Ten o’clock on a Friday night with the hostess station handing out two-hour wait-times to would-be diners. This was the scene on Urge Gastropub and Whiskey Bank’s (2002 South Coast Highway, Oceanside) tenth night of operation. Fortunately, I had an appointment to check out O-side’s new hotspot; a brewpub representing the second-coming of Rancho Bernardo’s eatery of the same name (minus the whiskey component). While I was excited to check the food out—and it was very good—I was especially excited to try the first round of house beers produced by head brewer Mike Rodriguez. I was a fan of his work when he occupied the head brewing role at Port Brewing Co./The Lost Abbey and glad to see another veteran getting back in the game.
The following are my takes on each of the beers I tried…
The “C” Word 100% Citra-Hopped Session IPA: Extremely dry with nice lupulin prominence in the finish but not overbearingly bitter. Soft pine lingers to connect one sip to the next.- Route 305 American IPA: Pronounced dryness makes this beer extremely refreshing with pleasant flavors of pine and a soft, somewhat peppery finish.
- Mi Bella Saison: Lemon on the nose gives way to earthily citrus-forward flavors and a soft creaminess in the body. Delicate and delicious. My favorite of Mason’s lighter-hued beers.
- Friend Zone Petite Saison: Similar to The “C” Word and Route 304 in its light body, but nuances of bubble gum come on at the start before being canceled out by hops on the back end.
- Dummy Half Double IPA: It’s hard to see the promise that probably exists in this beer with so much diacetyl going on. Definitely a miss. Hoping that gets worked out next batch.
- Charley Hustle Red IPA: The rich toffee-like malt notes that sync so well with hops are big in this beer, maybe too big, but this is one bold, hardy brew.
- Cash Coffee Stout: Loaded with Mostra Coffee’s Costa Rican blend, this beer comes across like coffee with cream and sugar, yet remains extremely drinkable.
Overall, it was a pretty good showing. First drafts often require tweaking, but with the exception of the Dummy Half, the beers were defect-free and in need of only minor adjustments. And if the beers don’t float your boat, well, there’s always the 200-to-300 bottles of craft whiskey lining the back-bar.