Strauss’ menu has extra hops

Greer Wylder

“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”

-- BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

In San Diego, Karl Strauss is a household name. It’s an eponymous

chain of quality brewery restaurants and Southern California’s

largest microbrewery company.

Strauss was born at a brewery in Minden, Germany, where his father

was president of a small brewery. He earned a degree in the science

of malting and brewing from the Weihenstephan University in Munich.

After immigrating to the U.S. in 1939, he spent 44 years working at

the Pabst Brewing Company, 25 of those years as Pabst’s master

brewer. During the company’s peak production, Strauss brewed an

average of 17 million barrels of beer annually.

Strauss’ second career took off in 1989, when his brewery

restaurant opened in downtown San Diego. Now there are four Strauss

restaurants in the San Diego area, a Karl Strauss Handcrafted Beer

Bar at LAX, and a location at CityWalk at Universal Studios. Strauss

personally trains the brew masters, formulates the beers and designs

the company’s brewery operations.

Orange County’s first Karl Strauss Brewery Restaurant opened two

years ago at Metro Pointe at South Coast Drive in Costa Mesa.

Although it’s a beer-themed restaurant, the menu is not standard bar

fare -- heavy on burgers and fries. Its culinary director, Chef Louie

Jocson, elevated the selections to include fresh seafood, grill

items, wood-oven pizzas, as well as sandwich and burger selections.

He even created dishes that pair with Karl Strauss beers, and notes

his choices on the menu.

Jocson graduated from the California Culinary Academy in San

Francisco and was honored as one of the “Great Chefs of Orange

County.” His brother, Carlito Jocson, is the executive chef of the

Yard House in Costa Mesa. Louie is a great admirer of his brother’s

culinary skills. The brothers create menus for competing restaurants,

going after the same beer-loving crowd that also appreciates good

food, yet Karl Strauss Brewery Restaurant and the Yard House share

nominal similarities. The latter serves high-quality foods, has up to

180 beers on tap from international and local breweries, but not its

own draft beer.

Popular favorites include boneless chicken tenders ($8.50);

flame-broiled salmon salad with honey mustard sauce ($11.95); grilled

sirloin steak with Stout peppercorn mushroom sauce ($17.95); and the

soy-ginger seared ahi ($16.95). The chocolate on tap, warm chocolate

brownies, vanilla ice cream layered with chocolate and caramel sauce,

whipped cream and toasted almonds ($6.50) is the most requested

dessert.

Karl Strauss only serves its handcrafted beers brewed on the

premises. To ensure freshness, they brew limited quantities. Ten

selections range from light- and full-bodied ales (floral or fruity

notes, high content of hops and bite at finish) to light and dark

lagers (malt tones in front, clean, balanced finish). Recipes rotate.

Ten beers are always available, six are staple selections and four

change each season.

Popular choices include the Windansea Wheat Hefeweizen, a true

Bavarian-style wheat beer that’s unfiltered. Its complex flavor has

hints of bananas, clove and vanilla. Then there’s the Bavarian-style

Karl Strauss Amber Lager with caramel and toffee flavors and the

special release, Horton’s Hootch, a high alcohol, full-flavored

German doppelbock. Beers can be sampled in 5-ounce tasters, pints,

22-ounce Brewer’s pints and 64-ounce pitchers.

Continuous beer-themed events include Thursday night happy hours

from 9 p.m. to midnight. Pitchers are half-priced, mixed drinks and

shots are $3. Appetizers are priced from $3.95 to $5.95, mini pizzas

$3.99. There is a Mug Club for the beer-obsessed, or “beer geeks” as

they’re fondly called (most members show up daily). For an annual

membership fee of $39.95, Mug Club members receive a personalized mug

and special beer prices. Each month, a tour and tasting event is

offered.

The restaurant is so enthusiastic about beer that even its decor

features a beer theme. The focal point is an open-air oval bar, and

off to one side, glass-enclosed fermenting tanks. The contemporary

design features dark woods, bamboo flooring, granite and copper

accents with warm amber lighting. Nine televisions tune into sports

channels; background music is coffee house and classic rock. The

sprawling restaurant seats nearly 300, with an additional 200 outdoor

patio seats, and a private room seats 40 with its own flat-screen TV.

* BEST BITES runs every Friday. Greer Wylder can be reached at

[email protected]; at 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627; or by

fax at (949) 646-4170.