This Saturday, the tasting room at Karl Strauss’ main production facility in Pacific Beach will officially open to the public.
It’s been a long time coming; since they moved into the space in 1996, the converted greenhouse building has mostly been off-limits to local consumers, other than for special events and tours.
Beer drinkers were always directed to visit the company’s seven brewery restaurants, which will soon be eight with the addition of a location in Temecula this fall.
Back in PB, Brewmaster Paul Segura is excited about welcoming people into the new digs. “I love talking about beer,” he declared. “What I’m looking forward to most is being able to come in here and mingle.”
CEO & Co-Founder Chris Cramer shared his sentiment. “I think people will be surprised when they see what we’ve done,” he said, gesturing to the new outdoor beer garden surrounded by drought-resistant landscaping. One of the few things Creative Projects Manager Melissa Dombo and her colleagues haven’t changed are the two South African coral trees that have been around since the time of Nursery Land.
Inside, a 20-tap bar is the focal point. Off to the sides are up-close views of the brewhouse, quality control lab, and the bottling line. Concrete, stainless steel, and reclaimed wood are the key design elements.
For this weekend, food trucks Ms Patty Melt and InSlider will serve Saturday and Sunday afternoons, respectively. Here’s the initial beer list: Big Barrel Double IPA, Boardwalk Black Rye IPA, Blackball Belgian IPA, Tower 20 IIPA, Wreck Alley Imperial Stout, Mouette A Trois, Karl Strauss Amber, Windansea Wheat, Red Trolley Ale, Tower 10 IPA, Pintail Pale Ale, Endless Summer Light, Kate Session IPA, American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA, Easy Does It IPA, Amarillo Wheat Pale Ale, Union Brick American Barleywine, and English Barleywine. The cask beer is still TBD.
Weekly days and hours: Monday – Closed, Tuesday – Closed, Wednesday – 2:00p-8:00p, Thursday – 2:00p-9:00p, Friday – 2:00p-9:00p, Saturday – 12:00p-9:00p, Sunday – 12:00p-5:00p
Karl Strauss Brewing Company is located at 5985 Santa Fe Street