OUR NAME

**“GUNWHALE”** is a name inspired by a prior era. It means the top ridge of a boating vessel (now more commonly known as a gunnel). Its name is derived from the place where a gun is attached to a ship in order to fend off any threats to the voyage. We think our name is a curious, unique and memorable one, but we were most inspired by its use in the Old West.
**“Loaded to the gunwhales”**, meant overflowing, and was slang for having tipped back a few too many fermented beverages. Where we were raised has history as a coastal territory with a rough surf, a land fertile for growing (hence the citrus groves lending its name), and a place of exploration. Some of its facade has changed....however its soul has not. Now, just like back then, life in California is about living wild-hearted on the frontier of the world. Let us not forget how to enjoy such a lucky fate!

PRESERVE THE WILD

It was the self-reliance and optimism of the explorers and pioneers who crossed vast and distant oceans to arrive here; they made their way to the West through uncharted trails, discovering a rustic landscape that was majestic and fertile.
These were rugged people living on the frontier, literally and figuratively, helping one another in the building of a new world. And from the Old World, they brought along their most cherished traditions: among them the art of brewing. They include the farmers, ranchers, the natives, the cowboys, the anglers, the hunters, the speculators, the missionaries, and even the outlaws.
We are inspired by how the natural wealth continues to produce the culture on this wild coast, and we hope to preserve the wilderness through a lifestyle of craft food and beverage. We think the fact that society has taken a step back and has begun to re-evaluate and demand more natural, sustainable and quality products, is very promising.
However, the battle for better beer is still in its infancy, and obfuscation and less than savory tactics are prevalent. This project is our effort to do things right, to educate, and create something special. This quote / drawing on our taproom wall sums it up nicely...

OUR APPROACH

Like the ocean collides with the shore, Gunwhale holds the line between the European farmhouse tradition and the bold, West Coast styles that California made famous. We call these “Coastal Ales”, evoking the untamed coastline and the expansiveness of the ocean to replace the rolling hills and plains of the inland farms. The same isolation and rugged terrain that inspired the farmhouse style is found on the open ocean, and against the rugged coastline of California.

Gunwhale Ales push hops, yeast, and unexpected malt bills toward new territory that captures the spirit of our region. As shown in it's history, California remains a place of cultural and culinary diversity, and the beer we make will reflect a balanced influence of local flavor. Our beer will be both delicate and robust — layered flavors, slightly unpredictable yeast strains, wild bacteria, and hybrid styles that evoke a native, adventurous spirit. But they will all be produced with a technical edge that elicits praise for their quality, mouthfeel, and aromatics that draw in the discerning beer drinker. They will often sound familiar, but they will surprise and challenge expectations.

The Gunwhale founding team are made up of three friends, native to Southern California. We grew up on the coast, reveling in the beauty and adventure at our fingertips. We grew up surfing, fishing, camping, and boating from Baja California to Central Coast to wherever the ride took us. We are passionate beer geeks, who love the institution of beer and we take beer more seriously than ourselves.

JUSTIN MILLER

CO-FOUNDER

Justin split time growing up between Newport Beach and Maui (not a bad combo, eh?). He became a cook, mostly because his ADD prevented him from a 1600 on his SATs, and it led him to some great kitchens in Orange County. He even leveraged his knife skills into a gig cooking on the Quicksilver Crossing surfing expedition boat. He has been Executive Chef at Pizzeria Ortica, putting out the best pie in the area as well as some pretty rad beer dinners with local breweries. He will be ramping up some of the same for Gunwhale in the future, on top of heading up our Operations. He straddles the edge of inappropriateness with an adeptness not often seen.

Favorite beer style : Wild Ales and anything with fennel.

Favorite Outdoor activity : Surfing / Windsurfing.

JT WALLACE

CO-FOUNDER

JT has technical prowess, pretty much the MacGyver of the beer industry. He not only was in charge of our tasting room buildout, he will be overseeing Production and is our stickler for quality control. He studied engineering (read: nerd), worked in antiques, manufacturing, and construction before diving into this rabbit hole of endless brewery tasks, ie "fixin shit". He loves piles of lumber more than any healthy person should, and is clearly above average at restoring old boats and cars. He grows his own food (what a hippie, right?) and will probably try to convince us to make a swiss chard beer because his garden is overgrown with it.

Favorite beer style : West Coast IPAs.

Favorite Outdoor activity : Boating (on his restored electric in Newport Harbor).

BOBBY FITZGERALD

CO-FOUNDER

Bobby, a Certified Cicerone® manages Sales & Marketing. But as a wicked artist, he also handles all the branding, design, and packaging for Gunwhale. Looking back, he sees time living in Europe in the 90's as a major influence on his desire for better beer due to the exposure of traditional European styles before he even turned of age (and it kept him from getting much else done over there). But growing up in San Diego and spending much of his working life near many craft brewery pioneers didn't hurt either. He has a deep love for coffee, wine, Vespa culture, and the "3-beer lunch" which he justifies as "crucial research & development".

Favorite beer style : Funky saisons and Unfiltered IPAs.

Favorite Outdoor activity : Fishing / camping in Baja.

JOIN OUR crew !

We are grateful for the many diverse bunch of people that work for our brewery day in and day out! We are an equal opportunity employer, and hope to make the beer industry one of the best places to work. Our brewery is growing, and we are open to bringing on people with the talent and passion to help us build our brand. If you think you have the skills and drive to join our team, please send cover letters and resumes to : info@gunwhaleales.com

current open positions

BEER SERVER

CULTURE

Gunwhale Ales will foster a community and a culture. We mean this in the same way that food, music, art, and design are created, by the artisan and shared with the masses.

We hope we can do our part in affecting the culture around food and beverage, in raising the bar for sustainable and premium quality and in responsible consumption. Gunwhale Ales is an authentic and passionate project that will transfer outwards from our tasting room, to all the campfires, taverns and living rooms where our beer will be enjoyed.