For one night only, buying a specialty beer from Rincon Brewery will go toward supporting the efforts to keep the More Mesa open space in Goleta undeveloped.

The collaboration is to celebrate the nonprofit More Mesa Preservation Coalition‘s 25-year anniversary.

MMPC will celebrate its 25-year anniversary on Thursday at the brewery at 205 Santa Barbara St., and the business will debut its Save More Mesa Blonde Ale made in the coalition’s honor.

“We do this kind of stuff a lot,” brewery co-owner Luisa Hyatt said. 

As Dan Gira, vice president and treasurer of the More Mesa Preservation Coalition, reflected back on the past two decades, he said it’s all about getting the community involved and engaged. 

The coalition came together in the 1980s, and members include scientists and community members dedicated to keeping the open space just that — open.

However, aside from the excitement surrounding the nonprofit organization’s milestone anniversary, Gira said he hopes the celebration also brings awareness about More Mesa’s protection status.

“A lot of people think it is a preserve; it is not a preserve,” he said.

About 265 acres of the land is privately owned, while the county owns 54 acres known as the More Mesa open space, according to the coalition’s website. There are other 12 acres also privately owned near the west of the mesa. 

“Although it is protected, a lot of it by county policy; county policy can be undone at the stroke of a pen,” Gira said.

In early October, a 36-acre section of the open space was granted permanent protection from any future development.

Gira said a larger fundraising effort will take place next year to potentially buy property left over from a $25 million purchase in 2012 by a Saudi Arabia-based real estate developer. 

The remaining land comes with a price tag of up to $65 million, according to Gira. 

The coalition will work with The Trust for Public Land and the Santa Barbara County Land Trust to reach out to major donors and foundations to support their efforts.

For now, they celebrate.

The Thursday night event at Rincon Brewing will debut the Save More Mesa Blonde Ale featuring a landscape painting of More Mesa from Goleta artist Kevin Gleason, wrapped around the 16-ounce cans.  

“I have had my art on wine bottles before, but this feels like a highlight for me,” he said. “I love beer.”

Gleason, who lives near More Mesa, went out to the open space one afternoon to paint the scenic view as the sun went down. He put down his brush only once he couldn’t tell what colors he was putting on his canvas anymore. 

“I am just so grateful for the work the coalition is doing, trying to protect the space,” he said. “I live in the neighborhood and love running, hiking and walking out there.”

The brewery has previously worked with the late Chris Potter, another Santa Barbara landscape artist who created art for other Rincon Brewery beer cans. 

Gleason and Potter worked closely, often going out to More Mesa to paint together.

“Kevin has a very similar style to Chris, so it was an easy yes,” Hyatt said.

The beer is crafted specifically to represent the people who use the open space. Members of the coalition settled on a lighter beer, which they think fits the lifestyle of people going out there to run, walk, horseback ride or mountain bike.

The Save More Mesa Blonde Ale will only be available Thursday night on tap or sold in a six-pack of cans, according to Mark Hyatt, co-owner of the brewery.

Assemblyman Gregg Hart, D-Santa Barbara, is expected to attend. Hart will present an award to the More Mesa Preservation Coalition president Valerie Olson for her 25 years of service, Gira said.

Gleason’s original painting also will be auctioned off on Thursday.

“It is really encouraging to see community members who are not necessarily part of the coalition step up to participate and show their support by giving their time, whether it is painting or this awesome business,” coalition member Isabel Gira said.