Pizza Port manager Micaela Cano will be pouring top-notch beers all week at the OB location. (All photos by Matthew Wood)
By Matthew Wood
As San Diego Beer Week kicks off tonight, Ocean Beach is quickly becoming a central hub for some of the best events.
Places like OB Noodle House – which has been a part of the event for years – save some of their best brews for the upcoming week.
In addition to featuring Goose Island beers you can’t get anywhere else on the West Coast, they are partnering with Modern Times Brewery to make a beer specifically for the new Bar 1502 location. Modern Times brewers will be riding a bike from the brewery on Sports Arena next weekend with a keg of the special brew.
“It’s really flattering,” Bar 1502 owner Steven Yeng said. “We’ll be getting some of the rarest of rare (beers). It’s always been our busiest week. We expect that this year, too.”
They plan to feature a different brewery every night for Beer Week, which runs through next Sunday.
They’re not the only ones. Pizza Port will devote half of their 40 taps to specialty beers, such as IPA night on Monday. Friday is their sour night, which they are calling “We Got the Funk.” The jukebox will be packed with funk music with staff in funky attire, in addition to at least 20 rare sour beers.
“I’m really stoked,” said bar manager Micaela Cano. “Anytime you have a good draft lineup, it gets people excited.”
OB Noodle House Bar 1502 owner Steven Yeng (right) with employees Travis Price and John Hervey.
Wednesday is Pizza Port Night, where they will feature all of their own beers from the different restaurant locations. They are also partnering with Raglan Public House, Modern Times Brewery, Sessions and Coronado Brewing for a free tour bus that will take patrons to each bar.
“It’s meant to be where you take your time at each stop,” Cano said. “It’s not meant for drunkenness. More to enjoy each place. You can skip around to wherever you want to go.”
Raglan owner Mike Zouroudis said that will be their big night of the week.
“It’s been a year in the making for the one night for us,” he said. “We’ve been saving a bunch of kegs just for this.”
Raglan is also hosting a three-course dinner featuring Mike Hess beers tonight.
They’re going big over at Newport Pizza & Ale House, where manager Megan Schuster is pumped about their nightly specials.
Their events include a tribute to Firestone (Tuesday), Stone Brewing (Thursday) and Michigan brewer Bell’s (Wednesday). This Saturday features beers from Knee Deep Brewery, including the Hop Deranged quad IPA (13% alcohol, $7 pints). A quad IPA? Who knew that was even possible?
“Some of these kegs we’ve been sitting on for a while,” Schuster said. “I stash beer all year for this event. We’re so devoted.”
Their big night is a week from Saturday, where they will also feature a full lineup of sour beers, including some rare breeds from Russian River.
Wonderland wants people to forget their pint glasses on Monday when it hosts a “Can & Koozie” night that features Modern Times beers. It will also feature beers from Ironside Brewing (Wednesday) and Drake’s (Thursday).
Friday is their second annual Freak Show circus-themed part, featuring Green Flash beers Super Freak, Le Freak and Little Freak.
Manager Ben Lucas says it’s homage to the old Wonderland theme park’s circus atmosphere.
“We kind of stuck with that old-school retro theme,” he said.
The neighborhood will even welcome a new member to its esteemed beer lineup, as Culture Brewing Co. opens its tasting room on Newport Avenue at noon on Saturday. They’ll be working until the last minute putting finishing touches on the place, but co-owner Steve Ragan assures they’ll be ready to roll.
“I won’t be sleeping until it’s done,” he said.
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Seems you forgot about the Joint, which is also hosting an event every night of beer week.
I remember when Micaela Cano (pictured here) was a bartender at O’Brian’s in Kearney Mesa.
Megan is a boss! Wish I could make it to beer week to enjoy her special stash lol
Checked out Culture Co. last night – and they have a wicked imperial stout with vanilla and coconut at 10% – whew! They’re pouring a new brew a day/ nite during beer week. Then I joined up with a wonderful beer flight (6 4oz shot glasses of your choice from a huge list on the wall) at Raglan’s for only $6 – every Monday nite, Beer Week or not. Oh, and Bar 1502 was jam-packed.
It turns out, Bacon and Niagara is the most happenin’ place in OB at night.