Photo by Beth Demmon
Eppig Brewing
San Diego needs more craft breweries like America needs a racist megalomaniac as our president. Yet I find myself irresistibly drawn to new tasting rooms like a moth to flame. And like many hardcore independent beer fans, my magpie-like attention span thrives on the freshest beer news. My FOMO hits hyperdrive when any of my regularly-visited breweries opens a new location. So when I heard that North Park’s Eppig Brewing was opening a second tasting room overlooking America’s Cup Harbor, it was an easy sell to pop over to Point Loma.
Although Eppig’s Waterfront Biergarten (2718 Dickens St.) has been operating for two months, its official grand opening on a recent Saturday signaled the completion of its pièce de résistance: a 2,000 square foot wraparound outdoor patio directly adjacent to the harbor. The 1,200-square-foot tasting room and surrounding patio were packed to the gills with a hodgepodge of beer fans from all walks of life. My 14-month old son wasn’t out of place, but neither were solo drinkers, families or dogs. I’m not generally a huge fan of crowds, but it was easy to avoid claustrophobia with such a glut of space.
The tasting room’s open-air design means every seat in the house has a view, and it’s a whale of one. It’s spacious, breezy and the beer selection stays true to Eppig’s riffs on traditional styles. There are ales, there are lagers—there’s even a Berliner Weisse for those who fancy a bit of funk.
It would hardly be a grand opening without a special Grand Opening IPA which, despite being gluten-reduced, did not suffer from lack of flavor. Eppig’s beer boards tend to be on the smaller side, offering fewer options and no guest beers. But its attention to craftsmanship is noteworthy in every beer it releases. Plus, it’s always refreshing to see a wide variety of unique styles offered—like zwickelbier, Japanese-style dry lager and schwarzbier—instead of an endless parade of IPAs. (Hopheads still have plenty to choose from. I recommend The Wolf Double IPA.)
Based on the spiffy trappings and pricey seaside locale, Eppig’s betting big on being the new kid in the neighborhood. Despite plenty of nearby watering holes like Restaurant at The Pearl or Bali Hai, there’s a surprising void of craft beer-centric venues in the immediate area. Only Fathom Bistro, Bait & Tackle will really give it a run for the money. And with its limited seating, I’d wager Fathom is happy to have Eppig as neighbors
Outside food is welcome, and Point Loma Seafoods is practically spitting distance away from the Biergarten’s patio for anyone who hungers for more than the snack menu available in-house. (A word of warning: Parking can be a hassle, so allot some time to park a few blocks south or take a chance with very limited street parking).
Overall, of course San Diego doesn’t need a new brewery. But a bayside biergarten is an invigorating change from blah tasting rooms tucked into industrial parks. And I’m betting there isn’t a more picturesque front-row venue in San Diego for catching summer sunsets, pints clasped in hand.