Kensington Brewing Torero Blue and Bold

When students move back into University of San Diego dorms this fall, the home of the Toreros will feature a new set of official school beers. Torero Blue and Torero Bold are now the products of neighborhood brewery on the opposite side of Mission Valley: Kensington Brewing Company.

Brewery founders Andy Rogers and Zach Knipe are USD alums with ties to the school going back two decades. Since graduating, they’re both worked there as contractors, and Knipe spent five years as the campus director of planning, design, and construction.

Absolution Brewing Company had previously brewed beers of the same name, but when the opportunity came up for a new official brewery partner to take over, Kensington reached out to the school with a pitch. A campus group of beer connoisseurs took an interest.

“They got to chatting,” says Knipe, “and it seemed like a good fit.” He adds that the group had very clear ideas which traits they preferred in the beers. “They came in for a couple of nights and did tastings and then gave us other parameters that they were looking for.”

As befitting a school bearing the San Diego name, Torero Bold is an IPA. Torero Blue turns out to be a blonde ale. Cans of the beers, bearing the school’s blue and white colors, debuted this spring during games hosted by the two professional sports teams that call the university’s Torero Stadium home: Major League Rugby’s San Diego Legion, and United Soccer League’s San Diego Loyal. As covid restrictions ease at the stadium, the beers will be available on draft, alongside a menu of Stone-affiliated beers.

And by time the Loyal’s season ends, the Bold and Blue will be poured at other campus drinking venues, year round. They’ll also be served at Torero football games, during basketball games at Jenny Craig Pavilion, and during baseball games at Fowler Park.

As Kensington brewing tanks are now dedicated to brewing Torero beer full time, uptick in demand is pushing the microbrewer’s production capacity. The business consolidated all its brewing operations from a Grantville warehouse to the modest confines of its Adams Avenue pub since the pandemic hit. Meanwhile, it adapted by finding a bigger market in canning and distribution.

Since more beer will be moving out the door as the economy reopens, and a new outdoor drinking patio is set to open in the pub’s back lot later this summer, Knipe says the partners are searching for a new brewing space. Most likely in Miramar.