Mark Schultz is the bar manager at the bacon-inspired burger and beer joint Slater’s 50/50 located in Liberty Station. With 100 taps at the indoor bar and an additional 11 – all local – featured on the outdoor patio, Schultz has his work cut out for him. I was able to pry him away from his duties on a busy Thursday afternoon for five quick questions.
When a bar has a large amount of taps, there’s always a concern that the lines aren’t regularly serviced. What do you say to that?
Maintaining clean tap lines is a big priority for us; every two weeks they’re ripped apart and put back together, so to speak. And if there’s a keg coming on that’s radically different than the one before it, I’ll clean that line myself. Also, no long draw system here.
Tap standouts?
Right now, Ommegang Seduction and Avery Maharaja are tasting really good. We also have Three Sheets Barleywine and Fathom IPL from locals Ballast Point. Next week we’re getting the new Ruthless Rye IPA from Sierra Nevada. Then on Super Bowl Sunday we’ll be the first in San Diego to tap Pyramid‘s Outburst Imperial IPA and their new smoked cherry lager. I’m really excited to try those out.
You maintain constant contact with all the local breweries. Who are you excited to see more from in 2012?
Even though they don’t brew in San Diego, I love the guys at Airdale. They have an office on Miramar Road and I’m hoping they get set up down here where they belong. Lightning is another brewery to watch. Their Fulminator Doppelbock is amazing and it’s great that they were recently picked up by Stone for distribution. Speaking of Stone, their Liberty Station location can’t open fast enough. They’ll have great beer, and sharing a parking lot with them is something I’m looking forward to.
What’d you do before Slater’s?
I was opening bars for the past eight or nine years. I’ve worked in Florida, Mexico, West Virginia and lots of other places. Slater’s is the second craft beer bar I’ve worked at after The Harp in OB.
Toughest part of the job? Best part?
To be honest, keeping our beer list updated is my biggest challenge. I printed the current list this morning and one of my kegs just blew. That said, at any given time it’s 99% accurate and we put all the local beers in red. Ordering the beers is the fun part; I’m lucky enough to have complete control over our tap selection, and I’m proud of what we pour.