresh Fest Beer Fest, the country’s first Black beer festival, and Suave Fest, which celebrates Latinx beer culture, have given historically underrepresented beer fans a place to feel as if they’re finally the insiders instead of perpetual outsiders.
But once-a-year events aren’t a substitute for day-to-day options. Places like Thr3e Punks cater to crowds that fall outside the typical middle-aged-white-guy-with-a-beard stereotype without actually excluding anyone.
The beertender on the afternoon I visited chatted me up as I made my first selection (the Small Hops Champion session IPA), while a pretty excellent punk rock playlist blared from all around. I plopped down on a stool away from the crowds, ready to take notes and snap photos of my pints. I tend to get more looks than actual comments about my tasting method and I’m fully aware of how dorky I look, especially when I’m by myself. On this day, however, no one even glanced my way. It was subtle, but goes to show how non-judgemental the vibe is at Thr3e Punks. Maybe it was just my Black Sabbath shirt that helped me fit in. I’m going to go with non-judgemental.
The session IPA was good. Not as much fruity hop flavor as I’d expect from a beer that uses both Citra and Mosaic hops, but definitely a lot of lingering hop bitterness that resembled a more old-school style of IPA.
But it was the El Fumar smoked import helles lager that made me want to do the Blitzkrieg Bop. (I’ll try to cool it on the punk puns moving forward.) Smoked beers can be an acquired taste, but this was so lightly smoked that it only served to accentuate the nuanced grain flavor and bring out the understated complexities of a well-made lager. It reminded me ChuckAlek’s grodziskie, a delicately smoked ale that helped convert me into a lover of smoky beers. I’ve missed it terribly since ChuckAlek closed its biergarten last year, so to find a suitable replacement was very welcome.
Mexican-style lagers provide an easy drinking craft alternative to mainstream choices like Dos Equis and Corona. Thr3e Punks’ La Flama Blanca is no exception. That style has skyrocketed in popularity recently. This is due more to the fact that it’s so versatile than because of an increased Hispanic, Chicanx and/or Latinx presence in craft beer. But looking around Thr3e Punks, I’m hopeful both could one day be true.
After 4 years of Final Draught, it’s time for me to close my tab and head to the next place. This is my last weekly column for San Diego CityBeat. Want to keep in touch? Follow me on Twitter at @delightedbite or email me at beth@bethdemmon.com.