Boardwalk celebrates Giant Dipper centennial with custom craft beer by Discretion Brewing

Santa Cruz’s iconic Giant Dipper roller coaster turns 100 this month, and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is celebrating the centennial with a bespoke bubbly. 

The Boardwalk partnered with Discretion Brewing, an 11-year-old local brewery based in Soquel, to brew a commemorative beer to mark the centennial. Giant Dipper Golden Ale, a low-alcohol blonde ale with a hint of hop flavor, will be released next Saturday, May 18, in 19.2-ounce cans and on draft at the Boardwalk and Discretion Brewing. That same day, a public ceremony will be held in front of the Giant Dipper to honor a century of rides, followed by a fireworks show that evening on Main Beach next to the Boardwalk. Later this month, the cans will be released throughout the local community and beyond through Discretion’s beer distribution channels. 

The Boardwalk has collaborated with different local breweries on specialty beers over the years, including Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing and Humble Sea Brewing Co., and partnered in 2011 with Hallcrest Vineyards to create a commemorative wine for the 100th birthday of the Boardwalk’s Looff Carousel. “We felt that the historic and iconic Giant Dipper’s 100th anniversary also deserved a special beverage, something perfect to sip on at the beach in the summer,” said Karley Pope, the Boardwalk’s marketing and sales director. “Discretion Brewing has an amazing team, a good following and great beer, so when they expressed interest in a collaboration, we thought they would be great partners for the Giant Dipper 100th [anniversary] beer.”

Giant Dipper Golden Ale will be available through the summer, and perhaps longer, depending on consumer demand, say Discretion owners Rob and Kathleen Genco.  

Discretion already has a relationship with the Boardwalk; a selection of its cans and draft beers have been available for purchase there for several years. But the Gencos were excited to partner with the seaside amusement park to create a custom brew to mark the historic occasion. 

Kathleen says she’s ridden the Giant Dipper since she was a kid. “I still ride it. I love it. And so to be involved in this is a personal thrill as well – for me, for my kids, and now for our grandkids, who also ride the Giant Dipper,” she said. “It’s one of those iconic things about Santa Cruz that even the locals love.”

After several Boardwalk representatives visited the brewery and tasted its current beers to hone in on a style profile, head brewer Jack Beiting took their input and created a recipe that was inspired by Discretion’s Castle Beach extra pale ale and its Stefano Italian-style pilsner. “I found a middle ground between the two, took the best and merged it into one beer,” said Beiting. “The goal was to create a full flavor while still being really drinkable and refreshing.” 

The brewing team also included Centennial hops, in addition to Amarillo and Liberty, in a nod to the anniversary. 

A week before the official release, Discretion’s canning line whirred as freshly filled silver cans were funneled through the machine and quickly decorated with sunset-colored labels featuring the dark silhouette of the Boardwalk. This is just the first 10-barrel run of 50 barrels – one barrel is 16 gallons, or 128 16-ounce pints – set to be canned before the release, with more on the way as customers demand. 

The cold beer poured directly off the line is indeed golden, as the name suggests. The nose is floral with tangerine, and the body is crisp and light but full-flavored, with gentle bready malt notes. There is a subtle bitterness in the finish from the hops, and an overall refreshing character. It’s not a hoppy beer by a long shot, but it’s more substantial than a typical lager, and its low 4.8% alcohol by volume is ideal for daytime drinking. 

Although Discretion’s beers are available through big chains like Trader Joe’s, they still love to work with local, family-owned businesses, Rob Genco said: “So being at the Boardwalk, to me, it’s an honor to be associated with them.”

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