Bellringer Brew Tolls for Thee

When Dan White was brewing at Ventura Coast Brewing Co., he felt restless, full of ambition. He wanted a place he—and wife, Emily—could call their own.

Then Anacapa Brewing Co., battered by the COVID shutdown, closed in October 2022 after 22 years in business. Dan felt the space still had purpose. So he and Emily have taken over the space and opened Bellringer Brew Co. in February of this year.

“We heard Anacapa was closing. We wanted to do something to revitalize the space and show what we can do,” says Dan. “Things are constantly evolving and changing. Especially when making craft beers with quality and style that meets the tastes people want. It takes a lot of energy to keep up with it.”

“We were talking to Danny [Saldana], who’s not the original owner,” says Emily, who handles marketing and community relation for Bellringer. “He knew there was still a lot of life left in a brew pub in this place. He didn’t have the energy.” (Saldana bought Anacapa Brewing from Paul Miller in 2007. The pub originally opened in 2000 in downtown Ventura.)

The Whites have painted and spruced things up a bit as they bring their own pub vision to life.

“The biggest thing was we brightened it up and removed some dividing walls” says Dan. “The lighting was in desperate need of an upgrade. We redid the bar top and changed whole seating arrangement.”

Arcade machines were installed in back. The patio has been upgraded and expanded in front so patrons can continue the Anacapa’s time-honored tradition of people-watching on Main Street.

“We have our brew system right behind the bar. It’s a seven-barrel system with four fermenters. There are five serving tanks behind the bar. All of the kegs have cold storage,” says Dan. “I’m focusing on hoppy West Coast–style ales and IPAs—body-forward tastes. And I do a lot of lager brewing. I make traditional beers, and we put our own swing on them,” he continues. “I’m about drinkability—not getting overwhelmed by the beer.”

They’re also making sure the staff is well-versed in beers and brewing.

Dan says he doesn’t feel bound to a certain kind of beer. “As far as beer styles, there are hundreds of styles. Everyone does things differently. We have our own pilsner, an American take. We have a whole palate of styles and tastes to satisfy all tastes,” he says.

The beer is brewed using grain from the Midwest, Canada, the U.K. and Germany. They source hops from Oregon, Washington and Europe, because, as Dan explains, these ingredients get their unique flavor profile determined by their terroir, much like wine grapes.

To complement the beers and ales, Dan has created a simple American-style menu that he spices up with such specials as Portuguese linguiça sausage soup with potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, onion and cream; or Carbonade flamande with slow-cooked Belgian-beer-braised beef served with French bread and frites that comes with a recommendation of Hells Bells Dark Lager.

 “Everything is made from scratch,” says Dan, adding that before committing to brewing he considered following a culinary career. “The chili is from my dad’s recipe. I make all of the marinades from scratch.”

All-beef hotdogs are imported from Chicago. The vegan bratwurst is made with Beyond brand products. There are salads, tacos, wings, fries and the famous Double Smash Burger, as well as a vegan/vegetarian selection.

Dan and Emily came to Ventura seven years ago so he could be head-brewer at Ventura Coast Brewing. “I jumped in to work in the taproom and manage events as well,” says Emily. Dan had previously been head-brewer at Smog City Brewing Co. in Torrance.

She says their family feels they have found a home. “We fell in love with the community aspect of [brewing],” says Emily, who left her marketing job at Ventura Coast when she had daughters Charlotte, now 5, and Maisie, 3. “Business has been really good. We’re super happy with the reception and with the community. It didn’t take long to settle in Ventura and buy a house. Dan really put himself into the community here. We’ve gotten a lot of support from beer friends and in general.”