Meet Dogma Brewing Company

The eternal debate over religion and a German shepherd. These are the factors that led aptly named Michael Brewer to name his prospective business, Dogma Brewing Company. The homebrewer of more than ten years is infatuated with religious study and likes to engage in discussions about them. But clearly, he has greater affection for Crixus, the canine he and his wife rescued, named after Spartacus’ second in command, and have used as the likeness for Dogma’s logo.

While still in its infancy, Brewer hopes to convert his nanobrewery dreams to brick and mortar in the Clairemont area. Like his business’ moniker, there are two reasons for his neighborhood preference — he lives close by and also wants to provide a brewery option within walking distance of the community’s residence to prevent DUIs. His hope is to set up a brewery in an existing industrial space outfitted with a small tasting room, then establish a satellite tasting room elsewhere a la Belching Beaver Brewery, which is based in Vista and has a sampling venue in North Park.

At present, Brewer is doing what he’s done for the past decade-plus: crafting Belgian beer styles on a custom-made one-barrel system. Such modest equipment isn’t all that far of a cry from his homebrewing beginnings, making beer using a hot pot while deployed in the Iraq War. Once established (he hopes to break ground on a location this summer), he plans to hit the ground brewing and foresees a tripel dubbed The Trinity as his debut product. But for now, he’s taking things slow, biding his time with his wife and, of course, good ol’ Crixus.