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- Hours:
Tue-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 12 am
Sun 12 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
46 reviews for Alpine Beer Co. Brewpub
Review Highlights
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"...and I get a bomber of Mandarin Nectar about once a week." In 7 reviews -
"Anyway, I tried a sample of the Willy Vanilly, it was good." In 4 reviews -
"Ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, salads and appetizers." In 11 reviews
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46 reviews in English
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Review from Jim L.
5/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
A friend recommended and since I was in the area, thought I would give it a try. First off, I didn't see a brewery but they had plenty of beers on tap so I am going to assume the brewery portion is out back somewhere. When it comes to beer, I don't ask a lot questions, I just enjoy.
The appearance of the place appears to be more of a dive bar than a brewery but don't let appearance fool you.......this place serves up some amazing food and some top notch beer.
To start off the staff is very friendly and extremely helpful. We walked in and were greeted warmly and seated immediately. I wanted to have a beer with lunch and asked "what is good". The reply I was expecting was "they're all good" but what I got was a "sit down and let me tell you all about them" reply. After much pondering, I opted to go with their Pure Hoppiness. If you're not a fan of a hoppy beer, you're not going to be a fan however I was sold at the first pull.
For such a small place, the menu is more extensive than I would have imagined. Plenty of appetizers and meals to most peoples likings. I ended up going with the bbq brisket served with coleslaw on a bun. The meat was tender, the slaw gave it a nice crunch and the sauce was a nice blend to bring it all together.
The sandwiches are served with a choice of beer battered, shoestring or sweet potato fries. I opted to go with the beer battered based on the servers prodding and it was an excellent choice. Plenty of crunch on the outside yet still had the potato flavor on the inside. To start the meal, we went with their black and tan onion rings. I would totally suggest these gems as they are a nice start to any meal and are served with a chipotle ranch sauce.
I'm not sure when I will be back to the Alpine Beer Company but I know the wait will probably be too long. Until then, I need to do some investigating as to where I can buy some of their liquid gold. -
Review from Adam T.
5/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
Always awesome, amazing, delicious beers. They often have stuff that you won't find in bottles around town.
The food is very good. I almost want to ding them a star for not having enough veggie options but as long as you are careful and make sure stuff doesn't have bacon you can get by with some decent stuff. I always hate when the big vegetarian option is portobello something. Portobellos are good, but we don't want them all the time. A great mac n chee, veggie buffalo wings, veggie sausage, something along those lines would be awesome.
The servers are very friendly.
Be careful if you come with a big party or if you come on a weekend because it gets packed fast. The place is pretty small. -
Review from Justin B.
San Diego, CA
I've been a fan of Alpine Beer Co. for years now. Before the brewpub opened, I used to make the somewhat long journey out east to fill growlers of all their amazing different types of IPA's.
Recently, equipped with my empty for two years Alpine growlers, I decided to drive out and check out the brewpub. Upon arriving, my growlers and I were immediately saddened once informed that you can't fill growlers at the brew pub. Worse yet, the brewery (next door) where you can fill growlers closes ungodly early at 6pm. That all sucks. A lot. I would give em 5 stars otherwise.
Either way, moving on, the brewpub is a small little divey hole in the wall diner looking place... which is actually bad ass. You can get all of their unbelievably amazing rare beers on tap there, which was really all I was expecting out of the place. I figured we would grab a par (possibly sub-par) bar food meal and then head back to SD. I was wrong. The food was effing spectacular.
If they ever get the brewpub grower filling debacle figured out then I will certainly be headed up there far too often and will definitely change this review to 5 stars.
Basically, this place rules, go there now and Drink Alpine Ale or Go To Bed! -
Review from Jassiline Z.
Imperial Beach, CA
5/1/2012
I got the Odin's Raven and it was amazing. If you are a dark beer snob you must try this. My BF had the Mc Irish Red and he loved it. It was very smooth and crisp. We ordered food and it took a while. Our waitress wasn't very friendly and was chatting with friends when our food came up. Another bartender/waitress had to bring it to us. The grilled cheese was sub-par but the onion rings are awesome!
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Review from Dave S.
San Diego, CA
5/4/2012
One of my favorite brewers in San Diego, and the food they serve is AMAZING. I've tried the bratwurst sandwich (best I've ever had), as well as their ribs and pulled pork sandwich. Awesome beer, awesome food.
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Review from Conrad R.
Alpine Beer Company's prewpub was a good place to chill out on a Sunday afternoon. I needed a seat soon because the adrenaline was wearing off and the leg cramps were setting in after a full day of paintball shenanigans. It was packed inside the bar-dining room. Not a large place, but there was a table at the back patio to accomodate our group of less than fifteen.
We also had to order everything from the bar because there was no outside server, which was a bummer. I overheard that they also don't allow food to be eaten at the patio because of a city ordinance. I suppose it's not a good idea for food to be left out for the larger critters up the food chain. I decided to sample some beers from the tap because I don't see myself making the journey back on the reg to faraway Alpine.
This afternoon's delightful draught beer flight:
- Alpine Ale
- Willy
- Mandarin Nectar
- Exponential Hoppiness
- Crazy Hazel
- Captain Stout
The first three beers were light, clean and refreshing. Mandarin Nectar might be too sweet for some, as the name would suggest. Exponential Hoppiness delivers a potent 11% ABV in a delicious DIPA, without being too aggressive with the grapefruity pine needly flavor that I've noticed from other IPAs. Crazy Hazel is a tasty brown ale and Captain Stout is now probably one of my favorites.
The crafty beers are nice and the service is ok, when you can get it because it gets pretty busy. I can't really speak on the food, but if you're ever in the Alpine area, check out the brewpub or the brewery. Cheers!Listed in: East By Southeast, Beer
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Review from alison b.
San Diego, CA
2/27/2012
Stopped here for the 1st time last Saturday while out on a motorcycle ride and it was awesome! I had this delish beer called Milli Vanilli and some sweet potato fries that were also really good. My friend had the pulled beef sandwich which I tasted and it was really really good! The meat just melted in your mouth and was very flavorful. I also asked the waitress if I could try one piece of fried pickle just to try and even though she said she was going to get yelled at, she brought me one anyhow. It was really good too.
I definitely recommend stopping by this place but try to go at off-peak hours because I heard there can be a wait. Oh, and there's outdoor seating but you can't eat out there. Only drinks. -
Review from April R.
Oceanside, CA
4/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Beer here is great! Small little place and it was really busy. We didn't eat but the food smelled and looked good. Next time we are in the area we will be back.
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Review from Matt R.
San Diego, CA
4/13/2012
This is my kinda place. Very "hole in the wall", good bbq and great beer. The Duet IPA just might be my new favorite beer. My girlfriend wasn't really excited when we first walked in because it's so small and not the fanciest place, but she came around to liking it. We'll be back!
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Review from Junsu H.
Los Angeles, CA
1/31/2012 1 photo
I had their Exponential Hoppiness, a triple IPA from heaven that graces earth only twice a year, which kicked my ass. Lightweights beware, it has its name for a reason: it has the stealthy taste of a regular IPA, but it will kill your will exponentially upon each gulp. Asians would do well to drink with discretion from this fountain of hoppy bliss.
Wonderful bar food (get their smoked dry rub wings and pulled pork). The service was amazing! Super friendly staff that loves beer. Of course, because beer begets brethren. -
Review from Mei B.
San Diego, CA
7/24/2011
I love Alpine beers and was super excited to finally visit the Pub. Beers were excellent and food was quite good (though minus points for Velveeta on the nachos -- really guys?!)
It was busy and we figured we'd clear out and let someone from the waiting list grab our seats. We tried twice to close out our tab only to be told they were "too busy" to take our card. I was ready to just walk out, but my husband is much nicer than me so we waited for 35 MINUTES until they were finally able to close us out.
Nice place but next time if you're too busy to take my money I'll just leave without paying. -
Review from Matt S.
El Cajon, CA
9/4/2011
Sunday night, my fiance and I head out to the brew pub because I wanted some Alpine Beer. We made the 20 minute drive out there because I like the beer, in spite of the fact that
1) the service always sucks
2) the place is way too small and crowded and the chairs uncomfortable
3) the food is not that great
We arrived at 7:30 pm, the place was packed as usual. The girl told us they couldn't serve us dinner. Then she and the dude entered into an argument about how we had arrived before 8, blah blah blah. Finally they agree: we can buy drinks but not food and there's nowhere for us to sit or even sidle up to the bar.
We stood there for a few minutes looking awkward, trying to figure out what to do. My fiance was annoyed and wanted to leave. We kind of gravitated toward the door, hoping they might offer another solution. Then finally left and they said nothing. I guess they don't have to care about our business or worry about negative reviews.
On our way out I noticed all kinds of seating outdoors. WTF is up with that? Could we have eaten out there, or at least sat down for a drink? They could have at least mentioned the outdoor seating..
I cannot believe that people can turn away business in this economy. Especially a business that's basically out in the boondocks and has to attract drive-in visitors. It's actually a bit outrageous.
I will certainly not make a dedicated trip out there again. And I'm wondering if I would even stop for the beer, if I happened to be right there. The fact is there is plenty of good beer in San Diego, made by people who actually want to sell it to you. -
Review from Dan F.
6/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm still in a state of shock after leaving here. I really just went here to try their micro beers and left finding a excellent BBQ!
We all ordered a bunch of different beers, they have a wide selection. All tasty mostly IPA and ales. I really liked Mandarin Nectar honey/orange and Mcllhenney's Irish red , chocolate/Carmel .
To the Q , I was just expecting basic stuff nothing special and I was shocked by how good it was. Started off with some smoked hot wings. The wings were fall off the bone smoked perfection! The sauce was hot and well spiced , which was excellent. I know when I'm eating great wings when I don't even attempt to use the Blue cheese dipping sauce!
Then I also got a pulled pork sandwich w/ onion rings. The pork was juicy perfection and the onion rings were great and made with their stout beer. The BBQ sauce is a thick molasses type sauce, not bad, but I wish they had the sauce from the wings on the table so I could put that on my sandwich.
This is a small place with outdoor seating in the back, I was told that they are trying move to a bigger place . Get there early so go get a place to sit . It starts getting really full around 6.Listed in: Bars and Breweries, How much for one rib ?
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Review from Leslie G.
Updated - 7/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Took the 'rents here on a Sunday afternoon. There were several seats available, not super crowded.
We started with the fried green beans, which are addicting. I couldn't stop eating them and will get them again for sure.
My dad ordered the BBQ wings. He had never seen such big wings in his life and proceeded to get BBQ sauce all over his face, shirt, and hands in his first bite. He claimed it was impossible to eat them any other way, but we later saw a woman order them (who also immediately commented on how big the wings were) and she managed to eat them without being completely covered in sauce.
My mom got the bratwurst sandwich and potato salad, which is made in-house. She loved both, and was especially fond of the homemade beer mustard. My parents wanted to buy some mustard to take home, but they don't sell the mustard or the BBQ sauce (they should!) so the waitress took pity on them and gave them a little container of it to take home - very nice.
I got the grilled cheese sandwich with a side salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, feta cheese). The trick here is to get ranch dressing, and them put a squirt or two of their (homemade) BBQ sauce in there as well. Yum. The grilled cheese is pretty deluxe, with grilled parm on the outside.
The beers are always great, Alpine is one of my favorite breweries. The Nelson Rye IPA is my favorite IPA, and I get a bomber of Mandarin Nectar about once a week. My mom doesn't like hoppy or strong beers, and she enjoyed the Mandarin Nectar.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/21/2011
Man, I wish Alpine was closer, I'd be here all the time! My favorite beers are Nelson Rye IPA (my… Read more »
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Review from Howard N.
Alpine, CA
2/16/2012
Outstanding beer and food.
This was our first time to try Alpine Beer and Pub.
My wife had the pulled pork sandwich and champagne.
She love it.
I had the hot wing pulled chicken sandwich is was very good and very HOT.
Try the onion rings
I had two different IPA's both good.
We are older but we fit in well with the younger crowed.
Nice date night for both of us.
Ever Friday is date night with my wife.
Thank You
PS The service is slow!
Don't go if you are in a hurry -
Review from Joleen L.
San Diego, CA
12/30/2011
Love this place. We like to stop in after we get the Christmas Tree and have lunch. Great spicy food and tasty beers. The staff is phenomenal and the whole place just has a great vibe.
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Review from Grace O.
San Diego, CA
11/2/2011
It was really worth the drive to check this place out. Awesome BBQ, we're definitely going back soon.
http://hungrybunnie.bl... -
Review from Jenifer N.
Santee, CA
1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place would have gotten five stars but there was one blunder.
I am totally blown away by their beers. If you are ever in Alpine you must stop at the brewpub and try ALL of their beers. I have never liked every beer in a taster... until I stopped at Alpine Brew Pub. The food is extremely tasty as well. The inside decor is fun and eclectic. There is seating on the outside patio, which is shaded in some areas.
The blunder... I went with my boyfriend and his two daughters (5 and 3). We ate our food, finished our tasters, ordered a pint for each of us, and headed outside to the patio. NO ONE WAS OUT THERE except for us. There was a walkway with railings. His 5 yr old was hanging from the railing. She is VERY strong and athletic. We both didn't see anything wrong with it. An employee... don't know who he is walked by one time had a look of annoyance. Came outside again and made a generalized comment to know specifically that it is probably safer for her feet to be on the ground. Then he came back outside and again without addressing anyone specifically said in a very sarcastic and dickish tone that she needs to put her feet on the ground and stop hanging on the railing. There is a much better way of handling a situation like this and the guy FAILED at it. He could have politely told the 5 yr old to stop or treated my boyfriend with respect and spoke to him in a polite way... instead he approached by boyfriend as if he was ignorant with his indirect request. After writing this I almost want to bump them down to three stars, but there food was delish and the beer was fanshmastic, so four it will remain! Hopefully this certain employee reads this and learns the errors of his ways. -
Review from Kedar K.
San Diego, CA
7/26/2011
Like all good eats and drinks, this place starts with the company. So make sure you're with your choiciest company.
Half-an-hour from most residents, Alpine is located off the 8, just before the Cleveland National Forest. It's hot out during the day; luckily you're out there for the beer. It's a great trip just getting there, knowing that in this parched desert, where things shouldn't be nearly as green as they are, you're in search of an oasis. And you get there in an air-conditioned car, eat, pack your beers, and leave just the way you came, just a little happier, satiated, and wiser.
Now you know what a good brewery is all about. Decent food that doesn't take the fire away from the beers, but stands on its own. To wash down those seductive beers, order some appetizers like the fried green beans or the fried pickles. To wash down their tasteful pulled pork or tacos, take a deep draught of their beer. Known though they are for their traditional San Diego style hops, try something more subtle, such as the Mandarin Nectar, and you'll find that their other beers are just as qualified to please a palate.
This is the beer drinker's oasis, not just because it's out in the desert, no. It takes it's good beer, and pairs it with decent food. The beer's about the beer, and so is the food. You won't find organic steak or tempe shepherd's pie here, but you wouldn't come here for those either. So, I return to how this started: come here if what you seek is good beer, with others who seek the same, and you won't be disappointed.Listed in: Brew Pubs and Beer
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Review from Chris-tal P.
San Diego, CA
6/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
We came here after a long and treacherous hike in Julian. The thought of a beer and a burger was our motivation to survive.
We enter the pub, find an open booth and I jokingly say "They don't have burgers here." I then scan the menu, and to my surprise... THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE BURGERS HERE! Which is unheard of for a brewpub (in our opinion.) They did have plenty of BBQ options that got rave reviews on yelp. But it was just one of those cases when you've got something on your mind, that's all you want. Luckily we drove past Fred's Burgers so we decided to stay and try few beers and munch on some sweet potato fries to hold us over... we'll hit up Fred's Burgers on our way back to San Diego.
Anyway, I tried a sample of the Willy Vanilly, it was good. It's a good girly beer, a wheat beer with a hint of vanilla. After that, I had a Red Card Ale and Chris tried an Ugly (love that name by the way!) The Red Card Ale was obviously a Red Ale and the Ugly was a Black IPA... both hoppy beers... but just hoppy enough. They also offer their beers as combinations, they all have quirky names. Chris tried the Willy Nelson (Willy beer + Nelson beer... obvious!) and I tried the 50/50 (Manderine Nectar + Willy Vanilly). Both were interesting in taste but we both decided that mine was better.
It was nice being able to sample more of the Alpine brews, we were always meaning to visit the actual brewery which is a few doors down but they're closed on Sundays. We'd totally recommend this place if: A. You love beer. B. You love BBQ C. You love (and I mean LOVE) punk rock music.
Good beer, but no burgers! -
Review from May H.
La Mesa, CA
11/14/2011
My family and I stopped in to the Alpine Beer Company last evening, around 5:30pm, hungry and ready to enjoy some of their wonderful beer. We had purchased beer in the past from the brewery, and were excited to try out the pub.
We walked in, and the place was busy. Our family of four was seated at a tall table, sitting on stools. Our order was taken quickly, and the waitstaff was friendly and knowledgeable. My Mandarin Nectar, and my husband's Nelson, were both awesome.
About 20 minutes later, our fried pickle appetizer arrived. A bit of a wait, but hey - we were enjoying the beer. We were so hungry, we finished it off in under 2 minutes.
The manager brought my hubby another beer, but since I was driving, it was now water for me.
Then we waited. And waited. And waited. Those tall, wooden stools without backs were getting VERY uncomfortable...
About 25 minutes after we devoured our pickle appetizer (yes, 45 minutes after ordering) the very nice manager guy came by and apologized for our wait. He offered to bring something like baked beans or potato salad for us... that didn't sound all that great, as we had our hearts set on the BBQ we'd been smelling. We wanted something hot... but that would have to go through the kitchen, so we thanked him and said no. He assured us our order was next - and should be out in 5 minutes.
Ten minutes later, some people in one of the booths left. We flagged down the manager and asked if we could please move, since our butts were numb from the stools. Right at that moment, a new group of four people came in. After dithering a bit, he decided he should seat the new people in that cushy booth.
By this time, we had been waiting for an hour. Our food had NOT appeared on the shelf by the kitchen, so we knew we weren't going to eat any time soon. At that point, we decided (over the strenuous objection of my stomach) that we were done with Alpine Beer Co.'s pub.
The pickles were great, and the beer was awesome. That's worth a star.
They get another star because the manager sincerely felt bad and recognized that they had a SLOW AS MOLASSES kitchen. He tried to make us feel better, and he ended up not charging us. That's worth another star.
Unfortunately, the experience deserves no additional stars, and we will not be back. -
Review from Brittni E.
Alpine, CA
3/21/2012
My husband and I have gone to the Alpine Brewpub a few times now and each time have been pleasantly surprised. The food is amazing and the beer is to die for. I got the pulled pork sandwich last time and it was melt in your mouth good. The BBQ sauce has a bit of a kick to it, but it's sooooo good. The only drawback is that it is a bit small. Being an Alpine local, I kind of understand how that goes since Alpine only has so much space and I don't mind waiting for a table if its not too crowded. The atmosphere is always fun and inviting and the decor is kind of retro and cool. The pricing and food is awesome and can't be beat so I will definitely be coming back!!
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Review from David L.
Tucson, AZ
4/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Both the beer-drinking and beer-making folks in the North (San Diego) County were raving about Alpine for a little while, and so I had to check it out for myself and see what all the fuss was about. I am happy to report not only how glad I am that I did, but that I'm so much wiser for doing so.
The beer menu is huge and full of variety, ranging from fundamentals such as the Alpine Pale to more grand strong-aged Barleywines such as the Great. They pull off each with wonderful precision and remarkable skill. One of my faves which I don't believe is there very often is the Ned Flanders, their take on a Belgian Sour or Geuze, if you will. These are hard to find at all, much less by folks who aren't in Belgium, and despite their increasing popularity lately (something I welcome, by the way), this was one of the best I've had.
The excellence in crafting all of the beers I tried match the ambition with which they dare to attempt such extensive styles at all, and I'm sure the rest of their offerings are of equal quality. Stay for the food, too, for they certainly don't slouch in that department, either.
In short, as is the mantra, "Drink Alpine Beer or go to bed!" -
Review from steve s.
Spring Valley, CA
3/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good BBQ in Alpine. This place was a great find. They brew there own great beer, and operate a small bbq based diner. The actual diner is rumered to be haunted by the original owner from the 40's. The watrice was one of the best I have ever had. I will return, with more people.
Rember to ask for sides like sweat potato fries, fried green beans, and other things not on the menue. -
Review from Austin D.
12/4/2010
SUMMARY: Decent food at reasonable prices. Fortunately, everything goes well with their many award winning beers on tap.
I was excited to finally try the food at this world class brewery. (They spent many months getting final permits to begin serving food). Small dining room, so we had to wait a few minutes before a table was open (which was fine; the tasting room is a great place to wait!)
For appetizers, the fried pickles were great (lightly battered, crunchy and cut lengthwise), but the buffalo wings weren't very good. We ordered "buffalo" style and were sure we were given BBQ instead. Not so; they smoked the chicken wings before adding the sauce, so that's just how their buffalo sauce tastes. Also, they were served as full wings (drums, wings, and useless pointy part all together). I don't care for that style since you don't get as much sauce slathered on (you or the wings).
The BBQ sauce is Memphis style, I was told (smokey, sweet, with chopped peppers & onions). I had the pulled pork sandwich with sweet potato fries (TIP: get the beer-battered fries; they're much better!) Pretty decent, but by no stretch the best barbecue I've had.
Service was warm and friendly.
Alpine's brewery/tasting room (separate Yelp entry: http://www.yelp.com/bi...) with their many award winning beers merits 5 stars, and the restaurant experience was 3, rounding out the entire experience to a solid 4.Listed in: Craft Beer Bliss, I ate on I-8 (east county)
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Review from Ray G.
Laguna Hills, CA
7/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
My buddies and I did our own IPA tour in San Diego. We went to Alpine Brewery, Alesmith, Ballast Point and Hess. Alpine was by far our FAVORITE!
The Duet was incredible. My favorite IPA is Pliny the Elder (okay, maybe Pliny the Younger) and Duet was giving Pliny a run for its money.
The food was fantastic. All my friends enjoyed their food too. -
Review from Jenny R.
San Diego, CA
2/5/2011
Short version: great beer, great food, fun place.
The food here tends toward the meaty side although they do have salads and a vegetarian sandwich. Pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, sausages, and delicious bbq sauce to slather on stuff. Whatever you're eating, you must get the beer-battered fries. Seriously, just get them. DO EET. The pulled pork sandwich includes some slaw in with the pork and the combination of textures and flavors is really good. I have not tried or seen the ribs, so no advice there.
The star attraction is, of course, the beer. Alpine brews a wide variety of styles, so there should be something on tap for just about every taste, unless you really like watery lite beers. If you don't like strong beer at all, try the Willy Vanilly if it's on tap - it's almost like a cream soda.
The only reason I'm not giving them five stars is that right now they seem to be a little bit overwhelmed by their own success. It's a tiny place and they don't have a front desk, so if it's crowded, folks wait around not aware they should have put their name on the list at the register. You can hang around in their rustic back yard while you wait, but they can't really serve food out there. Of course, you can also head a couple doors down to their actual brewery and tasting room and enjoy some tasters and get a growler fill while you wait. They do have good deals on growler fills. -
Review from Brian K.
9/29/2010
To my surprise, the spare ribs I ordered were really bad. They seemed like they were boiled and then put on a dish. You'd think that a plate of bad ribs would be cheap but they cost a pretty penny.
My friend's brisket was decent. Though it wasn't spicy for her, my face and sweat glands were having a field day with BBQ sauce =D Bright red face and sweat. Yeah, I know, hot (no pun intended).
Anyways, I'd come back to this place to try something else but I wouldn't order the spare ribs again.
The sides were okay. Green beans had flavor. Fries were, well, standard fries. The coleslaw was on the bland side.
ABCB isn't a place to really have a nice BBQ meal but to have some munchies with your cold, hoppy Alpine Beer Co. burrrrrrrrrr.
If you aren't on your way to Viejas (or somewhere near the vicinity or along the way to some other place), then I don't think it's really worth it. -
Review from Jen V.
Moreno Valley, CA
12/18/2010 3 photos
I was sooooo excited to try this place. I love trying new beers and their website lists the available beers, so I already had a couple in mind I was going to try. I get there and I start looking over the beers and realize -- of the 13 that were on tap, only 4 were NOT pale ales/IPAs. I don't like floral/hoppy beers -- at all. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT. I understand that they are a small brewery so they can't keep everything going on tap continuously. The website lists the "Special Beers" and "Seasonal Beers", but the Stout and Mandarin Nectar are "Available Beers", neither of which were available.
I got the Willy, Willy Nilly, Irish Red and Duet in the $6 sampler of 4 beers. The Duet is a pale ale, but she said it was a mild one -- I tried it and still didn't like it. The other three were fine, I liked the Irish Red a lot and even ordered a sample of the Barleywine style ale.
The place is small, but the decor/atmosphere is fun and relaxing. The menu is small, but the options are pretty good. Ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, salads and appetizers. All I ordered was the Black & Tan onion rings, but I really wanted to try the vegetarian sandwich. I just wasn't hungry enough.
I would not drive back to Alpine just for the brewery, but if I was there again I would probably stop. Hell! I would even recommend people to still stop and give it a try. They need to upload their food menu to the internet though.
3 stars for my disappointment over the lack of beer options. I am not going to call a place ahead of time and say "um . . . excuuuuuse me . . . what kind of beers do you have on tap?" Pale ales are such an acquired taste.
Bottom line. Don't go out of your way, but if you're in town & like IPAs. Why not? -
Review from Michelle P.
San Diego, CA
8/9/2010
I agree with Lana about the first review. Like many snarky yelpers, it sounds like Colleen was just looking for an excuse to bitch about something and picked the newly opened Alpine pub as the target of her nitpicks.
Anyway, my husband and I visited the pub late on Sunday afternoon. We're big fans of Alpine's beer and have been looking forward to the pub opening ever since we started reading about it becoming a possibility almost a year ago.
The servers: The servers weren't a bunch of tarted up girls, but were an inked beer scene-ish guy and a cute (not trashy) girl. Both were knowledgeable about Alpine's beer/food.
The atmosphere: Yes, the pub decor is more diner-esque than pub-esque, but it fit in with the laid back atmosphere. It was cool to see Pat (Alpine's founder/head brewer) kicking back and chatting with other customers. It was also nice to head to a beer place with a great tap list without all of the beer geeks in Pliny the Elder shirts blowing the vintage kegs in twenty minutes.
The tap list: The tap list included some of the usual Alpine suspects (Duet, Nelson), but included a few rarities (both 2009 and 2005(!) vintages of Great--Alpine's fantastic bourbon barrel aged barleywine, and Ned, Alpine's slightly sour Flanders red. Pours were cheaper than at any of the beer bars around North Park.
The food: Based on the buzz we had been reading, we both tried the pulled bbq pork sandwich. It did not disappoint. The pork was juicy and perfectly smoked. There was just enough of the spicy/sweet bbq sauce to add flavor (as opposed to drowning the sandwich). Portion sizes are "normal" as opposed to the Man Vs. Food sized plates that you get at some pubs, which was fine with me since I can't finish a huge sandwich anyway.
I'm giving the pub 4 stars because they were out of onion rings and because I reserve my 5 star reviews for places that I've visited multiple times and have tried multiple menu items...but this place has 5 star potential, and we will definitely be back.
In the time that you'd wait in line to place an order at Phil's you could drive up to Alpine and already be eating your super tasty pork sandwich AND be washing it down with a glass of a great beer.Listed in: Beer Heaven in San Diego
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Review from Vic C.
San Diego, CA
4/6/2011
I'm writing this review about the diner as well as the actual brewing company. It's awesome that such a treasure of a microbrew company has found a shop next door to provide food and tables for customers to sit down and enjoy some good ol' drinking.
-Prices: The prices are very decent.
-Choices: Easy list of choices, and also vegetarian friendly. A plethora of hot sauce bottles by the wall for customers to use.
-Quality: It's not Top Chef or something, but man, the crunch on the sandwiches when I ordered were crisped just right!
-Service: The waitresses were friendly and aware. They're knowledgeable about the brews that they serve.
-BEER: Let's say that I've had some experience with drinking local beer, as well as NorCal, Oregon, Colorado, all the way to Delaware and Europe. This family run operation rivals other nationally acclaimed family operated microbrew companies, such as Bear Republic. I love both just as much and shouldn't even compare them. If you want to find a nice selection of craft beer for a fair price, or if you're into the San Diego IPA taste, Alpine Brewing Co. will make your day. Try the beer flight if you're unsure what you like most. -
Review from Colleen D.
Placentia, CA
8/8/2010
It looks like my friend's awkwardly sexist grandpa decorated the inside of the Alpine Brewpub. Dozens of metal signs are plastered around the walls with phrases like "The more I drink, the better you look" and "Hippies use back door (no exceptions)" printed boldly around pin-up girl silhouettes or cartoons of guys that look like Tommy Chong.
I noticed one especially frightening decoration emblazoned with the double entendre "Squeeze me, Stomp me, Make me wine," which made me think of domestic abuse, first, and how the brewpub did not appear to serve wine, second.
To my surprise, the interior decorating was not done by a lewd, gun-toting older man, but by a middle-aged woman, with an apparently masochistic sense of humor. Or a good eye for marketing to the, obviously very specific, demographic of expected patrons.
It wasn't just the decor that made the restaurant feel like it was intended for horny rednecks; the visible employees were all female. Which would be great if not for the obviousness of their attire. (Flirtatious schoolgirl outfit? Check. Bombshell McGee-influenced East County bar outfit? Check!)
Listen, I know these are common ploys for trashy dive bars with only the Holy Trinity of American lagers (Bud, Miller, and Coors) on tap, but if you're brewing your own award-winning craft beers on site, you shouldn't have to resort to propping up eye-candy around the bar to draw in patrons. The quality of your beer should be enough to ensure the success of your establishment. Look at how successful Stone has become. That's because of their BEER, not their girls. You gettin' me, Alpine Beer Company?
Ultimately, instead of relaxing at the pub and enjoying some meticulously crafted brews, I felt like I was visiting the Double Deuce in its early days. It seems inevitable that in the near future, fights will break out here, women will be scorned, and someone will have to hire a bouncer. I couldn't wait to get out of this place minutes after we sat down at the bar. It's also unbearably hot inside. Fans and open doors don't do much when it's 90 degrees outside.
Alright. My diatribe on the pub's atmosphere is over. What about the beer? Well, I like Alpine Beer Co. for the most part. They have some pretty interesting beers. Thus far, I've been happy getting those beers at the original brewery and since it's literally like three doors down in the same building, I thought I'd be equally happy getting those beers at the pub. For some reason, however, (maybe the tapping process, maybe the kegs) the beer doesn't quite taste the same. It's certainly not bad, but it's sharper and stronger in a way. It's not as comforting as the smooth beer that comes straight out of the brewing machines.
So the atmosphere sucks and the beer isn't as fresh as you can get it at the brewery. I guess the only reason to go to the pub is for the food, which I didn't try. Maybe, for some reason, I'll end up there again and I'll try the food and my opinion of the pub will change. But I doubt it. -
Review from Jennifer E.
Tucson, AZ
Alpine beer was all the rage in San Diego so we decided to check it out for ourselves. The place is pretty small but it has a homey feel to it. As we sat at the bar trying to decide what beer to order the bartender suggests we get a sampler. What a great idea! You choose 4 beers so we got to taste 8! I tried the Alpine Ale, Willy Vanilly, Mandarin Nectar and Irish Red. I really liked the vanilla and the red.
We ordered food too. It is a small menu but it is diverse. I choose a sausage sandwich and my bff had the chicken sandwich. Both sandwiches were good. We also got a variety of sauces to choose from for our fries.
All in all a good little place to find beer. If you want a growler you need to go across the way to the brew shop. -
Review from Jesse Q.
Escondido, CA
10/22/2010 4 Check-ins Here
What can I say? I do like the place!
I have been a fan of Pat's hoppy beers since the first sip. I believe I took that day Pure Hoppiness (though it may have been exponential hoppiness but then again it was 3 years ago or so).
Once I found out the restaurant/brewpub was on its way I could not wait to stop by and see what they had done with the place, except it did take years (almost literally) for the brewpub to open.
I stopped the first time and the place was half full on a Thursday afternoon, it was between lunch and dinner and even so there was plenty of people.
It took me a minute to get the attention of the server (bartender) and I got a beer, I guess they could get a little better with that. After I ordered my lunch it took about 10 minutes to get served however there was a beer in front of me so I did not get bored...
Once the food came in, it was good!
I got a pulled pork sandwich and it was really good, they had extra sauce on the table and I guess I am a sucker for BBQ Sauce. The fries were supposed to be beer battered and there was not much of it but they were tasty anyhow.
Good food and a great beer...there are not many places in San Diego where you can get that, glad Alpine has something I can look forward to! -
Review from Dung N.
4/15/2011 1 photo
I ordered food because I don't really drink, but my friend does. He had 2 beers and was feeling tipsy already. I had the french dip and beer battered fries and I must say they are really tasty fries! I tried his pulled pork sandwich and it was also good. His shoestring fries were okay. They did take a bit long to bring our food, but overall the people are friendly and the place is kinda small. There is a cute girl bartender working there. :)
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Review from Xavier L.
Ontario, CA
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Craft beer and bbq what could be better? I had the bbq beef brisket with the beer batter fries, it was awesome one of the best bbq sandwiches I had had, it was full of flavor and I could tell it was does right with a smoke flavor in the meat. The fries were equally good! The beer was awesome I had the Nelson and Tuatara. The service was awesome, it was busy and we still had two waitresses come up to asking if we are okay and gave us great recomendations on the beer since I alsmost ordered a lighter beer! I can't wait to go back!
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Review from Nicole S.
San Diego, CA
12/20/2011
Fish Tacos and pub chips were tasty. A variety of sauces to choose from that made dipping so much better. The beer selection was great - we came in after SD beer week and they still had some rares on tap. The usual would of been fine too. The server, she was kind, and beer and food was served hot n' fresh. Cute little place to dine in for food and drinks. The brewery next store is great for cheap tasters. I'd recommend going in there first then buying a few pints and the pub.
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Review from David R.
San Diego, CA
9/9/2010
So, we walk into the Alpine pub for the first time, and we are greeted with "Hello! Welcome!" from none other than Pat himself. I felt like the experience continued exactly the same way throughout our visit. Everyone was very friendly, had knowledge of the beer they were serving, and genuinely wanted our experience to be a good one.
The food? Excellent. I'm really picky about my barbecue, so I was very happy to find out that we have another great place for pulled pork in San Diego. The wings were fantastic, as well. Genuine, full wings. Not "wings" and "drumettes" pulled apart.
The decor is made up largely of old metal signs that Target sells. It's not my cup of tea, but the great thing is that you can ignore them. Much like you can ignore lame reviews. -
Review from Phil O.
San Diego, CA
12/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
At 3pm, a non-normal lunch hour, the place is packed. But if you have some killer beer and add food, what would you expect? Recommend fried pickles. Can't go wrong with the beer.
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Review from Mike M.
Vista, CA
3/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Alpine brewing... enough said. Onion rings are outa this world, beef brisket sandwich is my favorite.
