Mad Lab closes its doors... for now

Mad Lab Craft Brewing, open less than a year, has officially closed the doors to its current facility.  The following excerpt is taken from a Facebook post earlier this week.

"Mad Lab Craft Brewing is excited to announce their new project!  We are moving the brewery production area to a large facility in Otay Mesa, which is a few miles south of Caliente Exit.  The facility will be a production plant ONLY; therefore..., the Mad Lab Craft Brewing product line will only be available in retail stores.  The original location will no longer be available to the public due to all finances will be concentrated on the new location.  The projected time frame for the new production plant will be summer of 2014."

I had a chance to talk to Mike, the owner, who told me the move will provide time to regroup and take care of a few personal matters.  He even plans to write a book about his experiences opening and operating a brewery in the most beercentric city in the country.  His plan is to have the new production facility up and running by July of next year.  Mike has a true passion for his craft, and I look forward to the renewed enthusiasm he will put into the brewery reboot.  Until then, I wish Mike and his wife Daphne well, and look forward to a bigger, better, and crazier Mad Lab!

Mad Lab Craft Brewing

My friend Mike, who runs Mad Lab (you may remember my Brewery Project visit here), put together a social media commercial for the brewery and asked me to spread it around.  Check it out and share it.  If you haven't already, go check out for yourself what Mike is doing for craft beer in South Bay.  He puts his heart into everything that goes on there and will be more than happy to share his brewing experiences with you over a pint.  I'll see you there!



Click here if you don't see the video.

The Brewery Project: Mad Lab

A tiny suite in an industrial park way out in Otay.  No money or investors, just a husband and wife with a dream.  Fermenters sitting in kiddie pools on the carpet of a small office.  Growlers and 22 ounce bottles labeled by hand with homemade labels.  Are they mad?!?  Actually, they are Mad Lab Craft Brewing.  Owners Mike & Daphne McFarland, who live in Imperial Beach, wanted to bring great craft beer to South Bay, an area of San Diego that has yet to open up to the craft beer movement.  With their grand opening yesterday, the floodgates have opened.  What the new location lacks in fluff is more than made up for in the passion of the husband and wife team.  Mike, who is also the brewer, artist, marketer, etc., can't hold back his enthusiasm as he explains the ingredients and brewing process of each of his "babies".  I was highly impressed by I.B. Blonde, a style that I don't usually like, which weighed in at 6.5% alcohol.  Sultry Venus, an Abbey Ale, also stole my heart and taste buds with its 6.9% alcohol punch.  With 6 beers currently on tap including an IPA, Scottish Red, Porter, and a Stout, there's something for every taste.  The fact that my group won a couple of growlers and a t-shirt while we were there was just the icing on the cake!  Don't let the drive scare you away from checking out San Diego's newest brewery.  As they say, "Release the Madness"!