12,000-Square-Foot Distillery and Restaurant Debuts in Oceanside

To coincide with the anniversary of Repeal Day, which brought about the end of Prohibition, Pacific Coast Spirits, San Diego’s newest craft distillery and restaurant, is grand opening to the public today with a Prohibition-themed party that will mark the first launch of its single malt whiskey; made in small batches, the flagship American Single Malt whiskey will be released twice a year.

Spanning 12,000-square-feet on South Coast Highway, the company was founded by head distiller Nicholas Hammond. Though he comes from winemaking family, Hammond has spent the last decade traveling and training in the spirits industry, from studying pisco production in Chile and tequila in Mexico to working at distilleries in Texas and Los Angeles. The former mechanical engineer is currently pursuing a master’s degree in distilling and brewing through Heriot-Watt University in Edinburg, Scotland.

Courtesy photo

At his Oceanside facility, Hammond is making gin, vodka, brandy, an agave spirits, and variations on whiskey that include bourbon, white whiskey, and the aforementioned single malt.

Open Wednesday through Sunday, the site also include a cocktail bar and farm-to-table restaurant serving lunch and dinner. Executive chef Nick Shaller’s menu of shareable plates ranges from local fish crudo to a sampler of housemade bacon and fried chicken with a cornbread waffle that’s made from the distillery’s spent grain.