THE COMPETITORS: South O Brewing is a locally-owned spot on the dividing line between South “O” and regular old coastal Oceanside. They are part of the new South O that is no longer up-and-coming. It has come. Moving inland by several miles, there up against Oceanside Ale Works, whose history, while not relevant here, is worth reading about.
THE SCORES: As a reminder, breweries in the North County Brewery Patio-Off Bracket are scored on a 100-point scale with a max of 20 points per category. See the scoring details in our NCBPO launch column. Skip below for an unexpected twist or two. Check out the bracket here.
South O Brewing
The patio is small — tiny — with only four tables. Those four tables come with really comfortable stools and chairs. They are situated under a covered overhang, making it easy to relax even if the weather is SoCal 2023 and not SoCal every other year (perfect). The brewery is wide open to the patio, making it easy to find a spot that feels patio-like, even if it isn’t.*
South O is a busy neighborhood spot. They have a big parking lot, but quite a few people are walking up from around the corner. It’s also on the PCH so the constant street noise will accompany your beers.
La Habanera is the food truck tonight offering burgers and churros. A regular schedule of food trucks is listed on a chalkboard, but it isn’t a guarantee there will be food. The brewery also hosts regular events. I’m sad I’ve missed Plants With Matt, but I bet he’ll return. They also have car cruises, trivia and bingo, and R&D beer release nights.
The space is next to the Vigilante Coffee Company. They stay open late, which I find a bonus because it is easy to pop over for a pick-me-up.
*Just inside one of the doors is a Ninja Turtles pinball machine. It is the best of the ’90s cartoon-themed pinball machines.
Accommodation: 12
Atmosphere:Â 13
Offerings:Â 13
Service: 14
Wildcard:Â 15
Total: 67
Takeaway: It is hard to base a score solely on the patio at South O due to its size and integration with the inside. They do everything right, but the size of the space is the one thing they can’t change.
Oceanside Ale Works
I’m warned that I’m entering a manufacturing facility as I enter Oceanside Ale Works. An old Singer sewing machine inside the door seems to question my choice to wear flip-flops into such an establishment.
I’m not sure what I expect inside when I roll up to a fairly boring-looking industrial park building, but a hipster-friendly motorcycle dive brewery and a great big smile from a long-haired, bushy-beared bartender isn’t it. Oceanside Ale Works was indefinitely closed when I started writing the Cheers! column and the pandemic has kept me from random explorations until recently.
I confirm my dog’s welcome status, order a session ale, and put my cash on the bar (cash only at OAW). The bartender gives me a heads-up that it has a unique taste. The beer comes in a plastic cup, which is one of my few complaints, but I get that it fits the brewery’s vibe. Less fitting but seemingly perfect is the gentleman keyboardist jamming away. His fedora and linen shirt imply a Cuban sound, but the notes are all Steely Dan. I’m here for it.
The patio is out back through a rolled-up garage door. A cooler and some wooden barrels form a de facto wall on one side, a chain link fence runs along the back, and the remaining space is closed off from the parking lot by temporary fencing.
It is sparsely decorated with a half dozen or so blue plastic lounge chairs — the kind you find stacked in front of Rite-Aid or Walmart at the beginning of the summer — circling oversized wooden cable spools. A few tables and chairs dot the space.
It feels like a brewery parking lot, albeit quieter back here than the roadside. I drink my beer and talk to the dog. A few other customers tell stories and laugh about co-workers. From my seat, I can look inside the brewery. The bar is filling up. The music has gotten louder. I hear peels of laughter from the bar, and I wonder what joke was told.
Accommodation: 13
Atmosphere:Â 13
Offerings:Â 13
Service: 16
Wildcard:Â 13
Total: 68
Takeaway: The party is inside. If you hang out at the bar, it feels like a place where you’ll inevitably leave with a story to tell. They have more seating without the busy roadside noise than South O, giving them the victory by the slimmest of margins.
ROUND 1 WINNER: Oceanside Ale Works Brewing
Did I miss an excellent brewery patio? Please send a message to @CheersNorthCounty on Facebook or Instagram, or e-mail me at [email protected].
