Beer and a Baby
For the past two years Tim Harbage and Linzy Mahoney of Ventura have focused on two things: a baby and beer.
Their daughter Isla Harbage, age 1, was born in late 2020. And in April 2022, Harbage and Mahoney were putting the final touches on their new brewery/restaurant Bright Spark Brewing, slated to open this summer.
“I grew up with a family of entrepreneurs. In life, I love exploration in general,” says Mahoney. “I really want to make something for ourselves and enhance our community. That’s our goal here in Ventura. We want to bring something different to the table. There are breweries here already. So we asked ourselves what we had offer that was different.”
Mahoney and Harbage have come up with what they think is a winning combination by offering unique beers crafted by Harbage, a master brewer, and a fun and dynamic menu conceived by Mahoney, with a Lebanese influence that reflects her childhood.
Mahoney was formerly publisher and owner of Edible Los Angeles (then Edible Westside), which was her job when she met Harbage in 2011. “Through that I got plenty of experience with recipe development and testing, which gave me just enough confidence to see this through for us,” she says. “I really wanted to draw from what I know best. It’s a safe way to go in general. But I wanted to highlight recipes that I grew up with that were delicious and comforting. I’ve always wanted to do pizza. I’ve been testing these recipes for six years—and, with my family, longer. I’ve come up with a pretty fun and laid-back bar-style pizza.”
Mahoney’s bar-style pizza has the traditional thin crust with toppings out to the edge of the pan it’s cooked in.
“Mine has a cheese lacing crown,” she says. “This consists of cheese going all the way to the rim and up the sides of the pan. This pizza will have a crown of cheese as the crust that will caramelize on the sides of the pan as it bakes. If I’ve done it right, you can almost crack the cheese off. It’s fun and delicious, this crust.”
The Bright Spark Brewery also features other menu items including salads, grain bowls and assorted snacks.
Harbage is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, with a degree in chemical engineering with an emphasis on fluid flow, which has proved very useful in his beer-brewing career.
“I’ve always had an interest in food science; then I was introduced to craft beer,” says Harbage, describing his years-long transition from corporate America to head brewer at Golden Road Brewing in L.A., then Figueroa Mountain Brewing in Buellton and Smog City in Torrance. “I realized there was incredible science with craft beer. Before, I wasn’t feeling fulfilled. My sister urged me to go into craft beer. I’m so grateful I have my background in organic chemistry, thermodynamics and fluid flow.”
Finding a place to rent was difficult during the past two years, the couple says, because landlords were skittish about renting to a restaurant during a time when everything was shut down.
They finally found a spot at 4561 Market St., which used to be Surf Brewing. The former brewery is being combined with another portion of the building to create a brewery, restaurant and game lounge. Fully retractable windows on either side of the building will allow open airflow into patio space, and a drink rail will line the building for casual seating.
And in the middle of all of this, the couple welcomed baby Isla, who they say is the third team member—sitting in on video conferences with nary a peep. “She’s really good,” Mahoney says.
For more information about Bright Spark Brewery and for opening dates visit BrightSparkBrewing.com.
