PR / SAN DIEGO, CA / October 2026: Pure Project and international coastal conservation leader WILDCOAST have teamed up to release Baja Breach, a West Coast IPA crafted for a cause. The beer supports WILDCOAST’s ongoing gray whale conservation efforts in Laguna San Ignacio, Baja California Sur, Mexico, helping safeguard these magnificent ocean giants and their delicate nursery habitat
Each year, Eastern North Pacific gray whales make a 10,000-mile round-trip migration between Arctic feeding grounds and Baja California Sur’s lagoons. Laguna San Ignacio, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaíno, is the last undeveloped gray whale nursery on Earth, where mothers give birth and nurse their calves before heading north.
Despite historical protections, gray whales face growing modern threats. A warming climate has severely impacted Arctic prey availability, driving steep population declines and reduced reproductive success. At Laguna San Ignacio, researchers have documented a dramatic drop in mother-calf pairs: From over 100 per season down to fewer than 20 in recent years, with only four
documented in 2026. Combined with risks from ship strikes, coastal development, and entanglement, dedicated conservation efforts are more critical than ever.
For more than 30 years, WILDCOAST has led the fight to protect this vital marine ecosystem. To date, the organization’s efforts have safeguarded 209,108 acres from industrial development, conserved over 480 miles of shoreline surrounding gray whale breeding lagoons, and helped advance mangrove restoration and community-led ecotourism in the region.
“Laguna San Ignacio is one of the world’s greatest marine conservation success stories, but the future of gray whales is far from secure,” said Serge Dedina, Executive Director and Co-founder of WILDCOAST. “After decades of working alongside local communities to protect this extraordinary nursery from industrial development, we’re now facing a new challenge as climate change threatens the whales’ survival. Partnerships like this one with Pure Project help us bring attention and resources to protecting these magnificent animals and ensuring that future generations can experience the wonder of gray whales in Baja California.”
“At Pure Project, we believe beer can be a force for good and a way to inspire meaningful change,” said Mat Robar, Co-founder of Pure Project. “Expanding on Noc-Turtle IPA, our previous collaboration that supported the protection of sea turtle nests, Baja Breach elevates WILDCOAST’s conservation efforts to the ocean’s largest giants. We are honored to partner on this new IPA and raise awareness for the vital conservation work being done to protect Baja’s gray whale nurseries.”
Baja Breach is now available on draft and in 4-packs to go at all five Pure Project taprooms in San Diego County and at select retailers. To learn more about WILDCOAST’s work and more ways to get involved, please visit: https://www.purebrewing.org/story/wildcoast/.
Follow Pure Project on Instagram for specialty release dates, event information, and more at @purebrewing. To find Pure Project beer near you, visit https://www.purebrewing.org/beer-locator/.
About Pure Project:
Pure Project is a small-batch craft brewery with multiple taprooms in San Diego, California, and distribution across the West Coast. Established in 2015, Pure Project produces ingredient-driven craft beers, non-alcoholic beers, hard seltzers, ciders, and more with a passion for sustainability, seasonality, and the small details. Pure Project has been named the #1 brewery in the country, featured on numerous “Best Brewery” lists, awarded prestigious Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup medals, and has earned national recognition for its brewing excellence, thoughtful innovation, and dedication to using beer as a force for good. Pure Project is a 1% for the Planet company and supports initiatives for a more sustainable future. To learn more, visit www.purebrewing.org/beer-for-good/.
About WILDCOAST:
WILDCOAST is an international team that conserves coastal and marine ecosystems and addresses climate change through natural solutions. Founded in 2000 and with offices in California and Mexico, WILDCOAST carries out its mission through three strategies: 1) Establish and manage protected areas; 2) Protect and restore blue carbon ecosystems; and 3) Partner with local communities, governments, and the private sector. In total, WILDCOAST has helped conserve over 38 million acres of coastal and marine ecosystems. WILDCOAST is a voice for the ocean and coastlines and is committed to conserving, restoring, and protecting ecologically important and globally significant coastal and marine ecosystems and wildlife for future generations. To learn more, visit https://wildcoast.org/.