For some reason, everyone I know drinks beer, mostly because most people I know are through my running and no one ever runs without finishing off the last mile with an ice cold beer. Its just the fact! Ask anyone. In fact my favorite races are still the ones that have beer garden at the end!

Last Sunday I was invited to check out the newly opened TAPS Brewery & Barrel Room in Tustin. I am not new to TAPS brand. I have been going to TAPS from their Brea days, and they are pretty serious about beers, but their beer brand has always been overshadowed by brunch menu and oyster selections at their restaurant, but not anymore.

When I accepted to go I wasn’t quite prepared to see a 19000 sqft brewery space with all its seriousness to produce upto 25,000 barrels annually eventually! I have always been fan of their beers, that I got to try with my friend Amber at both their Catch and TAPS restaurants. You definitely get to see and try them here at the tasting room. Tasting room is an understatement. Its not some underground 4 seat mini bar as I was expecting. Its a pretty big solid space, with beautiful ambiance, and view to the barrels and beer room.

I was thoroghly impressed with their selections of beer at this location. Obviously with all the focus on beer, they brought out all their finest beers, and some more here on tap! IPAs are all the rage these days, and sure enough TAPS IPAs are quite up there with other competition(they are award winning beer after all!). My abslolute favorite, was their grapefruit IPA! If you don’t have anything else to do for rest of the day you can opt for their barrel aged Doppleblock(10%) or Silent Warrior(11.5%). Too liquerish for my taste, but lot of people seem to like these!

They don’t have license for a kitchen to make food, so they creatively worked this around by instituting a food truck outside, that offers wide selection of ‘street food inspired’ menu items. I personally want Pizza and Mac & Cheese with my beer, but their take on beer food is pretty good as well! I absolutely loved the pretzel and IPA combination!! so good!

Brewery tours are available on weekends after 3pm! I highly recommend!

I didn’t take my dog Patrick with me who usually accompanies me on my runs, however, knowing they do have open seating outside, and they are dog friend, I totally would next time!

Now if I only I can convince Tustin Hangar Half Marathon Race director to talk to TAPS Brewery so they can setup a beer garden at our next race – that would be wonderful!

Their web page: http://www.tapsbrewery.com/

Location: 15501 Red Hill Ave, Tustin, California (they are across from the rescue mission hospital)

Hours: Weekdays they are open after 3pm, and weekends, after 11am!