We Talk Beef Jerky with Will Dryden, Founder of Baja Jerky

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! We’re recording in person at Home Brew Mart by Ballast Point in Linda Vista, our sponsor for this week’s episode. Ballast Point is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and Home Brew Mart is where the company began. We’re with Colby Chandler, Ballast Point’s former vice president and speciality brewer. He’s the creator of the award-winning Sculpin IPA and the company’s second-longest-serving employee!

This week’s special guest is Will Dryden, manager of operations for Baja Jerky. This new beef jerky company is headquartered in San Diego, with recipes created by Michelin-starred chef Brandon Rogers (Benu in San Francisco). Will fell in love with the cuisine in Cabo when he lived there, so the line has six Baja-inspired flavors of jerky like street taco, serrano lime, and even churro. He talks about how Baja Jerky stands out compared to national brands, the challenges in getting national distribution, some details of the high-quality beef they’re sourcing, and where you can buy some.

In Hot Plates, Pizza Port is opening a new location in Imperial Beach. Silverlake Ramen announced that it’s expanding from LA to San Diego. An alcoholic herbal tea is being brewed at Kové Hard Yerba Mate’s tasting room in Barrio Logan. For Two People, $50, Will’s pick is the Brandt Burger at Ranch 45 in Solana Beach; David and I got fried chicken sandwiches at Corner Chicken in East Village, and Troy recommends the seasonal huckleberry donut at Sidecar Doughnuts in Del Mar.

Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Need a restaurant recommendation? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at [email protected]. See you next week!