San Diego Brewing Company- great brews and happy hour!

mmm-yoso is being blogged by Cathy today. Apparently Kirk and Ed have nothing to blog about.

So, I had a meeting in Mission Valley last Thursday that ended at 5 p.m. and could have gone straight up Friars and it turns into Mission Gorge Road and then straight home to Santee, and I suppose would have had to cook dinner.  Instead, I used that handy-dandy mobile phone I have and called The Mister and told him to meet me at the San Diego Brewing Company;

They have Happy Hour from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. Beer pints are $3 and appetizers are half off, sort of...if you didn't study math.

Well, that was easy, since I always get a "Brewman's Plate" as my main course whenever I come here. It is on the appetizer menu, and I suppose you are supposed to share it.

This is the bad photo.  You get a loaf o hot sourdough, a Bavarian Beer sausage, Italian turkey sausage,  Gouda, pepper jack and cheddar cheese slices,  raw vegetables, fresh fruit and a mustard sauce. (Regular price $9.75 Happy Hour charge $4.75)(don't ask).  I like the sausages here and the Gouda and cheddar are great; I just do not understand the concept of pepper jack.  The sourdough is very sour and is also something I don't crave.  It is a nice bread though- crispy crust and soft insides. The veggies and fruits are always varied- this day there was watermelon, cantaloupe and another melon.  Sometimes you get a whole apple (which goes great with the cheese).  The mustard sauce goes nicely with the Bavarian beer sausage and you don't need anything with the Italian turkey sausage.

The Mister thought we should try the Country Chicken Tenders

(Regular price $6.99, Happy Hour $3.50).  Light , crisp breading on 5 very large, juicy pieces of chicken breast.   Served with a ranch dipping sauce.  A very large portion of food.  

The babyback ribs are listed as being a half rack and I did not count the leftover bones, but I really think they gave us more than a half rack. (Regular price $8.94, Happy Hour $4.25) .  A really nice tangy BBQ sauce, very juicy, meaty pork ribs.

  We thought we should have more vegetables, so in the vein of the County Fair, we chose onion rings! ( Regular $5.79, Happy Hour $2.90)  Light beer batter, thick sliced sweet onions.  Perfect.

That was our meal...oh, the most expensive item...well, we could not decide on a beer form those available on tap, so we got a "Taster Set". 

There happened to be eight beers on tap that night.  The samples are at least 3.5 ounces each, maybe 4 ounces.  From top (lightest) to closest to camera: -Grantville Gold, 4.9%, light ale with a clean hop finish;- Whatza Witte, 5%,  white wheat; - San Diego Amber, 6%, copper ale;- Old Town Nut Brown, 5.4%, dark brown ale with a carmel and roasted nut finish;- Mission Trails Pale Ale, 5.2%,  citrus aroma, rye, hint of hops;- El Hefe, hefeweizen;- Concecrator Bock, 7.5% m chewy;- Oatmeal Stout.

This was the most expensive purchase...$6

Yes, so in total, all of this food and drink was $23.06. I am such a cheap date.

San Diego Brewing Company 10450 Friars Road, Suite L San Diego 92120 (619)284-2739

Comments

[nhbilly]

Looks and sound fun I love happy hours to bad I can't drink worth a lick. Typical Asian syndrome ;-)

[RONW]

never understood that "pepper jack" thing, either. However, the half-off specials....that I can live with.

[Cathy]

Hi, Bill! It was fun and filling. Usually there are only 6 beers on tap and I taste a bit of each and finish one of the dark ones...this was unusual and nice. But I can tell you I did not drink the majority of libations that night...yet I took some pretty bad photographs of the food....
Hey, Ron- I am glad someone else understands my problem with pepper jack. We haven't done Happy Hour in a long time, so this was fun to be able to blog.

[Artie]

Hi Cathy,

I started looking at the menu and thought it was vaguely familiar, but I've certainly never been here. Then I figured it out; have you ever been to Callahan's Pub and Restaurant in Mira Mesa? Because the menu there is the exact same as SD Brewing Company, even down to the microbrews on tap. I wonder if they have the same owners or something. Btw the Brewman's Plate is my favorite thing to get there too!

[Cathy]

Hi Artie- We went to Callaghans maybe 15 years ago...with a coupon... I absolutely never put the two together. It may have been different then though...before SDBC was here. The Brewman's is exactly what I like. I apologize for the rotten photos of this particular post, especially the Brewman's...not sure what I was thinking. It tasted good though. I am glad you aren't lurking any more. We will check out Callaghan's next time we are up there.

[ed (from Yuma)]

That looks like a great deal. I've never been there, but it looks like its worth a visit.

I actually like pepper jack, as jack cheese is so boring. But usually I use it on a cheeseburger or a panini. Adds a nice jalapeno taste.

Of course, I like sourdough breads as well - I think that comes from the fact that the first big city I ever visited was San Francisco.

[Cathy]

Hi Ed- Sorry I did not respond sooner. SD Brewing Co. is a nice place. Happy Hour makes it nicer. Next time you are in town, maybe?
Even though I don't crave pepperjack, I eat it...and the same with sourdough...I just don't choose it if given a choice. Both go with the beer.

[MrBally]

Well, looks like Gordon Biersch is getting a run for the money. But they have one at McCarran Airport. Does San Diego Brewing Company have one at Chuckie's Airport?

[Cathy]

Hey, Mr. B! Nope, not really much in the way of gourmet or alcohol at the Lindbergh Airport since it isn't a hub for anything. We do have some beautiful Public Art going on inside and outside of the terminals though. :)

[Chris]

Nice. I did not know this existed. I am so *THERE.*

[cathy]

If you live more north, Chris, Callaghan's, on Mira Mesa Blvd is the same...menu, prices, happy hour, beer...