This installment of The Friday Five is with Tom Nickel, proprietor of venerable local beer bar O’Brien’s Pub in Kearny Mesa and co-owner of the The Bailey BBQ (and soon to be Bailey BBQ/Julian Brewing Company) out east off the 78. Tom is going to be the brewer for Bailey/Julian; he has brewed for Oggi’s, Pizza Port, and collaborated with Alpine (to create O’Brien’s IPA).
What’s the beer situation out at Bailey BBQ?
We have 16 awesome beers on tap including Blind Pig and Alpine New Millennium right now. We have AleSmith, Coronado, Stone, Mission, Port, Ballast Point, Julian Hard Cider, Alpine and Green Flash pretty much full time. We also have a full bar and use the Ballast Point bloody mary mix and we also carry the Old Grove Gin. I plan to build up a nice collection of beer spirits and schnapps. At the moment, I have a bottle the Aecht Schlenkerla spirit – distilled Bamberg smoke beer.
And you’ll be brewing there, too?
Yes, brewing equipment is on order and should be here soon. We are going to start with a 3.5 barrel pilot system while we make plans to add a building to the property. We have over 2 acres up here with free parking behind the restaurant.
What are the hours?
Right now we are open Thursday 5-10 pm, Friday 11:30 am to 11 pm, Saturday 11:30 am to Midnight, Sunday 11:30 am to 9 pm and Monday 4-9 pm (with $13 pitchers of all draft beers).
Is there live music?
We are doing live music every Saturday night from 8 pm to Midnight.
What’s new at O’Brien’s?
The pub is hosting the wet hop fest this weekend with 31 different beers. It is by far the most we have ever had – and usually we are the biggest in the country.