San Diego County is one of the greatest places in the United States for craft beer, not just based on the actual number of breweries, but also for quality. The county can lay claim to something like 160 breweries, with San Diego commanding the lion’s share. Other cities in the county have thriving craft beer cultures of their own and Oceanside is one that is up- and- coming. I enjoyed some time in this section of the state as part of a Carlsbad- focused beercation and one of the many memorable stops for beer was Bagby Beer Company, located at 601 S. Coast Highway in Oceanside.
Space Makes a Difference
Walking into Bagby Beer for the first time, the first thing that caught my attention was the space. Having visited a very large number of breweries over the past few decades, I can say that this brewery is much better than others as far as seating and overall elbow room. Bagby Beer has multiple serving stations with bar stool seating, tables, etc. and there is even a partial second level, for added room.
Southern California is notable for its outstanding climate and Bagby Beer takes advantage of this fact, with open- air seating near the entrance, facing the street, so that guests can catch the fresh breezes. There is a section in the middle of the brewery complex that has open views skyward, perfect for those who really love the outdoors beer drinking experience. And for dog lovers, Bagby Beer allows dogs onto the brewery grounds, provided they remain in the restricted areas.
Food and Beer
Large space for gatherings is nice, but the beer is the main attraction at any brewery and Bagby Beer doesn’t disappoint. At any moment, guests at Bagby Beer are likely to find around 15, 20, even 25 different house beers on tap with an assortment of styles certain to match whatever flavor or style you happen to crave. They even offer beers from competing breweries- something you don’t often see in a craft beer establishment.
When I visited, I sampled four different beers: Super Girl, a Belgian strong golden ale; Bourbon Barrel Lion’s Pride, an old ale; Alt in the Family, and Altbier; and Street Red, and amber brew. I liked them all, but I was especially impressed with Bourbon Barrel Lion’s Pride. This complex, barrel aged brew served up flavors of bourbon, vanilla, wood, caramel, and toasted malt. It is one of the strongest beers brewed by Bagby, weighing in at 10.7 percent alcohol by volume.
Beer is reason enough to visit Bagby Beer, but the food is also something not to miss. Bagby serves mainly American style food dishes meant to match with beer and guests can feast on such items as pizza, soup, burgers, tacos, grilled cheese, chips & salsa, and several desserts. The food is prepared fresh using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible for the perfect companion to a great glass of crafted brew.
Southern California Awaits You
Bagby Beer is a nice place to visit for lunch, dinner, or just to grab a beer or two and chat with friends. The large interior is more accommodating than that of other breweries and the combination of indoor and outdoor seating is good for customers because they can select exactly the atmosphere they prefer. When I visited, myself and the others in my party drifted in, out, and all around the facility; checking out the different sections of the brewery and even chatting briefly with founder Jeff Bagby.
Bagby Beer has proven its beer- making skill with multiple awards at national and local competitions. Bagby Sweet Ride Bohemian Pilsner won a Gold medal at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival and Asphalt Jungle, a dry Irish- style stout, took home a Bronze medal at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival. And let’s not forget that owner/founder Jeff Bagby is responsible for countless other awards when he was formulating beer recipes at nearby Pizza Port.
California is the place to visit for craft beer and the southern California area easily leads the state in its total concentration of breweries. The Carlsbad and Oceanside areas of San Diego County do not have as many breweries as San Diego itself, but they still feature some noteworthy places for craft beer, of which Bagby Beer is easily one. I’m glad I had the chance to visit this hospitable brewing operation and I recommend it for your Southern California beer drinking needs.
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