Interested in creating your own alcohol brand?

I have been at the helm of two major San Diego alcohol brands— Mike Hess Brewing Company & Old Harbor Distilling Company—but I have also consulted on some really excellent local businesses in the industry: Homebrewing Company, Sun Zoo Distillery, Swan Bar and more!

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Michael Skubic standing in front of a fermentor and distillery holding a bottle of Old Harbor Distilling Co Coffee Liqueur.
Multiple rows of liquor bottles on wooden shelves in a bar or liquor store.

Brand Building

Do you want to start a brand—without the hassle of opening up distillery? We can help with that. It is actually easier than you might imagine.

Anything from a custom bourbon or beer to a one-of-a-kind canned cocktail. We have done it all!

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A man working on a copper still in a distillery warehouse.

Distillery Set-Up

I founded Old Harbor Distilling Co. in 2013, the first distillery in downtown San Diego since Prohibition. Prior that I launched Hess Brewing, San Diego’s very first nanobrewery (although Automatic beat us the punch as the first nano-brew pub!*). Also ran the Hess Brewing Odyssey Blog that helped launch hundreds of breweries.

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gin martinis with san miguel southwestern gin
MICHAEL Skubic in front of his distillery. The Belafonte
high proof spirit being distilled into a carboy next to a large german growler.
Six men standing in a line at a bottling or filling station with empty glass bottles, some are smiling and pointing towards the camera, in an industrial or production setting.
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