In the Last Week


A couple days ago, the TAPS Brewery & Barrel Room opened. Instead of a brewery as part of a restaurant now the brewers have their own “tasting room and full-scale production brewery in a 19,000-square-foot space.”

Of course there will be food too, and not just random food trucks, it will be a TAPS food truck. Serving up “dishes as bulgogi beef masa fries, bánh mì bacon-wrapped hot dogs, and a hippie burger.”

Under the direction of Kyle Manns, “the brewery will begin by producing 5,000 barrels the first year, with a capacity of 25,000 barrels annually. TAPS’ barrel-aged beer program will have its own dedicated, 350-capacity barrel room.”

Another benefit, more to-go options as well with 12oz bottles, 32-oz “crowlers” and 64oz growlers as well as barrel-aged brews (in the future) in 500ml format bottles.

More details below:

“The opening line-up for TAPS award-winning brews may include The American Cream (formerly Cream Ale), Irish Red, Flex IPA, Amend This!, Keller Pils, The Velvet Hog, West Coast Pilsner, Hefeweizen, Ponderosa Pale, Hopsteppa, Hiya! and barrel-aged Silent Warrior available in draft and bottles, as well as other rotating, small batch, barrel-aged beers.”

The taproom is located at 15501 Red Hill Ave. near the Tustin Legacy and the hours will be Monday-Thursday 3 p.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday 3 p.m. – midnight; Saturday 11 a.m. – midnight; Sunday 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

New Taps


TAPS Fish House & Brewery, already a mini-chain with three TAPS restaurants, will expand next with a not-restaurant. Opening early next year will be a full-scale production brewery and tasting room in Tustin.

“The new TAPS concept, which will include a 1,900-square-foot tasting room, a patio with a 12-seat fire pit, and multiple TVs and videogames.” There will be 16 TAPS beers on tap as well as bottle choices.

This should give the talented brewing combo of David Huls, Kyle Manns and Jonathan Chiusano much more “head room” to make their award winning beers and allow for more luxuries like crowlers and growlers to go.