Ballast Point Brewing has officially partnered with two San Diego-based groups, RMD Group and Cypress Ascendant, as it looks to expand its footprint both locally and beyond the county.
The new partnerships replace the original investors who helped Brendan Watters acquire the brand from Constellation Brands in 2019, according to San Diego Beer News. Watters, who previously operated out of Chicago under Kings & Convicts Brewing, has since shut down that business entity and relocated to San Diego, where Ballast Point was founded 29 years ago. No specific locations or timelines for new taprooms have been confirmed, but the goal is to open multiple venues across the region, with San Diego remaining the central focus.
RMD Group, known for its local hospitality concepts including Rustic Root, Huntress, and Sidebar, will lead the effort to find new locations for Ballast Point taprooms across San Diego County. Cypress Ascendant brings investment experience from a portfolio that includes the PGA Tour, Wonderfront Festival, and Rhone Clothing, and will support sales and brand development initiatives.
“We’ve started looking. RMD is leading that charge, talking with brokers to find sites that will work for the type of taprooms we’re looking to open,” Watters tells SD Beer News. “We don’t want to rush. If a place isn’t right, we’re not just going to do a knee-jerk and try to shoehorn our way into it.”
Ballast Point currently operates two public locations in San Diego: a restaurant and bar in Miramar, and an R&D brewery with a full kitchen in Little Italy. The company previously managed additional properties, including former Saint Archer locations in Miramar and Leucadia, but exited those in 2022. In 2023, it transferred brewery operations at its Miramar headquarters to Athletic Brewing, while retaining control of the on-site bar and restaurant. Watters says the company is also expanding its California sales team and prioritizing its return to a strong local presence.
“Now, we have new people who love this company. They understand Ballast Point and San Diego,” Watters tells SD Beer News. “Together we can focus on running and growing the business.”
