Behind the Bar with Jesse Pine

Tell us about yourself and where you live.

I was born and raised in Northern California, lived in Costa Rica for about 3 years, and recently moved to Oceanside to open the new Pure Project brewery.

What brought you to the food & beverage industry?

After a lot of time on my hands drinking subpar beer in Costa Rica, I decided I would try making my own, which eventually turned from a hobby into a business idea.

Where can we find Pure Project in San Diego?

Most of our beer is sold throughout our 4 (soon to be 5) retail tasting rooms, as well as online through our website. Otherwise, your best bet would be shopping at high-end bottle shops or markets.

What's a good drink you've had recently?

I wish I got out more, but I haven't. I'm really enjoying a beer we recently released called Only Yesterday, which is a traditional English-Style Pub Ale.

What are your essential bar or kitchen tips, shortcuts, and tools?

Ingredients and attention to detail matter. Don't make sacrifices in the quality of ingredients you are using, you can taste it! Go fresh, local, and organic whenever possible.

Do you have a drink recipe you'd like to share? 

Most people request my spicy margaritas. Be careful, these go down easy and you'll start feeling them before you know it!

Mix well:

• 1 part fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1 part tequila blanco
• 1/2 part Cointreau
• sliced serrano peppers (depends on how spicy you want it)
• Agave syrup (depends on how sweet you want it)
  

Rim your glass with Tajin, then fill generously to the top with ice. Pour margarita over the top of the ice (use a strainer if you don't want the serranos in your glass). Enjoy!

What seasonal ingredients, drinks, and dishes are you enjoying right now? 

I'm really enjoying soups right now with the colder weather, specifically pho or ramen.

What do you love about San Diego's food & bev scene?

The people. There are a lot of hard-working and respectful owners and workers in this city who put a lot of passion and pride into what they do. It's really cool to see all the innovation and unique cuisines coming to San Diego recently.

What is your favorite San Diego bar and restaurant? Where do you like to shop for food and drinks? 

Favorite Bar = Polite Provisions & Live Wire

Favorite Restaurant = The Joint OB & Cantina Mayahuel

Shopping = Frazier Farms or Primo Market (Taco Tuesdays for $0.79, you can't beat that!)

Would you like to give a shout-out to a favorite San Diego grower or farm? What do you value about their growing practices and produce?

I'm a huge fan of J.R. Organics. They are one of the pioneers of organic farming in Southern California. We've worked with them since the day we opened to source some of the best ingredients for our beers. They have a strong presence at almost every farmers’ market and their CSA program is absolutely amazing. Best strawberries you'll ever try!

What steps do you take to support a sustainable food system and why are these values important to you?

• Buy organic and local whenever possible.
• Support farms through CSA programs and farmers’ markets. When you support local small farms it means you are supporting local families. Also, you are reducing your carbon footprint by reducing the pollutants that come from transportation.
• Bring your own grocery bags, produce bags, and containers whenever possible!  Remember, recycling is a program and not a solution.  There's a reason why they say "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" in that order.  Reducing your waste is the best first step.
  

How would you like to connect to the Edible San Diego food community and why?

To continue to use our platform and spread awareness of the importance of a sustainable agricultural system and the environment as a whole. We donate 1% of all of our sales to local and national nonprofits that focus on helping our environment and creating awareness. We are bigger than beer.

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Be sure to visit Pure Project’s many tasting rooms. You can read all about the recent opening of their new headquarters on ediblesandiego.com.‍