Thorn Brewing is almost ready to debut its Mission Hills tasting room to the drinking public. Located in a downstairs, street-facing suite at 4026 Hawk Street, the 1,400-square-foot satellite operation blends a bit of its homey OG North Park and more brand-driven Barrio Logan spots into one entity.
“The goal was to have it feel like Thorn but be different from both North Park and Barrio Logan,” says Thorn Brewing general manager Tom Kiely. “Mission Hills is more like North Park but a blend of what the neighborhood represents.”
Multi-toned hardwood floors form a foundation for tables and seating salvaged from an old La Jolla sushi restaurant, plus hi-tops and a 200-square-foot, thoughtfully designed, U-shaped bar. The latter features a designated ordering point directly across from the south entrance complete with a merch display and beer fridge with to-go beer. Kiely says they wanted to make it easy on people to get a beer during busy periods so customers wouldn’t have to wade through droves of people to get a beer.
With beer in-hand, guests can sit inside. The interior is equipped with three TV sets and a wallpapered “lounge area” along the west wall with a coffee table and three Skee-Ball banks. They may also opt to imbibe al fresco on a 150-square-foot patio area accessible via a roll-up door. It, like all of the tasting room’s doors and windows, is a new installation. Additionally, Thorn has painted the exterior of the building and upgraded a gated entrance off Hawk Street to feature an appealing, decorative metal pattern.
The Mission Hills tasting room will be open daily from 12 to 10 p.m. A grand-opening event is scheduled for Friday, July 19 (some friends-and-family practice services will precede that in the days prior). That soiree will feature the release of 500-milliliter bottles of Framboise de Tatas, a sour ale with raspberries originally brewed in support of the Keep A Breast Foundation’s annual Brewbies beer festival. Additionally, neighboring restaurant Fort Oak will produce a direct-service menu that will provide a quality food option at the new tasting room.
