The journey to the debut of Northern Pine Brewing Company may have taken longer than its owners would have expected or preferred, but after more than a year of hard work, the Oceanside brewpub is set to open its doors to the public this Friday, October 27. Built around a thematic celebrating community, the outdoors and beer, the business has been delayed by permitting and other items outside ownership’s control, but the team made good use of that time, putting finishing touches on a stylish eatery and brewing beers that will be tapped this weekend.
Located on the corner of Horne Street and Civic Center Drive, the brewpub is a joint venture of Northern Pine and the restaurateurs behind popular downtown Oceanside barbecue spot, That Boy Good. The latter specializes in Southern Louisiana-style BBQ and will have a limited menu available during the opening weekend, however, a large kitchen will eventually allow the business to offer its entire menu along with a full suite of catering services. TBG’s original eatery on Coast Highway will soon be converted to a new concept called Miss Kim’s which will serve po’ boy sandwiches, gumbo and some of the classic ‘cue recipes.
Similar to the food plan, the initial menu of Northern Pine beers will be smaller than the eventual ten taps’ worth. A total of six will be available, most of which represent styles that will appeal to a broad variety of palates. The line-up of balanced ales will include Turning Point cream ale, Midnight Walker amber ale (which tastes a bit like a brown ale due to a one-time use of alternative, more roasty grains), a SMASH (single-malt and single-hop) ale brewed with Maris Otter and Northern Brewer hops, Golden Horizon India pale ale (IPA) and Dark Traditions porter. A California common, stout and another IPA are also on-deck.
Northern Pine’s black exterior belies inviting interiors with rows of communal tables flanked on one side by an open brewhouse (that includes components created by the team at Monster Garage, and is setup for near-term expansion), a shanty-like ordering counter for That Boy Good, and a main bar with taps and a metal rendition of the company’s logo built into a wall of logs hand-chopped by the owners. A local artist painted a pastoral mountain range onto the wall. That scene will be used as a backdrop for the bar’s tap list. Additional art, including diagrams explaining the brewing process, can be found in the restrooms, while one of the owners’ shared mottos—let’s get lost—is inscribed on the dining room’s south wall. An outdoor patio will be added to the front of the restaurant at a later date.
Northern Pine’s located at 326 North Horne Street. A date has yet to be set, but ownership is planning an official grand-opening event that will include live music, photo booths, giveaways and more.
