Meet Derek Gallanosa | Head Brewer & Director of Beer Ops

We had the good fortune of connecting with Derek Gallanosa and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Derek, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The idea for GOAL. Brewing was created by my friend and owner of the brewery, Jayson Pizarro, during the pandemic. GOAL is an acronym for “Get Out And Live,” a concept that proved very important for most people’s sanity during those isolated times. It’s a good motto that we can use to get people to visit our taproom and whatever else we plan to produce in the future.

For GOAL. Brewing, I run the on site beer operations that include brewing, sales, marketing, and outside events. I was the Head Brewer of a successful brewery in the Sacramento region called Moksa Brewing Co, but after five years, I had the desire to move back home to San Diego.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
A lot of people overlook brewing as an art. Of course, in much larger breweries, there is a sense of monotony where you feel like everyday is the same. But regardless of the size of the brewery, we Brewers are turning simple ingredients into complex beverages. At a smaller brewery, like the three I have led over the past 10 years, I get to express creativity constantly while also following a very precise brewing process. Although I never really had core brands, I had core styles I would keep on the board. This rotation allowed me to try new ingredients and techniques, ultimately leading to better products. Brewing is my art and I’m stoked to share it with so many.

The pathway to where I am today was not the hardest path, but it definitely wasn’t the easiest. I knew whatever my career was going to be, I had to put in the work to succeed. That not only meant physically working hard, which is the easiest, but managing your time to work efficiently as well as still have the drive to learn from your experiences and other peers. I think those things I previously said along with the willingness to be uncomfortable in new opportunities are my keys to success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is an easy question because people ask me constantly when they are visiting, so I created a list.

Drinking at breweries would be at GOAL. Brewing (obviously), North Park Beer Co, McIlhenney Brewing, Burgeon, Harland, and Pure Project. Drinking at bars would be Live Wire, O’Brien’s, Blind Lady Ale House, Realm of 52 Remedies, Churchills Pub, Polite Provisions. Food would be centered around burritos and tacos. My recommendation for those would be TJ Tacos, La Perla #3, The Taco Stand, Colima’s, La Revolucion, Taco Bar, and some of the various fish taco trucks around the city. Non Mexican would be Minh Ky (noodles), The Friendly (smashburgers), A Chau (egg rolls), Menya Ultra (ramen), Cowboy Star (steaks), Q’ero (Peruvian), and Animae (Asian). To complete the recommendations with non food/drink, I would suggest walking around Ocean Beach, go to a Padres game, check out museums at Balboa Park, and see the wonder that is Safari Park. Someone can fit that all in over a week, right?

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to give a shoutout to the owner of GOAL. Brewing, Jayson Pizarro. I had a desire, after spending over five years building a brewery in Sacramento, to return home to my closest friends and family. Without his commitment to making the brewery a reality, I wouldn’t be back home.

The other person that has professionally supported me is the Brewmaster for Karl Strauss Brewing Company, Paul Segura. Paul gave me a shot to be in this industry when I was just a homebrewer back in 2010. Usually you need a little more on a resume to get into this brewing industry, but he saw something in me that was worth hiring.

The last people that get a shout out are my parents. They’ve supported me throughout my brewing career, even going as far as to meeting me at a beer festival I was pouring at in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Website: https://goalxbrewing.com

Instagram: @GOALxBrewing @HeyBeerMe

Facebook: https://fb.com/GOALxBrewing