It’s the first brewery ever in Downtown Disney and with it comes elevated pub food and a giant 2,500 square-foot patio. Ballast Point Brewery & Kitchen will be the hangout for craft brew fans. The brewery has eight other locations, including Long Beach, Chicago and of course its home base in San Diego.
After a soft opening last weekend, the place was revealed to the public on Wednesday, Jan. 16 with a fun ceremony that celebrated the brewery’s seafaring brand. A ship’s rope instead of a ribbon was cut to the strains of — wait for it — the swashbuckling theme from Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Here’s a look at the new location.
Background: Part of the ongoing renovation of Downtown Disney, Ballast Point adds a casual, nautical touch to its surroundings. The San Diego-based brewery is a local favorite and is sure to mesh with its neighbors, said Ballast Point Senior Vice President of Craft and Specialty, Marty Birkel. “San Diego is our home and that’s where a lot of the inspiration comes from,” Birkel said. “It’s been wonderful working with Disney.”
The look: Although the look is casual, Ballast Point offers more than you’d ever expect from a typical craft brew tasting room, with 4,000 square feet of space divided into beer garden patio, dining room, bar and a merchandise corner that also offers beer to go. It’s the former Build-A-Bear spot and the new patio was built on top of the roof of Wetzel’s Pretzels. The old patio, deemed too sunny, was enclosed and the walls were fitted with windows that open up to a view of Catal’s Uva Bar on the promenade below. RIM Architects of Tustin and contractor R Douglas Construction of San Diego worked with Ballast Point to bring its signature look to this new space with seating for 216. Wooden ribbing mimics the hull of a ship. A mural on one side explains the brewery’s logo in pictures. Another mural of sketches by Paul Elder shows early drawings of what later became beer labels. Wooden accents, lamps and other touches fit right in. There’s a decorative wall of 400 taps. Even the beer flight holder is fitted with boat tie downs. These and a few other features were handcrafted by Ballast Point employees.
The menu: Only about 10 percent of the menu is nationwide. Chefs at Ballast Point have free reign to create dishes exclusive to their own locations, says Corporate Executive Chef Colin MacLaggan. And the menu will change regularly. “We have such a vast array of beers we have to keep up with the seasons because we have new beers coming in all the time,” he says. Executive Sous-Chef Joey Lerma turned out samples of entrees for the opening event such as Soyrizo & Roasted Cauliflower Tacos ($14) with house-made corn tortillas, avocado, chipotle tofu aioli, escabeche, cilantro, chips and salsa. That dish is completely vegan and gluten-free. Among the more indulgent items are plenty of appetizers such as the addictive bourbon and brown sugar chicken wings with ranch dressing for dipping ($15) and the “Wahoo White” Beer Steamed Mussels ($18) with ginger, garlic, shallots, serrano chili, shishito peppers, Spanish chorizo and a baguette for sopping up the broth — it would pair well with a 16-ounce Wahoo White Belgian-style witbier ($11). Save room for Crème Brûlée Cheesecake or “Victory at Sea” S’mores ($9).
The beer: The house-made brews will be produced in a three-barrel system set in a prominent place in the pub. More suds will be brought in to supply 50 taps with something for everyone: IPAs, ambers, ales, porters, sours, lagers, small batch and barrel aged varieties. There are four-ounce tasters for $3.75; flights of four styles for $13; and 16-ounce pours from $11-$13. Of course there’s wine and Ballast Point is even considering brewing root beer for the kiddies.
The last word: Ben Dollard, president of Ballast Point and of parent company Constellation’s Craft and Specialty department, says the place already feels like a landmark. “We were sitting here last night and people were coming in and it had a warm and authentic feel. It’s a happy experience.”
Ballast Point Brewery & Kitchen
Find it: 1540 S. Disneyland Drive, 714-687-9813, ballastpoint.com.
Open: 10 a.m.-midnight daily.
