I like to try new beer. Given the option between drinking that which is familiar and that which is unknown, I will almost always choose the latter and this is true not only for beer, but with other foods and beverages. I was on a recent beercation in Carlsbad, California and I knew I would be visiting several new breweries, but much to my pleasant surprise, one of the highlights of the trip wasn’t a brewery, but rather a beer bar of sorts. The establishment that really caught my fancy was Barrel Republic, a self- serve beer bar in Carlsbad, CA.
Help Yourself
Barrel Republic’s claim to fame is its self- pour concept and for the uninitiated, it is certainly a concept that is bound to come with several questions. How does it work? How do you pay for what you drink? Is there a limit to what you can get? Do they keep track of what you pour and if so, how?
These are all valid questions, so let’s begin by explaining the Barrel Republic concept. Each guest receives an electronic wristband upon entry. Barrel Republic personnel take your name and load it into the electronic device, plus add a prepaid balance. Then, guests are let loose to walk around and find a tap of beer they wish to sample. The beer name, alcoholic strength, price per ounce, etc. are clearly displayed above each tap.
To activate the tap, all you do is hold your electronic bracelet up to a specific spot above the tap. You know you got it right when it displays your name and balance and lights up green. All that is left to do is hold a glass under the tap and pull the handle toward you, dispensing exactly the amount you want. Once you push the tap back in place, the electronic display above the tap will tell you how much you tapped and how much you spent.
Freedom to Pour
Barrel Republic’s customer- friendly operation concept is one I had heard of before, but never experienced until I paid a visit here as part of a beercation experience and I definitely liked what I saw. I prefer to sample many different beers when I visit a beer bar, but I don’t always like the standard sizes that most bars offer. Even some of the best beer bars offer only a few glass size options (6 oz., 12 oz., 16 oz., for example) and you are stuck accepting what you get.
At Barrel Republic, you control the size of the pour. Perhaps you only want a small, one ounce sample of that double IPA your best friend recommended. Maybe you want a somewhat larger, four ounce pour to really study a beer and its complex flavors and aromas. Perhaps you found a beer you really like and want to fill your glass to the brim. Whatever you want, no problem- the freedom to pour concept places you, the customer, directly in charge. And if you would rather drink wine or a soft drink, Barrel Republic has you covered, with sets of taps for each.
Some Food with Your Beer
Barrel Republic is a place I would recommend even if beer and other beverages were all that was offered. But Barrel Republic isn’t just a place to drink beer, wine, or soft drinks. Management knows that food is an integral part of malt beverage enjoyment and so they have a menu of items focused on finger foods intended to be shared, like the bacon wrapped pork belly lollipops and lamb meatballs, both of which were a huge hit with my beercation group. They serve some larger items as well, like burgers and tacos, with toppings and preparation that place each item on the menu a step above the ordinary.
Great Concept for Beer Lovers
Barrel Republic is a place like few others. Where else can you walk straight to any tap of your choosing and serve yourself the beer you like best in the quantity of you prefer? It’s a concept whose time has come and one that I hope catches on in more places across the United States.
Skeptics of the pour- your- own idea are probably concerned about over-consumption but this fear is quickly laid to rest once you experience Barrel Republic first hand and find out how the system works. I, too, was a little concerned at first. I knew that a business with self- serve concept certainly had answers/solutions to such issues, but I wasn’t one- hundred percent sure what the answers were.
Now that I understand everything, I can say with confidence that over-consumption is not a concern, at least not any more of a concern than it would be at any bar. In fact, I would even argue that the self- pour idea is less likely to lead to overdoing it and the reason is because you, the customer, control how much you drink. In a conventional bar setting, you are stuck drinking whatever number of ounces is placed in front of you and while you could certainly leave some beer behind, most people will not do that- particularly the craft beer faithful. If the beer is there, they will consume, even if they don’t really want any more. There is no such problem at Barrel Republic because you pour and drink only what you want.
Barrel Republic currently has three locations: Carlsbad, Oceanside, and Pacific Beach. They had about 45 taps of beer from which to choose when I visited the Carlsbad location, plus a handful of wines. I like how each beer is labeled with its name, price per ounce, and alcohol level. It lets consumers decide what to drink at a glance, without the need to consult with the wait staff. About the only thing I would add to this is the name of the state or country where the beer is brewed. Craft beer geeks like to know this information and it would be simple enough to add this to the electronic information display for each beer.
Self- serve beer at a bar or restaurant is a concept that beer lovers once fantasized about, but that dream is now reality. Pay a visit next time you’re in this west coast paradise and experience the freedom to pour difference at Barrel Republic in Carlsbad, California.
We like the cbad atmosphere! As we r locals. Been there a few times and definitely going back !