Now on Tap in La Jolla: The Public House

Think you can guzzle 80 pints of beer in 80 consecutive days? You should, then, probably be considering a detox program from a local spa. Or perhaps you're simply pining for a Euro-trip of sorts, hitting several of Belgium’s best craft breweries, all expenses paid, care of the new kid on the block:  The Public House, 830 Klein St. in La Jolla, home of more than 21 constantly rotating draft beers, dozens of bottles and burgers made of humanely-raised meats.

The 80-pint endeavor, which will send one lucky—and ardent—customer on a European pub crawl, is ideal for people like La Jolla resident Kyle Nordrehaug, who sips one to two brews daily from his home tap and area spots like The Public House.

“I make a point of going to beer pubs or places that serve out of the ordinary beers,” he said. “They have sort of a gourmet selection of beers [at The Public House].”

Maintaining an inspiring array of brews takes considerable research. Tommaso Maggiore, owner of The Public House and sister spot Encinitas Ale House, balks not at the process, which takes him to places such as Belgium and Germany, where he plans to celebrate Oktoberfest this September with the elite winner of the 80 in 80 contest and employees from his two locations.

To enter the contest, simply try 80 beers in 80 days and be entered to win. For more details, visit the-publichouse.com or call 858-551-9210.

“It’s definitely not horrible to go on vacation and drink beer and write it off as a business expense,” he said. “We went to a Belgian beer festival in a square in Brussels last year and had the opportunity to taste quite a few things not in the states. Come to find out there are some importers and distributors that have the ability to [get those beers here].”

Good news for beer enthusiasts desperately seeking something outside of the popular San Diego craft beer scene. Dubbed by many the craft brew capital of the U.S., San Diego is home to breweries such as AleSmith, Ballast Point, GreenFlash,  and Stone—the latter on its way to setting up a location in Europe. Yet you won’t find many of these names in The Public House’s lineup.

“It’s more of a lifestyle in Belgium than it is here,” said Maggiore. “I have an appreciation for where the whole brewing process came from. These countries that we get some of these beers from have been doing it for 100 years, so they obviously have a pretty decent idea of how to do it at this point.”

In fact, a guest is more apt to find local produce on Maggiore’s menu than local beer.

“I’m basically focusing on the same things as Encinitas Ale House: Pub-style food, but kicked up an extra notch. [I’m] using all organic ... sustainably farmed produce,” he said.

All meats, from beef, bison and lamb to duck, rabbit, wild boar and ostrich, are humanely-raised, he said. He sources beef for most burgers from Brandt Ranch in Brawley and, for a deluxe, 10-ounce grass-fed Kobe Wagyu burger, from Australia’s Greg Norman Farms.

Being particular not only translates to ingredients at The Public House, but also style. Beers are served in vessels specifically created for them—or as close as Maggiore can find—á la the best pubs in Belgium.

“[In Belgium], if they don’t have a clean glass for that particular beer, you basically have to wait until they can get their hands on one and wash it and pour it for you,” he recalled. “You pour it in a standard pint glass instead of what it’s supposed to go into and there are definitely subtle differences in the flavors.”

Maggiore’s zeal also renders many a successful recommendation for customers like Nordrehaug, who said he’s never been steered wrong. Recently craving Chimay, he asked for a staff recommendation. They reciprocated with an off-his-radar Tripel Karmeliet, which he was surprised to find he liked even better than Chimay.

“Normally I sort of know my way around [San Diego beer] because of the local beers, but I go to a pub for having a selection or having something I can’t get in a bottle or very easily,” Nordrehaug said. “Tomasso [and] all of the employees ... always have a good recommendation for me.”