THE COMPETITORS: Eppig’s Bierhalle led the way in the now popular brewery corner of Vista. The brewery keeps it simple and, like its beer, focuses on quality. Carlsbad Brewing Company is next to the trampoline park, which could make for the best birthday party of your life.
THE SCORES: As a reminder, breweries are scored on a 100-point scale with a max of 20 points per category. See the scoring details in our North County Brewery Patio-Off challenge launch column. Skip below for an unexpected twist or two.
Eppig Brewing & Bierhalle (Vista)
The original patio has a fire pit and plenty of comfortable seating for small groups. A bonus picnic table area off the right of the entry appears to be pandemic inspired and ideal for the big family looking to all sit together.
In the bonus area, they’ve gone beyond merely blocking off part of the parking lot by adding carpeted flooring and keeping it clean. I admire and head for the main space with my Fest bier. They have an EV-Charger out front, which would be a nice amenity if I owned an electric car.
The dog and I find cozy lounge chairs to make our home base. We can feel the heat from the fire pit over here. The patio is more extensive than I remember from previous visits, but the service is as excellent as ever. The patio is simple — tables and chairs under string lights — but comfortable and, dare I say, classy.
There isn’t any food at the moment, but the Bierhalle has a relatively consistent schedule of food trucks on the weekends. The hours are limited during the week. They are closed entirely on Mondays and not open until 4 p.m. from Tuesday-Thursday. That impacts people like me who like drinking during the day and keep odd business hours, but probably not the majority.
Accommodation: 15
Atmosphere: 15
Offerings: 14
Service: 19
Wildcard: 15
Total: 78
Takeaway: It is a simple, well-done and well-maintained space. You can tell someone cares about the customer experience of visiting Eppig Brewing. No bells and whistles are needed to make for an enjoyable visit.
Carlsbad Brewing Company
Carlsbad Brewing Company is at the back of a large warehouse behind an indoor trampoline park. From the number of adults walking over in socks and e-bikes parked out front, I’m guessing CBC is a haven for parents.
They have an expansive beer list beyond their own beer. During my visit, they featured Russian River Brewing. They also serve food and offer table service—a rarity these days. Our service was excellent. We had parmesan fries and pretzel balls. They both went great with our beers.
All of which we enjoyed on one of two patios that faced out toward the parking lot. The patios feel a bit like afterthoughts. They are small rectangular fenced-in platforms with a table and a few stools at the rail. If you want to drink your beer outside, they got you covered as long as it isn’t that busy.
Accommodation: 11
Atmosphere: 11
Offerings: 17
Service: 18
Wildcard: 12
Total: 70
Takeaway: The inside is enormous and filled with cool things. The outside is functional if you want to sit outside, but that is not the appeal of Carlsbad Brewing Company.
ROUND 1 WINNER: Eppig Brewing’s Beach Beer is out, and nothing screams summer on the patio in SoCal like talking about the beach without actually going.
UNRELATED: Artifex Brewing’s newest tasting room is now open in Oceanside. We stopped by for a beer last month to see if we had a new patio competitor. It was so fresh and so clean! Besides the beer, their neighbor, Corner Pizza, will deliver to your table, and an ice cream parlor and bakery are coming soon. If you can’t find me this fall, this would be an excellent place to look.
Here’s the bracket:
Did I miss an excellent brewery patio? Send a message to @CheersNorthCounty on Facebook or Instagram, or e-mail me at [email protected].
