The story below is a preview from our January/February 2018 issue. For the full story Subscribe today, view our FREE interactive digital edition or download our FREE iOS app!
The craft brew scene in Roanoke continues to build as Ballast Point’s GM recognizes lasting relationships within both the brewing and local communities.
John Park
While all of Roanoke was taken to social media in the #Deschutes2Roanoke campaign, another West Coast brewer quietly set up in Daleville. They built a gorgeous tasting room and kitchen, gigantic brewery and distribution center; then raised a wicked-cool sail mast out front announcing their arrival.
Ballast Point started in 1992 as Home Brew Mart, a home brew supply store in San Diego, California. In 1996, it transitioned to Ballast Point Brewing Company. In 2004, Ballast Point opened its first major production site and distribution center, Scripps Ranch. From there it boomed. They continued to open locations in and around the San Diego area; all tap rooms offering some type of food service. They began distributing around the globe. And in 2017, they chose Daleville, Virginia to open their East Coast production and distribution center with Tasting Room and Kitchen attached.
Mike Alvarado, general manager for Daleville’s Ballast Point Tasting Room and Kitchen, joined the Ballast Point family in 2013. The San Diego native with Peruvian roots says he saw the craft brew scene explode in San Diego during 2009. At that time, Alvarado—a professional photographer by training and trade—was looking for another source of income after the economic fallout of 2007. He recognized an excitement happening in San Diego around craft beer. Because Alvarado also had years of experience as a restaurateur, he decided to throw himself into the craft beer arena. He went to work for San Diego Tap Room, a tap house and restaurant serving only local brews.
Though Alvarado was highly trained in the restaurant business, he started at the bottom as a prep cook with the goal of working his way into a management position. Within a year, he was the front of the house manager. This afforded him the opportunity to visit and tour breweries of the brands Tap Room sold.
“I fell in love with the craft brew scene,” says Alvarado when describing his days of learning the craft beer art form and building relationships within the local craft brew camaraderie.
One important relationship Alvarado forged during this time was with the Scripps Ranch Tasting Room manager. So important, in fact, that in 2013 when Alvarado needed to make a career move, Ballast Point was waiting to receive him with open arms. Alvarado worked as an assistant manager at several of the Ballast Point locations, always willing to go where the company needed him and do what they asked of him, quietly hoping a general management opportunity would eventually come his way.
Alvarado found his opportunity in 2017 when Ballast Point expanded to the East Coast. “It was a major move for me,” explains Alvarado, who’d never lived outside the San Diego area. “I left my family and home for this.” He says he remembers flying out to visit the new site during the building process. He walked up the steps to the second level while everything was still open air and dirt. “I looked out at the view and fell in love.”
Five employees from the West Coast Ballast Point locations joined Alvarado in Daleville, including his Executive Sous Chef, Travis Giffin, and Assistant Sous Chef, Tyson Owens. Together, with the rest of the Daleville kitchen team, Giffin and Owens collaborate to create menu items that celebrate the East Coast region in which they now live. While some menu items are consistent across all seven Ballast Point locations—created and disseminated by Ballast Point Executive Chef Colin MacLaggan—Giffin and his Daleville team are given ample space to creatively imagine area favorites.
In my visits to Ballast Point I’ve enjoyed both: menu items I could eat at any Ballast Point location, as well as those found only in Daleville. Their Fish Tacos “Street Style” are fresh tasting and fun, with the addition of pickled onions, cabbage and cilantro. The same goes for their Shrimp & Stone Ground Grits. The spirited combination of fresh shrimp, spicy Andouille, old-fashioned NC-style grits and crisp veggies is satisfying on every gastronomic level.
Their Fried Brussel Sprouts are unique. I enjoy the addition of the fingerling potatoes with honey and whole grain mustard drizzled throughout. Their house made Pimento Cheese is sharp, dense and delicious. And their Butternut Squash Ravioli is like having dessert for dinner. The stuffed pillow pastas are handmade. The syrup has pomegranates in it. The brown butter makes every bite taste like a Thanksgiving feast in my mouth. Incredible.
And even as an imbiber of wine, I always find a satisfying beer to complement my meals—my favorites (so far) being Sea Rose and Bonito Blonde.
It’s awesome to me how this West Coast brand has niched itself so well into Roanoke’s slice of Appalachia. Awesome, but after hearing Alvarado’s story and the story of Ballast Point, I’m not surprised.
“Family is important to me…relationships are important,” says Alvarado explaining Ballast Point’s values and vision for the craft brew community. “The values of Ballast are very important to us. We have home brew roots; it’s where we come from. It’s how we started.”
... for more from our January/February 2018 issue, Subscribe today, view our FREE interactive digital edition or download our FREE iOS app!