Monday 21st May 2012
Bob Thompson
This pub is to be found north of the Gas Lamp quarter on Broadway in what a predominately business area of the city. It is certainly a large premises and inside it is very much what you'd expect from a Rock Bottom pub, except it isn't. However it is independent and locally owned. It has a very extensive menu and the beer list is large, also. There were eight beers brewed on site and another seven "guest" beers.
From the home side there were Binions Light (4.0%); El Dorado Extra Pale Ale (5.0%); Double Elimination DIPA (10.5%); Sow your Red Oats (6.0%); San Diego Blonde (4.5%); Pint of the Conchords (7.0%); Nuttin' Honey Brown Ale (5.5%); and Dark Passenger Imperial Stout (9.0%).
The visitors consisted of: Black Metal (Temecula, CA) Brown (5.5%); Coney Island (Saratoga Spring, NY) Mermaid Pilsner (5.0%); El Cajon Brewing (San Diego, CA) Stout (6.2%); Oskar Blues (Lyons, CO) Deviant Dales (8.0%); Pizza Port (Solano Beach, CA) 5th Symphony Saison (6.0%); Rough Draft (San Diego, CA) Belgian Blonde (6.2%), Sierra Nevada (Chico, CA) Knightro Irish Stout (4.6%) and Pale Ale (5.6%). I had four of their own beers and these are my conclusions.
El Dorado Extra Pale Ale was very interesting as I thought that it wouldn't have a lot going for it because it had 20% wheat malt in the recipe but I needn't have worried too much. It was quite nice and I could detect slight bitterness in the aftertaste. Double Elimination DIPA didn't disappoint as it was incredibly bitter and dry with strong grapefruit-type flavour. Pint of the Conchords was a nice fruity IPA in the West Coast style. Dark Passenger Imperial Stout was slightly disappointing with not enough body and it wasn't as bitter as it could have been. It also had a malty aftertaste.
The Beer Company is a noted addition to the ever increasing San Diego beer and pub scene and is well worth a visit to sample a few of its ever changing selection.
Important Information:
The Beer Company, 602 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101. Tel: 619 398 0707
Open: Daily 11.00-02.00
Happy Hours: Daily 14.00-18.00 and Sunday to Thursday 22.00-Close
The pub is on the corner of 6th Avenue and Broadway. Some local buses run along Broadway and there is a stop outside the pub. Other buses run North-South along 5th Avenue, a block away. Probably the best way to get there is on the San Diego Trolley which runs along C Street, one block to the north. The stop is 5th Avenue and it is served by the Orange and Blue lines.
