The Backyard Bottleshop & Taproom is owned and operated by Charles Almiron and John Maurer. Charles and John met while attending University of Redlands, pursuing their MBA degrees. They frequently worked together on assignments and quickly discovered each other’s passion and taste for fine craft beer.
Charles, a Temecula-native, enjoys most varieties of craft beers, and frequently visits breweries while travelling. He has enjoyed beers and visited breweries across the U.S. and around the world. Charles attended the Great American Beer Festival in 2013, spending three days sampling some of best craft beers in the States and meeting great people in the brewing industry. Charles has assisted in the development of a craft brewery in Northern California. Recently, he assisted a burgeoning winery in Temecula by harvesting grapes, participating in production, and bottling wine.
John has had an interest in the wine industry for over a decade that developed through wine appreciation courses and winery visits. He began home brewing a few years ago after exploring the San Diego craft beer scene upon relocating to Southern California from the Midwest. Since that time, he has become increasingly interested in the craft beer culture and beer varieties from around the world. Most trips, whether for business or pleasure, are treated as an opportunity to explore craft beer and wine establishments for new and interesting products or ideas.
Charles and John identified the need for an establishment in Temecula and Murrieta where friends can gather in a comfortable, unpretentious atmosphere, with a relaxed approach to enjoy fine craft beers and wine. They often found themselves avoiding crowded restaurants and noisy bars, resorting to sharing home reserves in the backyard. Together, they developed the Backyard Bottleshop & Taproom to provide an alternative to a typical bar.