Cassandra Schaeg: "Fresh Glass" is brought to you by Visit California.

California: dream big.

♪♪♪ Cassandra: The Conrad Prebys Foundation, Stone Brewing, Beyond Law, KPBS Explore, the Villegas Family Fund, Jonathan & Christina Barbarin, Gemma & Ross Blain, the Clarke Family, with additional contributions by Fresh Glass innovators-- ♪♪♪ Cassandra: And viewers like you.

Thank you.

For a complete list of financial contributors, please visit www.FreshGlassProductions.com.

[military drums] Cassandra: Today we honor those who have served in the Armed Forces.

I come from a family of service members and I understand the sacrifice these men and women and their families made.

Timothy Parker, founder of Chula Vista Brewery, is a Navy veteran who took an unlikely path when he became a member of the elite Search and Rescue Swim Team which, at the time, didn't include many black swimmers.

Timothy Parker: "You made me look dumb."

He was like, "Normally, black people don't know how to swim."

I'm like, "Never heard of that."

Cassandra: After retiring from the military, Tim took another unlikely turn when he opened Chula Vista Brewery in San Diego County.

He was and is the only black brewery in Chula Vista, California.

We will meet Tim and learn about his journey, and see what he's doing to give back to fellow veterans with his friend, ex-NFL player Donnie Edwards.

Donnie Edwards: This is called taking care of the ones who took care of us.

Cassandra: Grab your beer mugs and join me on this episode of "Fresh Glass."

Cassandra: I'm Cassandra Schaeg, entrepreneur, adventurer, and wine and beer enthusiast.

Food, beverage, and entrepreneurship are growing with women and BIPOC innovators creating brands and making a name for themselves.

Teo Hunter: Welcome to Crowns Inglewood, baby.

Cassandra: Join me on adventures and discover why they started, what drives them, and how representation is the cornerstone of their passion.

Cassandra: What do you come to do?

all: Sip.

Cassandra: I'm creating a space for people who look like me to share their stories and their spirits.

This is "Fresh Glass."

Cassandra: Navy veteran Tim Parker and his wife Dali opened their first brewery, Chula Vista Brewery, in Chula Vista, 5 years ago.

[Tim humming] Cassandra: Tim!

Tim: Hey, how's it going?

Cassandra: How are you?

Tim: Good, good.

How you doing?

Cassandra: You know, I can't-- now that I have a beer, I'm good.

Cassandra: This city has a strong military presence and a place Tim and his wife, Dali, call home.

Cassandra: So, Chula Vista Brewery in the heart of downtown Chula Vista; how did it all start?

Tim: We've been here for 5 years now, so, when we first opened, we was the first on our block other than the old-school moms-and-pops.

There was no nightlife here.

They didn't turn the street lights on.

The streets was empty at night, so it very scary opening up the first night, 'cause you walk out, it's pitch dark and you're like, "Oh, man, did I make a bad decision?"

[laughing] "Oh, did I just spend all my life savings on it?"

Cassandra: But this is the dream.

Tim: Right, that was the dream, so lo and beholds, everybody was waiting for it, just like me.

Like, I've always thought that we needed something in our community, so as soon as we opened, it just started happening and we became, like-- people even in the city will come in here and walk all the new businesses through and say, "Hey, this is what you can do."

Cassandra: Yeah, well, let's take a walk outside.

I wanna see--I wanna see downtown Chula Vista.

Tim: Well, we're gonna leave the beer here because I don't wanna get locked up.

Cassandra: Okay.

Cassandra: Chula Vista is located in southern San Diego County, with a population of around 275,000 people.

Its military presence is welcomed and felt everywhere.

We took a walk down 3rd Avenue in the heart of this community to see how far it's come in 5 years.

Cassandra: So what's the makeup of businesses down here?

Tim: You got a lot of family-owned business, mom and pop businesses, so some of these businesses, they here since the '70s, maybe even longer.

Cassandra: How was the city receptive to you and the local business owners receptive to you when you first opened?

Tim: It was very welcoming.

The city, it took a little bit of time.

On the books, there was no place for a brewery in the city of Chula Vista, so if you actually go look at my license, it says bakery.

That was the closest thing to a brewery.

Cassandra: So you set the tone for Chula--downtown Chula Vista in having a brewery?

Tim: Correct.

Cassandra: Okay.

Tim: So yeah, we was the first ones to open up something new on the block.

Cassandra: How were the customers, and did you run into any challenges?

Tim: We had some people constantly call the police on us.

They didn't like the fact that we was a black-owned brewery.

A black-owned business, period.

So they would constantly call the police on us.

The police already knew who they were and what they were calling about, so I gotta give it to the police, you know, being very professional.

They would just show up to let me know that the caller would call, and let me know they were gonna be back for a drink as soon as they got off work, you know?

So Chula Vista Police really wanted to see this neighborhood themselves 'cause they all local as well, so they really was into seeing this grow.

But we needed this in our neighborhood.

We didn't have any place to go anytime you wanted to go have a good beer.

But now you can actually walk to your neighborhood brewery or your neighborhood bar and have a drink and feel like you're welcome.

♪♪♪ Cassandra: Back inside, we talk about Tim's Navy career and how that's influenced where he is today.

Cassandra: What was your job at the Navy?

Tim: I did Search and Rescue.

Cassandra: As a swimmer?

Tim: As a swimmer, yes.

Cassandra: Okay, well, I'm about to be--I'm about to break out a stereotype and I'm saying this because I don't know how to swim and, you know, there's always in the black community-- a lot of us don't know how to swim.

So how did you become a Search and Rescue swimmer?

Tim: Well, it was easy, actually.

I know a bunch of black people that know how to swim 'cause I grew up in the projects of Chicago, and in that projects we had a swimming pool, so we would all go to the swimming pool.

That was, like, the one place other than a basketball court that we would go to and not fight each other.

So we can all get in the pool, we would have fun, we would all learn how to swim.

You know, the funny part, it even had a diving board as well, so we thought we was Olympic divers, you know?

Cassandra: I was an ROTC once upon a time and this is-- this was my clue that the military wasn't for me.

And we had to go up these big tanks and you had to walk up the steps and then, I guess, it's the tanks where they throw you in and you have to tread water.

And I was like, "This isn't, like, no, I can't do this."

So I took my tail back down them steps and that was my, "No, you're not joining the military."

Tim: When I joined the military, I joined as just an air crewman.

I was never meant to be a swimmer.

The first week everybody would go to the pool and they had everybody who didn't know how to swim go to the other end of the pool.

I did not know black people didn't know how to swim.

I'd never heard of the stereotype.

Just wasn't aware of it.

So I'm the only black kid sitting there so one of the instructors come up to me and was like, "Hey, are you gonna go to the other end?"

I'm looking at him, like, "No."

He was like, "Well, you go up there and jump off the diving board."

Now, remember, like I told you, I thought we was Olympic divers, so I climbed-- Cassandra: Were you showing your Greg Louganis?

Tim: Oh yeah, I thought--it was like, a very little splash.

I thought it was a 10.0 dive.

Obviously, that led into a chewin'.

They literally were chewing me out under the water, above the water, going up the ladder.

I don't know how they got up the ladder with me.

They made me walk back to the diving board and I had to do the standard stand at the head and jump off.

And then when I got out the pool, they come up to me, it was like, "Hey, did you know why we were chewing you out?"

I'm like, "No."

I was still lost.

He was like, "Well, you made me look dumb."

He was like, "Normally, black people don't know how to swim."

I'm like, "Never heard of that."

He was like, "Well, you're gonna go over here."

I'm like, "What's over there?"

"You goin' to a special program."

I'm like, "Oh, okay."

Cassandra: So how many black people were in your program?

Tim: There was three of us, I think.

Cassandra: And how do you navigate that?

Tim: So, in the beginning it was very hard, you know?

Coming from the projects, and then I'm put in a world where it's nothing but white people around me, and my shop-- so you was separated by shop.

So now I'm in a AW shop that was always and still to this day, dominated by all white men, so I was kind of a outsider, you know?

I remember one of the first time I walked into the shop, they was talking but didn't see me walk in.

They were talking about, you know, black people shouldn't be flying and black people shouldn't be doing that.

So, from that moment on, I was-- just felt uncomfortable walking in and talking with 'em.

But I did have friends in the shop that didn't really believe and their same racism as the other white counterparts who made sure that, hey, we got your back and we're gonna let you know what's going on.

Cassandra: That spirit of looking after one another is important to Tim.

That's why, when ex-NFL football star Donnie Edwards approached him to collaborate on a beer that would benefit veterans, Tim and his team, Nacho Cervantes and James Hodges, were quick to say yes.

Tim: Hey, what's up, James?

James Hodges: Hey, guys, what's going on?

Cassandra: Hi.

James: Hey.

Cassandra: Cassandra.

James: James.

Nice to meet you, Cassandra.

Cassandra: Nice to meet you.

I heard you're the brains behind Operation Overlord?

James: I am, yeah, I am.

Myself and Mr. Donnie Edwards who helped me get-- find inspiration for the beer and then Tim as well.

We had a sit-down one day and discussed what we wanted to do and came to an awesome recipe, so, yeah, all three of us.

It was all three of us.

Cassandra: Cool, cool.

Are you in the military?

Were you in the military?

James: I was, I spent almost 6 years in the Marine Corps Reserve.

Tim: Yeah, he's a jarhead.

James: Yeah, I'm a jarhead.

He's a squid, so.

Cassandra: Talk about Operation Overlord.

Like, what was the inspiration behind the recipe and can you share a little bit about this recipe, or-- James: Absolutely, absolutely, so, Donnie Edwards came to Tim, actually, first, knowing that we were a community- and military-based brewery, and wanted to do a beer to honor the memory of all of the brave soldiers who went out and fought on D-Day.

And so we did a hoppy pilsner.

We wanted to take, ironically, a German beer and make it an American, so we kind of just took a grain bill of a German pilsner and added some American hops to it, and I think it turned out great.

Cassandra: Awesome, awesome.

James: Hoorah.

Tim: Hooyah.

James: Hoorah.

Tim: Hooyah.

James: Wanna wrestle?

Cassandra: All right, squid and a jarhead, and we're done here, okay.

Cassandra: Operation Overlord was the first of many collaborations Tim has created with Donnie Edwards.

Donnie: Who knew it took all this work to create a beer.

Cassandra: He runs the non-profit Best Defense Foundation, an organization that takes veterans on honor flights back to where they once served.

Recently, he took a group of veterans back to Pearl Harbor to commemorate 80 years since the attack.

Wanting to know more about why Donnie is so passionate about helping others, I sat down with him to find out.

Donnie: Well, hello, hello.

Cassandra: Hi.

Cassandra: And to learn more about his latest collaboration with Tim, a brew they crafted with Maui Brewing, a Hawaiian brewing company.

Donnie: Well, have a seat here.

Cassandra: Thank you, thank you.

Donnie: Yeah, then we'll open up something really, really nice, something I'm super-excited about.

Donnie: Day of Infamy Ale, right here in front of you.

Take a little peek at that label, super-cool.

Cassandra: So you did a collab with Chula Vista Brewery and Maui Brewing Company?

Donnie: It's a great collaboration because, you know, especially with Chula Vista Brewery.

Tim Parker, he's a 20-year Navy veteran and he understands what this day meant for this country and for all the veterans that served on that day and made the country what it is today.

Cassandra: Tim started Chula Vista Brewing while he was in the military.

Did you start Best Defense while you were in the NFL?

Donnie: Yeah, I did, actually.

Best Defense started in 2000, so it's over 20 years now.

Cassandra: What was the catalyst of starting that?

Donnie: Well, it all started with my grandfather, Max Razo, Native American Apache Indian, Pearl Harbor survivor.

You know, I didn't have a father figure in my house and he was that person for me and just kind of raising me on the right path and just letting me know that, you know, do the right thing and it'll all pay off.

Donnie: This is called taking care of the ones who took care of us.

See, a lot of people don't see this that happens.

All they see is the finished product, right?

They see the beer, they see the Operation Overlord, and they're gonna see this Day of Infamy Ale, but what they fail to realize is that all the work involved to bring it to the-- to your lips.

Donnie: So I'm gonna pour you this Day of Infamy Ale.

Cassandra: Thank you.

Donnie: So this is a nice cream ale, 4 1/2%, very drinkable as well.

Cassandra: Cheers.

Donnie: Cheers.

Cassandra: Thank you.

Cassandra: So your story is unique because you have two passions that you pursued.

One's for professional sports, and the other is the Best Defense Foundation.

But you're also a San Diego native.

What years were you in the NFL?

Donnie: I played in the NFL from 1996 until 2009, so kind of a long career, especially for a linebacker.

The average career is 3 1/2 years in the NFL.

So I was able to defy that a little bit.

Cassandra: Where'd you go to high school?

Donnie: Chula Vista High School.

Cassandra: Chula Vista High.

Donnie: Chula Vista Spartan.

Cassandra: Okay, Chula Vista High all the way.

Donnie: South Bay Pop Warner.

Yeah, yeah, oh yeah.

Cassandra: So South Bay through and through.

Donnie: Yeah, no, for sure, but, you know, the career was-- you know what's amazing, I played for my two favorite teams: the Chargers and Chiefs.

The Chargers, obviously, because I grew up in San Diego and I was a huge fan of the Chargers, especially during the Air Coryell days and Dan Fouts.

And the other team I really loved were the Chiefs because, being Native American, and you've got Arrowhead, the Chiefs, and I had opportunity to play for those--my two favorite teams, which is pretty amazing.

So it's kind of a dream come true, you know?

I mean, especially like, have an opportunity to play in the same town that you grew up and playing with Junior Seau.

I remember, and I kick myself for not taking a picture.

It was me from Chula Vista High School, you had Junior Seau from Oceanside High School, and we had Zeke Moreno from Castle Park High School, and we're all the starting linebackers at one point.

I'm like, "Oh my God, you've got to check this out.

This is San Diego right here.

I'm like, "Let's take a picture."

And Junior's like, "Ah no, let's not take a picture."

I'm like, you know, I'm like, "God, dang, we should have took a picture, you know?"

So I think about that.

I mean, that's just full circle.

You're talking about three young kids, you know, living the dream, right?

Living the--living the American dream and being able to play football in the same town that we grew up watching.

I mean, I just remember looking up at that Qualcomm Stadium, like... Cassandra: Yeah, it's real.

So do you think it's possible for a beer like A Day of Infamy, or beer in general, to change the world?

Donnie: We can definitely start, for sure, you know?

Just having the discussion, right, because at the end of the day, why do this?

Why even, like, discuss this and talk about it and, you know, make it a reality?

Because it's more than beer.

Cassandra: This is history in a glass.

Donnie: It really is.

And there's a lot of men and women that are still here, who we just took back to Pearl Harbor, 63 of 'em, men and women and Japanese American and African Americans.

I mean, it's just incredible to be able to give them an opportunity to go back and say, "Hey, we don't forget.

We remember."

Cassandra: What would your grandfather say to you, right now?

Donnie: He'll be proud.

This is full circle, you know?

Here we are, Best Defense Foundation, and his legacy, bringing 63 of his brothers and sisters out there for the 80th anniversary and he's right there.

His ashes are right there in Pearl Harbor and I think he'll be smiling and he's, you know, he'd be smiling.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Donnie: I'm ready to have the man, the legend, join us.

All right, all right, all right, how's it going?

Cassandra: Hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, how are you?

Tim: Good, good.

Thank you for having me.

Donnie: How you doing?

Tim: Good, yeah.

How are you doing?

Donnie: I'm doing well, I'm doing well.

I'm doing well now, looking at all your masterpiece beers here.

Cassandra: We have your display.

Tim: I see, I see.

Cassandra: So, I'm more of a light, easy, lager, pilsner drinker, myself.

Typically, what do you drink?

Donnie: I like pilsners, actually.

Beer is social for me.

I like to tell stories and talk about how we used to beat up on the Chicago Bears every time when I played football, you know?

And since we beat 'em up so often, that's a lot of beers, right?

Tim: I gotta respect that.

We're in his own home.

Cassandra: We have War Planes?

Tim: War Planes, so-- Donnie: I love that one.

Tim: So that's actually a Hazy.

It's a pale ale, Hazy.

It's still on the light side, so it's 6%.

Donnie: Yeah, I mean, look at the artwork on here.

I mean, I think the guys just hit it right on the head with this label here.

It just kind of highlights, you know, the military planes and, I mean, it's just powerful.

And on top of it, the product is fantastic.

I mean, it's a hazy, unfiltered, which I fell in love with and when I saw this, I was like, "This is a no-brainer.

It's a no-brainer."

So, it kind of like gave us the inspiration for Operation Overlord.

I mean, this label here, I mean, there's just so much in this, right?

So, it kind of culminates, like, the whole entire D-Day invasion, you know, with the paratroopers, C-47, the planes, the beach invasion, the ships.

I mean, just about everything, yeah.

Tim: We even have the bagpipes right here.

Cassandra: This is very detailed.

Tim: So we tried to capture as much as we can on that operation that day into one small can, so.

Cassandra: What were some of the takeaways from your trip to Pearl Harbor?

Tim: My biggest takeaway was, you know, take nothing for granted, you know.

In our community, we like to say, you know, give people their flowers while they're still living.

That was one of those moments where we was able to give, you know, these people their flowers while they were still living, and appreciate what they've done for us.

And I think one of the things me and Donnie both said it out there, like, was, you know, especially for me, you know, if it wasn't for those guys doing what they did, I wouldn't have been able to do what I did later on in life.

So, no, it was very grateful for me to be able to give back to them and say thank you.

Donnie: Well, as you know, it takes a team, right?

I mean, you had a team in the military that you were a part of.

I had a team on the football field, and now this is our team, you know, we're all doing this together, which is so awesome, and it's just great to have you, you know, as a partner, part of the Best Defense Foundation team and-- Cassandra: And with that, I'm about to drink some this-- Donnie: Yeah, let's try this.

Cassandra: I'm gonna pop open this Operation Overlord.

Donnie: Operation Overlord.

I'm gonna do Day of Infamy Ale.

Cassandra: You wanna lead us with a toast, sir?

Donnie: There you go.

Tim: Cheers.

Cassandra: Cheers.

[laughing] Cassandra: Tim is growing his wealth by growing his business.

We stopped by Tim's new location in Eastlake on its opening day, which also happened to be Veterans Day, to learn more about Tim's brewery and how his brewery is also helping veterans.

Cassandra: What's up?

Tim: What's up, what's up.

Cassandra: Happy Veterans Day.

Tim: Thank you, thank you.

Cassandra: This is awesome.

How are you feeling?

Tim: I'm feeling good.

Cassandra: You ready?

Tim: Excited.

Cassandra: Okay.

Tim: Of course I'm ready.

Cassandra: You ready for a packed house?

Tim: I don't know about that, but we'll see once it get packed.

Cassandra: Okay, can we start with some beer, please?

Tim: Of course, yeah, just meet me right here at the bar.

Cassandra: All right.

Tim: All right.

Cassandra: What are you gonna pour?

Tim: I'm gonna start you off with a nice light one.

It's one of our most popular beers, Güerita.

It's Spanish for, you know, white girl.

Cassandra: Wait, what?

It's Spanish for who?

Tim: White girl.

Cassandra: So how are you feeling right now?

Veterans Day, you are in your second location.

Tim: I'm feeling really good.

You know, I'm very excited.

It took us 2 years to get to this point, so--and to finally be opening to the public, it's just an awesome feeling.

Cassandra: Okay, so this is the vision.

The vision was location number two.

Tim: The original plan was always open up a second location here in Eastlake.

And then also a third location, eventually, along the Bay Front, so, so far, I'm on the course.

Cassandra: Compared to the first location, what's the size?

Did you double in size, triple in size?

Tim: Yeah, we doubled in size, so the first location is 2700 square foot.

This one here is 6400, and the patio is another 1400, so.

Cassandra: Okay, and you're ready?

Tim: And I'm ready, right.

Cassandra: Well, I want you to take me on a tour of this new facility but I wanna cheers to you because this is a big deal for you and Chula Vista and thank you for your service.

Tim: Thank you.

Cassandra: Yes.

Tim: Let's take that tour.

Tim: Now, the first brewery was a five-barrel system.

This one is a ten-barrel system.

Cassandra: How many gallons of beer can you now brew?

Tim: About 1000.

Before, we were doing about 500.

Cassandra: All right, so you're doubling.

Tim: Right.

Cassandra: 'Cause you're still gonna brew at site number one.

Tim: Correct, so, this will help with us running out of our most popular beers, which we do often at the first location.

And it'll also help with the canning that we do as well.

Cassandra: I have a question about your beer names.

Where do they come from?

Who comes up with these names?

Tim: That's a good question.

They don't allow me to come up with the names.

Cassandra: So it's not you?

Tim: No, it's not me.

I can't even speak Spanish.

No, anytime you hear the Spanish, it's usually my wife or some of the other workers 'cause I got a lot of Spanish speakers.

Cassandra: All right, we'll ask your wife.

We'll ask your wife, okay.

Tim: All right, cool, yeah, she 51% of the vote.

Cassandra: I met with Tim's wife and partner, Dali.

She told me about how her partnership with Tim and her influence has helped grow Chula Vista Breweries.

Cassandra: Congratulations, Dali.

Dali Parker: Thank you.

Cassandra: So, how does it feel to be at your second location?

Dali: It feels incredible.

It feels surreal, it feels like it's been such a long time in the making, and we're just happy to be at this moment.

Cassandra: How have you kept this going, you know, with Tim being in the military and pivoting?

How's it been for you?

Dali: It's been quite a ride, actually.

I feel like the whole--we've been married 17 years.

When we opened up 3rd Avenue, a month within for when we first opened, he came home and he said, "I'm leaving in 2 weeks."

I'm like, "What do you mean, you're leaving?"

So we'd just opened.

Cassandra: Wait, so you opened 3rd Ave, he was still in the Navy?

Dali: Yup, active duty.

Cassandra: And then said, "I gotta go"?

And then you had to take over?

Dali: Everything.

Cassandra: Okay, so you are the brains behind this operation then, okay?

Tim said that he does not get to pick the names of the beer.

So is this you?

Is this your job?

Dali: Yeah, it's funny 'cause every time, you know, we're very Latino inspired, obviously, we're Chula Vista, so we'll come up with names and the funny question is always "Can Tim pronounce it?"

If he chops it up, we're like, "Okay, now back to the drawing board with the names."

Cassandra: So, I always ask this question for everybody.

What's the legacy that you wanna leave?

Dali: The legacy I wanna leave is community.

For my children, they're growing up seeing us doing this.

They've been part of the process since they were 5 years old.

They see us working hard and they see the community involvement.

So, for me, just a sense of community in practice.

Cassandra: Well, congratulations.

Dali: Thank you.

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Tim: It has actually been a long journey.

James, you definitely made a part--made this happen, so thank you very much.

Obviously, my lovely wife over here who does everything.

So, thank you all.

Cassandra: Cheers to our veterans.

Let's raise a glass to those who served our great country.

Thanks for joining me on this episode of "Fresh Glass."

[Cassandra laughing] ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Cassandra: "Fresh Glass" is brought to you by Visit California.

California: dream big.

♪♪♪ Cassandra: The Conrad Prebys Foundation, Stone Brewing, Beyond Law, KPBS Explore, the Villegas Family Fund, Jonathan & Christina Barbarin, Gemma & Ross Blain, the Clarke Family, with additional contributions by Fresh Glass innovators-- ♪♪♪ Cassandra: And viewers like you.

Thank you.

For a complete list of financial contributors, please visit www.FreshGlassProductions.com.

Cassandra: On the next episode of "Fresh Glass," Denise Clarke found a passion for wine-making later in life.

She transformed her home into a wine sanctuary.

Denise Clarke: There's so much that goes into a bottle.

I don't wanna just make mediocre wine.

I want my wine to be great.

Cassandra: Her story is about a woman who's bringing generational wealth to her daughter and grandkids.

Tonisha DeLaCruz: I hope that I can just be able to make wine just as good as my mom.

Cassandra: Tune in to the next episode of "Fresh Glass."

female announcer: Support for this program comes from the KPBS Explore Local Content fund, supporting new ideas and programs for San Diego.

Cassandra: To learn more and support our guests, visit us at www.freshglassproductions.com.

♪♪♪