25,000-Square-Feet of Beer, Food, Mini Golf, and More Slated for La Mesa

The Cohn Restaurant Group (CRG) is expanding its presence in La Mesa; the family-owned hospitality group, which operates Coin Haus and BO-beau kitchen + garden in the neighborhood as well as more than 25 restaurants and bars in Southern California and Hawaii, will drop a new brewery, restaurant, and recreational venue called Draft Republic Brewing Co. on a two-acre parcel in the East County community.

Purchased for $1.8 million, the lot includes a partially-built 12,000-square-foot brewing facility that will house a 15-barrel system by Specific Mechanical Systems; it was originally meant for another project, dubbed Depot Springs Beer Co., but that plan fizzled and the property was put up for sale earlier this year.

The Franco Realty Group represented the deal, which starts construction this October with an opening projected for Fall 2019. Locally-based architecture firm Marengo Morton is on board for the design of the venue, which will span an open-air restaurant space and full cocktail bar, a 13,000-square-foot dog-friendly patio and beer garden with a children’s play area, shuffleboard, and bocce ball courts, as well as a lush 18-hole miniature golf course with a $500,000 price tag.

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Its menu is still in development but will include gourmet sandwiches, salads and burgers. The house beer will also be served at CRG’s Draft Republic gastropubs in La Jolla and Carlsbad in addition to its other eateries. The group is currently interviewing brewmasters to lead the brewing operations; locals with long memories will recall that in the late 90s, the Cohns ran Hang Ten Brewing in the Gaslamp.