The East Village has a new brewpub, and it's a beaut. Siblings Stacy and Dan Drayne, whose family runs The Field Irish Pub, have branched out with their own Irish-inflected project, which has transformed a 4,000-square-foot 1900s-era building owned by Creative House's Douglas Hamm into Half Door Brewing Co.
Nearly half the brewpub's seating is outside, on a wrap-around patio perched above street level, which offers a peek into Half Door's 10BBL brewhouse. Head brewer Dan already release his first house beer, a dry Irish stout, with more to come in the next two weeks, including a pale ale, IPA, red ale and Berlinerweisse. Half Door's beverage program extends to 15 guest beers and cocktails that range from spirit-forward to beer-infused and fruit-sweetened.
The brewpub will start off with dinner service, but in a week or so will extend their hours to lunch. By that time, the upstairs deck, with an unobstructed view into Petco Park, will be open for seating. Future plans also include weekend brunch.
House beers are incorporated into the brewpub's menu, adding flavor and body to their fish and chips, a beer cheese sauce served with pretzel bites and the beer-braised short ribs for the puff pastry-topped brewer's pie. Starters range from ahi tuna tacos to sage scotch eggs, salads and flatbreads; mains include curry mussels, a grilled hanger steak and an Irish white cheddar-topped burger.
