Brewery Review: The Rough Draft Brewing Company
Walk into Rough Draft Brewing Company’s tasting room and kitchen in Miramar, just off Caroll Canyon Road, and you’ll instantly be surrounded by great craft beer. The space has an industrial feel, with stainless steel brew kettles and fermenters on the back wall.
There’s nothing between you and the brewing equipment at Rough Draft—racks of bourbon barrels filled with their top-selling Freudian Sip are right in front of you. In fact, you can watch the beer age while you plan your next tasting.
The brewery – relaxed, friendly place.
The atmosphere at Rough Draft is laid-back industrial chic. Comfy couches and tables topped with succulents give the space a relaxed feel. If you prefer sitting at the concrete bar, closer to the taps, grab a stool. Kids and dogs welcome…the whole place has a family-friendly feel to it.
The brewery’s design is perfect for private events such as family celebration dinners, corporate meetings, holiday and birthday parties. The space features a dedicated lobby, bar, and restrooms with up to 12 hand crafted beers on tap.
The beer…great craftbeer on tap.
Rough Draft has twelve taps featuring their top sellers and pilot batches that are only available in the tasting room. Not sure what to try? Get a taster—or a few—before you commit to a pint.
If you like IPAs, try Hop Therapy—it’s a tasty whopper at 9.0% ABV and with an IBU of 94, it packs a punch. For a more relaxed IPA experience, the Grapefruit Weekday IPA uses fresh local fruit to add refreshing zest.
And that’s just the beginning. If you’re looking for a lighter beer, the Blond Ale mixes in floral and honey notes, while the Amber gets top marks for its full-bodied flavor.
If you’re up to the challenge, try the two beers that Rough Draft ages in bourbon barrels: the Belgian style Emboozlement Tripel and the Freudian Sip.
A year in a charred oak barrel gives each a creamy, nutty taste that you can’t find anywhere else. You can even order tasters of each to compare the flavor profiles of the bourbon barrel with regular barrel aging. It’s not just beer: it’s a science.
The kitchen – menu offers something for everyone.
The popcorn is free at Rough Draft Brewing Company, but if you’re hungry for more, they also offer a full menu from their kitchen. The menu has something for everyone––you can even build your own meat and cheese boards with fresh bread, nuts, seasonal fruits, jams, and mustard. The meat selections are local, with the exception of a two year aged prosciutto from Italy. The cheese selections range from a Wisconsin blue to a French sheep’s milk.
Rough Draft also offers a range of appetizers, including meat pies, which are baked daily, and enormous Bavarian style soft pretzels. Cheese lovers will rejoice at the panini choices featuring Saint Andre Triple Cream Brie, blue cheese, and gruyere, and the hot sandwiches include a Cubano and an Andouille Po’ Boy, among more standard upscale pub fare. And the friendly staff is always happy to recommend food and beer pairings.
The next time you want great craft beer and good food in a relaxed atmosphere, head on out to the Rough Draft Brewing Company.
Location:
Rough Draft Brewing Company - http://www.roughdraftbrew.com/
8830 Rehco Rd, Suite D San Diego, CA 92121
858.453.7238
Genevieve Carlton is a writer who specializes in history, education, and sales. She holds a Ph.D in History from Northwestern University.
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