Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

7-11 beer runs and now Blind Lady's fermenter tank

Empire Thrift in El Cajon tries to give it back to BLAH

"I thanked him for helping out a fellow small business."
"I thanked him for helping out a fellow small business."

On July 22, the Blind Lady Ale House, referred to as BLAH in the Normal Heights neighborhood, recovered its stolen fermenter tank. It's worth $5,000 and is a large piece of steel equipment used to make BLAH's special batches of beer.

Video tape of theft

The industrial-sized fermenter was wheeled away with a hand truck on June 24 at about 2:45 am, from the rear of the bar, restaurant, and nano-brewery, on Adams Avenue. A man wearing a black tank top, surfer shorts and flip-flops and a blonde-haired woman wearing a light-colored mini dress took the beer apparatus and were recorded on the bar's surveillance camera. The incriminating video footage was posted on BLAH's social media. "They took it out through the driveway onto 34th Street by Rosie's and must have loaded it into a truck on 34th," reads the caption underneath the original post. "Anyone know[s] where they could possible sell the stainless [steel]? Lmk and I'll contact them for info."

Sponsored
Sponsored
Place

Blind Lady Ale House

3416 Adams Avenue, San Diego

While concerned citizens and local beer drinkers suggested looking into particular metal scrap yards, others reposted the video onto their Facebook and NextDoor pages.

I reached out to the original poster on social media for an update and did not receive a response; then, an update was made on BLAH's page stating on July 21, the bar's employee received a tip from his buddy saying they found the stolen fermenter. They spotted it 14 miles east of Normal Heights at Empire Thrift in El Cajon.

"This morning, I headed out expecting to be met with some pawn shop attitude, but the owner of Empire saw me walk in and was like, 'are you here about the tank?'" continued the BLAH social media handler. "Once he heard it was stolen (apparently the word made it to him yesterday via someone who saw our post), he wanted it out of his shop and actually tried to contact us to give it back. He paid that thief $200 and said he was fine with losing the money because he felt bad for us losing such an expensive piece of equipment during such sucky times. So, we loaded it in the van, and then I pretty much forced him to take $200 cash. He was reluctant, but I thanked him for helping out a fellow small business and let him know I was so happy it was him who had it because not everyone would be so cool."

2017 stealing beer inside Reader

One neighbor saw the post and commented that someone stole "a full keg at a college party, but this is next level" thievery; another local suggested BLAH make a particular batch called "Sticky Fingers."

In the area of Normal Heights, between the 805 overpass and the I-15/Adams exit, by BLAH, beer theft was common at the 7-Elevens, Vons and CVS Pharmacy. For example, in 2017, a beer runner would grab a Reader outside of the 7-Eleven a block east of BLAH, then walk in, grab a tall can, wrap our magazine around the can, then run outside. Other thieves would grab cases of beer, then bolt.

And it still occurs almost five years after I wrote the Normal Heights beer-run report.

"A few days ago, I went to the 7-Eleven on 30th and Meade," Bonita Love said to me on August 7. "As I was standing at the counter, I saw a lady walk out with a yellow colored case of beer. The clerk said, 'Hey, where are you going? You didn't pay.' But she kept walking and didn't miss a beat. The clerk just shook his head." The 7-Eleven is located in Normal Heights, about a mile southwest of BLAH and the other 7-Eleven. And while many residents point figures at the homeless in the area for making the beer runs, the store managers I spoke with say teenagers who live with their parents nearby make the beer runs.

On the Reddit pages, beer runs and alcohol thefts are a typical gag that teens and former teens admit to on the forums, although nobody here has said anything about the stolen fermenter tank at BLAH.

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Birdwatching bonanza, earliest sunset of the year, bulb planting time

Venus shines its brightest
Next Article

La Clochette brings croissants—and cassoulet—to Mission Valley

Whatever's going on with this bakery business, Civita Park residents get a decent meal
"I thanked him for helping out a fellow small business."
"I thanked him for helping out a fellow small business."

On July 22, the Blind Lady Ale House, referred to as BLAH in the Normal Heights neighborhood, recovered its stolen fermenter tank. It's worth $5,000 and is a large piece of steel equipment used to make BLAH's special batches of beer.

Video tape of theft

The industrial-sized fermenter was wheeled away with a hand truck on June 24 at about 2:45 am, from the rear of the bar, restaurant, and nano-brewery, on Adams Avenue. A man wearing a black tank top, surfer shorts and flip-flops and a blonde-haired woman wearing a light-colored mini dress took the beer apparatus and were recorded on the bar's surveillance camera. The incriminating video footage was posted on BLAH's social media. "They took it out through the driveway onto 34th Street by Rosie's and must have loaded it into a truck on 34th," reads the caption underneath the original post. "Anyone know[s] where they could possible sell the stainless [steel]? Lmk and I'll contact them for info."

Sponsored
Sponsored
Place

Blind Lady Ale House

3416 Adams Avenue, San Diego

While concerned citizens and local beer drinkers suggested looking into particular metal scrap yards, others reposted the video onto their Facebook and NextDoor pages.

I reached out to the original poster on social media for an update and did not receive a response; then, an update was made on BLAH's page stating on July 21, the bar's employee received a tip from his buddy saying they found the stolen fermenter. They spotted it 14 miles east of Normal Heights at Empire Thrift in El Cajon.

"This morning, I headed out expecting to be met with some pawn shop attitude, but the owner of Empire saw me walk in and was like, 'are you here about the tank?'" continued the BLAH social media handler. "Once he heard it was stolen (apparently the word made it to him yesterday via someone who saw our post), he wanted it out of his shop and actually tried to contact us to give it back. He paid that thief $200 and said he was fine with losing the money because he felt bad for us losing such an expensive piece of equipment during such sucky times. So, we loaded it in the van, and then I pretty much forced him to take $200 cash. He was reluctant, but I thanked him for helping out a fellow small business and let him know I was so happy it was him who had it because not everyone would be so cool."

2017 stealing beer inside Reader

One neighbor saw the post and commented that someone stole "a full keg at a college party, but this is next level" thievery; another local suggested BLAH make a particular batch called "Sticky Fingers."

In the area of Normal Heights, between the 805 overpass and the I-15/Adams exit, by BLAH, beer theft was common at the 7-Elevens, Vons and CVS Pharmacy. For example, in 2017, a beer runner would grab a Reader outside of the 7-Eleven a block east of BLAH, then walk in, grab a tall can, wrap our magazine around the can, then run outside. Other thieves would grab cases of beer, then bolt.

And it still occurs almost five years after I wrote the Normal Heights beer-run report.

"A few days ago, I went to the 7-Eleven on 30th and Meade," Bonita Love said to me on August 7. "As I was standing at the counter, I saw a lady walk out with a yellow colored case of beer. The clerk said, 'Hey, where are you going? You didn't pay.' But she kept walking and didn't miss a beat. The clerk just shook his head." The 7-Eleven is located in Normal Heights, about a mile southwest of BLAH and the other 7-Eleven. And while many residents point figures at the homeless in the area for making the beer runs, the store managers I spoke with say teenagers who live with their parents nearby make the beer runs.

On the Reddit pages, beer runs and alcohol thefts are a typical gag that teens and former teens admit to on the forums, although nobody here has said anything about the stolen fermenter tank at BLAH.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Chunky yellowtail from Alijos Rocks

Imperial Beach Pier thresher shark
Next Article

La Clochette brings croissants—and cassoulet—to Mission Valley

Whatever's going on with this bakery business, Civita Park residents get a decent meal
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader