Jeff Silver has many fond memories of his time attending the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Though he’s 23 years removed from graduation day, he’s maintained ties with his alma mater via its alumni organization and work with the Graduate Student Association. His involvement with the latter formed the connection for a project involving his Mira Mesa-based business that came to fruition last month when the Rough Draft Brewing Company Pub debuted at UCSD’s new Mesa Nueva student-housing complex.
Silver remembers the intense hours of study he put in as a college student and how vital having a place to socialize and blow off steam was. His favorite haunt at the time was the Round Table Pizza at the centrally located Price Center. Mesa Nueva residents won’t even need to venture that far. Rough Draft’s bar is equipped with 12 taps and a small bar with indoor seating. A roll-up door gives way to an outdoor patio that includes a pool with two Jacuzzis. The latter are available for use by residents and beer may be consumed within them, however no glassware is allowed in the area.
Silver utilized one of Rough Draft’s duplicate Type 23 licenses, which required the blessing of regulatory agencies such as the local office of the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). As one might expect, there were those who were skeptical about installing a venue serving alcoholic beverages on campus, but in the end UCSD elected to trust in the responsibility of its student body. But Rough Draft’s is not the only project of its kind happening on campus. Consortium Holdings is also in the process of renovating the former site of Porter’s Pub into an additional iteration of its popular bar-and-restaurant concept, Soda and Swine.
