3R Brewery
Melissa Jacobs
Southern California’s first tribally owned and operated brewery, Rincon Reservation Road Brewery, recently opened their first taproom off tribal land in Ocean Beach. It’s been quite a journey to open a second location in order to “share our culture by way of our beer,” explains Ruth-Ann Rodriguez Thorn, board chair of the Rincon Economic Development Corporation. “We opened our Valley Center tasting room at our brewery on the reservation in January 2020. Opening the Ocean Beach 3R Brewery tasting room one year later is a wonderful next chapter for our tribe.”
A private preview preceded the official grand opening on January 16 and featured a sacred blessing performed by members of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians. Tribal chairman Bo Mazzetti led the ribbon cutting, followed by bird singers, who performed a number of traditional songs. Chef Ron Oliver prepared Indigenous American dishes that included smoked salmon with chia seeds, a wewish (acorn porridge)-inspired dish, “beeramisu” (tiramisu made with 3R beer) and their signature fry bread. Once their food service license is finalized, Oliver’s cuisine will become a permanent part of the 3,000-square-foot space.
Beers at the taproom include their Red Rattler amber ale, Luiseño hazy IPA, Tuupash blueberry saison, Oasis blonde ale, and several others brewed at their flagship location in Valley Center. Beer cocktails are also available, including a “beermosa,” micheladas, and more.
Thorn promises that this expansion will not be the last. “The OB tasting room is just the start,” she says. “We are already planning to expand to a second location off the reservation in San Diego sometime this year.”
Visit the new tasting room at 4836 Newport Avenue; 3Rbrewery.com.
