Hess Brewing

JoyJars at Hess Brewing spread holiday cheer.

“Our mission is to bring people together over great beer around great causes, and this is certainly one of the most impactful and meaningful — especially this time of year,” explains Mike Hess, founder of Hess Brewing, as his team kicks off its third year of working with NEGU (Never Ever Give Up). Dedicated to providing encouragement and hope to kids fighting cancer, NEGU delivers JoyJars to both kids in hospitals and their siblings.

JoyJars became important to the Hess family in 2018 when their daughter Keely was battling osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. Hess says, “Those jars, like overgrown Cracker Jack boxes, were full of all kinds of unexpected goodies and really were meaningful, not only to Keely but to her siblings, who also received jars.”

Now, Hess is paying the goodwill forward, setting up donation sites at his locations in North Park, Imperial Beach, Seaport Village, and Ocean Beach through December 31. Those looking to help can drop off toys or make a cash donation when they buy a beer. Donated toys must be new and smaller than 4x6 inches. Hess instructs, “The jar itself is about the size of an oversize mayonnaise jar, so think about the toy you bring fitting through that opening and into the jar. Think things that fit different age groups, too, for boys and girls. All are affected, and the JoyJars go to kids three and up.”

Philanthropy doesn’t need to be limited to the holiday season, a fact of which Hess Brewing is aware. “We intentionally live our purpose throughout the year, including our HessFest anniversary party from which we take no dollars but rather donate it to our foundation partners — Next Step Service Dogs, Dogs 4 Diabetics, MIB Agents, the Navy Seal Foundation, St. Baldrick’s Foundation where we raised $42,000 on a single day, and others. We dedicate a day every week in each of our tasting rooms to local charities through our Mike Hess Helps program and allow our teammates to suggest and bring in those organizations. We love working with organizations who are a mission fit and for whom we have a real passion. We believe that we, as a brewery and community partner can do so much more to rally our fans than the typical pint night. Our goal is to raise $150,000 or more for these groups.”

Rebranded Hess cans in their natural environment.

Hess Brewing

This year, Hess Brewing also finished a major rebranding of its flagship beers, adding bold graphics and a San Diego flair. One example is Steel Beach American Craft Lager, which now has can art that pays homage to San Diego’s military population and Mike Hess’ time in the Navy. Meanwhile, the Hop Cloud Hazy IPA — a hoppy, fruity IPA with notes of pineapple, mango, and citrus — now sports a stylized can which features a cartoon depiction of exactly the sort of bearded, bespectacled, flannel-wearing beer drinker you might expect to find at a Hess tasting room — sipping his way through a pint or two, and hopefully donating to a worthy cause between rounds.