Paul Elder - the man behind Ballast Point Brewery Beer Label

You ever buy a beer because of the label? You might be out shopping at your local store staring at 100 different IPAs and then one label will catch your eye. A few years ago that happened to me because I saw an amazing image of a fish. It was a red and orange Sculpin swimming over some cobblestones. I bought it and it turned out to be the most delicious IPA I had ever enjoyed. 

I soon found out that the artist behind the image was Paul Elder an old friend and longtime Pacific Beach local. I caught up with Paul to discuss the brand, his art and his life long passion of surfing and spear fishing.  One thing that many surfers have in common is that they are very artistic, whether the medium is music, paint or words, many surfers crave creativity and Paul is no different.

Spending his early childhood traveling across the world as the son of a Navy man, he found a passion for the ocean while his family was in Thailand. When he finally arrived in San Diego in 8^th grade he loved to fish. Fishing also lead him to discover something new; Surfing. His family had moved to San Diego and as he was fishing off of Crystal Pier he saw some guys catching waves on surfboards and was instantly entranced. He ran off the pier and returned the rented rod and asked if he could rent a surfboard instead. In the years that followed, Paul became a very accomplished surfer and was known for having a very powerful surf style like that of BK or Jeff Hackman.

Paul Elder and his secret Baja Point

His other passion was art. He found himself painting ocean fish and comical t-shirts for many locally based businesses like Cass Street Bar and Grill, Skip Frye and Joe Ropers Repair shop. Somewhere along the line Paul began home brewing beer and would often stop at the Home Brew Mart on Linda Vista Rd to get his supplies. He struck up a friendship with the owners and they would talk beer and fishing quite often. Soon the Home Brew guys were starting up their own beer label called Ballast Point and asked if Paul could draw up a label for them. The first image he made for them was that of a yellowtail for their new Pale Ale. It was an instant hit and a perfect fit for the fledgling brand.

In the 18 years that followed, Paul has done dozens of beer labels for the brand including Calico, long fin, Dorado and the now award winning Sculpin, which Paul had a hand in naming. He was asked what would be a good fish to represent this new IPA and he said the Sculpin , because it’s a beautiful fish with the sweetest meat but you had to be careful because it also packs a very sharp sting. Much like the 7% alcohol content of the new beer. Then and there a new flagship beer was born.

Finding his passion in the sea and with beer has lead Paul to live a very simple but fulfilling life. He is very much ingrained into the DNA and identity of one of the fastest growing breweries and distillers in Southern California and the partnership is really just beginning. Now you know when you see a good label, give that beer a try, you just might find a winner.


You can follow all my stories over at www.discoversd.com 

Support your local surf shop

Your local surf shop is something to behold. These local bastions of knowledge and vibes are among surfings most important necessities and I’m going to tell you why.

The basics. A person has to get the staples eventually.  You have to buy your first Surfboard, wetsuit, trunks and leash somewhere. You can buy stuff all day long on the web but you don’t want to wait a few days for wax when the surf is good, do you? Go in and take a look around. If the shop is worth is salt, there will be someone behind the counter from the area who has spent years surfing the local beaches and reefs. They will know what the tide is like and what spots will be good for that days swell. The owner of the store will most likely be there because they never leave. They work seven days a week and live and die by the slim profit margins on the goods they sell. They usually are a little grumpy at first but they will warm up eventually. Here’s a list of some things you may find.

Reality check. They will point you in the right direction for the equipment you need, not what you want. The employees will know about the history of the sport and can tell you who is doing well on the ASP tour. They can tell you what the pros are riding and can tell you why you shouldn’t be riding what the pros ride, because despite what you think, you don’t surf like Slater.

Talking story. Reading something in an Internet chat room is not the same as hearing a surf story from a guy who just lived it. While the face of surf retailing has cleaned up and focused more on profit margins than hanging out, everyone has a few minutes to chop it up and talk about that mornings session or share a great tale from some recent travels. It’s how we used to learn before the Internet stole our social skills.

Making friends and extended family. Many of us started surfing because our families were screwed up or we didn’t like a coach telling us what to do. It’s a very personal and individual activity and at one time it was even considered anti-social. The surf shop is where you can find like-minded people who see the world through the same set of filters. The best friendships of my life came about because of surf and skate shops. Beware though, The BS detector is very finely tuned and the shop owners can smell a fraud a mile away. Be yourself and be real, it will serve you much better in the long run.

Giving back. The local shop is the one who will organize a beach clean up, sponsor your son or daughter and will enhance your community by being active and supportive to your schools and events. Lord knows the people who own shops do it for the love, not the money so remember that when you are grinding them for an extra discount. You don’t ask for a bro-deal at the super market so don’t ask at the surf shop.

So go forth and seek out your new shop. Find a good one and tuck in for a while, you’ll see what I mean.

You can read my stories over at www.discoversd.com