Belching Beaver Brewery Promotes Thomas Peters to Head of Production & Quality Manager
(Oceanside, CA) – Belching Beaver, the “Dam Good Time” brewery based in Oceanside, Calif., has promoted Thomas Peters to Head of Production and Quality Manager. Peters had been serving as Quality Manager since August 2022. Co-founder and CEO Tom Vogel made the announcement.
Peters, who joined the brewery as a keg washer and volunteer brewer in 2013, now oversees all beer production at the company’s Oceanside manufacturing facility and three brewery/retail locations. Belching Beaver is distributed to 12 states outside of California, including as far away as Wisconsin and Texas. The three brewery/retail locations are in the northern part of San Diego County – Oceanside Brewhouse and Vista’s Pub980 and Tavern & Grill.
Peters served as Head Brewer at Pub980 from 2014-17 and then as Head Brewer at Tavern & Grill from 2017 until his appointment as Quality Manager last year. He is a two-time United States Alpha King Challenge champion, an honor given to the Head Brewer with the most well-balanced and drinkable beer by a panel of judges assembled by competition founders Yakima Chief Hops (Wash.) and 3 Floyds Brewing (Ind.). He won in 2014 for Pound Town Triple IPA and in 2017 for Thizz Is What It Is Double IPA.
“It’s been quite the fulfilling journey since my Belching Beaver beginnings,” said Peters, who recently welcomed his first child Vercin with his wife Heather who also works at the brewery. “I believe wholeheartedly in our beer, and I take so much pride in making sure we are always renewing the love we see from our fans while looking to capture new love from new fans.”
Peters also is a Great American Beer Festival (GABF) Gold and Silver Medal award winner. In 2021, he won Gold for Unfrozen Caveman Lager in the “German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock” category and Silver for Jan Quadrupel Vincent 16 in the “Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale” category. In 2020, he won a GABF Silver Medal for Fresh Hop Ride the Pine in the “Fresh Hop Beer” category.
“When Thomas and Heather became parents, I figured I had him where I wanted him and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse,” Vogel said. “But on a serious note, after 10 years in the Belching Beaver family I couldn’t think of a more qualified and deserving candidate to uphold our standard of excellence going forward. No beer leaves our facilities without Thomas’s stamp of approval, and consumers will always remain accustomed to getting our very best product.”
Peters is a Torrey Pines High School and University of California – Riverside alum. In 2017, he worked with Deftones lead singer Chino Moreno to create Phantom Bride IPA, one of the brewery’s first core beers that was named after the Deftones song.
“Thomas started with us almost at the brewery’s inception as a volunteer brewer,” said Brewmaster Troy Smith. “He is truly obsessed with the science of brewing and it shows in his work and dedication to quality.”
“With Troy creating new brews and Thomas overseeing production and quality control, we are really excited for the rest of 2023 and beyond,” said Director of Marketing Haley Smith. “Belching Beaver will have some fun announcements soon as we look to push the edge on new styles.”
In addition to the three brewery/retail locations, Belching Beaver has a tasting room in the North Park neighborhood just outside of downtown San Diego.
