While this summer has allowed me to experience great beers far and wide, there’s nothing like a local treasure. Enzo’s BBQ Ale House in Oceanside is just such a gem.
Owner and self-proclaimed beer aficionado Enzo Mistretta has strong opinions about beer, his tap list, and how it should be served. His attention to detail and superbly curated offerings make the beer as much of the experience as his excellent barbecue.
ILB: What was the journey from Bagheria, Sicily, to Oceanside? How did you end up here making great food and serving amazing beer?
Mistretta: My uncle, who was also my mentor. He imported me from Sicily to Carlsbad. He put me right into the dining room and I learned English immediately. Then he put me in the kitchen. Then he made me a manager where you have to learn to do every job. So, I thank him for teaching me the business.
ILB: And then you opened your own place?
Mistretta: Yes, in 2006, I opened Enzo’s BBQ. A smaller location with four tables. But that helped me get here in this larger place (6,000 square feet versus 800).
ILB: With a much more expansive tap list!
Mistretta: Yes, I had 15 beers at the old place. Now I have 30 on draft plus bottles.
ILB: Enzo, let’s talk about quality.
Mistretta: It’s all about quality. Who doesn’t want the best? When I first started this in Oceanside, it was hard. I was one of the first to be serving Belgian ales and German lagers in the proper glassware.
ILB: Glassware is important. It’s part of the craft, isn’t it?
Mistretta: My philosophy about beer is like wine. Craftsmanship is what matters. If that brewer has done all he can, using the best ingredients, yeast, malts, and method, and years of perfecting the process, then my job as a restaurateur is to deliver it the proper way so it has the proper aroma and the proper amount of foam to protect the beer from oxidation.
ILB: Any challenges in helping your clientele appreciate what you’re serving and how you do it?
Mistretta: Oh, yes. Especially at first. Trying to educate people has been my challenge. The other thing is service. Presentation is everything. Someone who likes these kinds of beers wants them served properly. A lot goes into training.
ILB: This lineup of beers seems to be as much for you as for your customers.
Mistretta: Absolutely! My target is for when you walk through those doors, I surpass your expectations. I try to cover all styles as best as I can with 30 taps. There should be something here for everyone who likes beer.
ILB: If they don’t see something they like, they don’t like beer.
Mistretta: For someone who knows beer, it’s like Disneyland! They say, ‘Where have you been all my life!’ These beers are very hard to source. Secondly, they are extremely expensive. The reason you don’t see Delirium Tremens on tap anywhere is the price.
ILB: How often do you rotate your taps to something new?
Mistretta: We keep it fun! Some Belgians, like Delirium Tremens and Kwak, are always on tap, and everything else gets rotated constantly.
ILB: Do you remember one of the beers that first got you interested in craft?
Mistretta: Mother Earth’s Primordial Double IPA. The flavor was so good and so intense. Another one was the original recipe of Alpine Nelson.
ILB: Beyond the rare exports, you also have a lot of Russian River and local offerings.
Mistretta: My goal is for when you walk in, you say, ‘Holy moly! I’ve never seen that on tap before.’ And absolutely must have some of the locals. I was the first client of Burgeon [Beer Company] and Belching Beaver. Because when I tasted those beers, I thought, ‘Boy, these guys are up to something!
ILB: And you’re opening up a new location.
Mistretta: Encinitas soon.
ILB: It’s going to be popular!
Mistretta: Always put the best quality out there, and people will recognize it. It’s hard to get customers to come through that door. So it has to be quality when they get here.
Enzo’s BBQ Ale House is located at 4141 Oceanside Blvd., Oceanside. The Encinitas location will soon open, so keep an eye out.
Jeff Spanier is the co-host of I Like Beer the Podcast. For the entire interview, take a listen wherever you get podcasts. Follow Spanier’s adventures on Instagram @ilikebeerthepodcast.
