Newport Beach Brewing Company

TheLongBeachBum

California

3.23/5  rDev -11%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2 | selection: 4 | $$

With the Friday VIP and Evening session coupled with a full Saturday at the Pizza Port 2006 Strong Ale Festival under our belts, what better way to spend a Sunday that drinking yet more beer!! The drive from Carlsbad back to Long Beach seemed a little too far so along with BA’s Erica, Seagoat and HoppyJess we first stopped off at Hi-Times in Costa Mesa for some beer shopping. Then it was a reasonably short ride from there down to Newport Beach Brewing.

Of all the times that I have been to Hi-Times, I simply cannot believe that I have never taken the 10 minute drive and opportunity to hit up the nearby Newport Beach, so this was my first visit here.

Set in the Balboa Peninsula area it is situated on Newport Beach Boulevard where it forks between 29th and 30th Streets, and is just off to your left as you head South, a set of lights will allow you to turn left here down 30th Street, this in turn will allow you to gain access to the Parking Lot at the back of the main building.

Parking was tight, the back lot was almost full but whilst I managed to steal the last remaining spot Seagoat and HoppyJess struggled for a while. And if you think about winging the street parking rules - Don’t!! Because the little Hitler’s that patrol the streets were here checking frequently and you will probably end up with a ticket, so park wisely.

The entrance at the back is to the right of a large grain silo, which is hard to miss thanks to the fact that it is painted in a bright canary yellow. On the Silo are the names of the many brews on sale here; of note was the fact that the words “John Wayne Imperial Stout” had been painted over and replaced with the description “Dead Cowboy Stout”…same beer but I guess they had to change the name for legal reasons maybe?

Inside it has a very laid back SoCal feel. Lots of faded varnished woods lend a seafaring feel, whilst a myriad of TV’s adding Sports Bar into the equation. There are two bars, one lies off to your immediate right, whilst another sits against the far back wall but in front of the shining Coppers and other brewery equipment. To the left a small area contains tables and chairs bounded by 3 foot tall wooden walls. To the far right is the entrance to the outside seating area and another interior seating area. We were originally told we could sit here, and then told we couldn’t, which brings me onto Service….hmmm, how can I put this? Well it *Sucks* Service is a dirty word here. If you’ve been here before you may not feel out of sorts, but if you are new then it is a “suck it and see” set up. You seat yourself and hope that one of the servers recognizes that you entered the building and are alive…..even then it may take a while to get “the nod”, this is where one server acknowledges you and then promptly ignores you for a while and then appears later all nice and cheery with one of those really annoying false Californian smiles. Also, it is hard to tell who the servers are at times too thanks to the fact that they dress just the same as the punters. Crap service is part of the deal here, so you have to live with it I guess but it is not good and the worst part of NBBC for me.

Thankfully, the beer range makes the wait worth while. During my visit they had Bisbee’s ESB, Newport Beach Blonde, Pelican Pale Ale, Pistol Packin’ Porter, Wedge Weizen and a seasonal special called Xmas Coffee Porter. In addition to the house beers they also had Stone 10th and Stone ‘Oaked’ Arrogant Bastard on Tap, so the line up is very healthy. The Xmas Coffee Porter was imbibed by all four visiting BA’s and it was very good. We opted out of the food, but the Menu didn’t seem to be anything that you can’t get at any other SoCal Brewpub and rather standard fare.

This place has a lovely set-up, a well-worn and established Brewpub that knocks out some great brews, and it is for the solid brews that you should come here, the rest is so-so and ancillary to the solid regular brews and excellent specials. I hear that the Dead Cowboy Imperial Stout is legendary, so another trip may be in order here in the coming months, or after my next visit to HiTimes even.

Thanks to Seagoat and HoppyJess for the inspiration and directions as well as the lovely Erica for the company. I’ll surely be heading back here in the future and if I play my cards right I may just get to try some of the better specials when I do.

Last Visit: Sunday 3rd December, 2006.

12-10-2006 22:42:22 | More by TheLongBeachBum

blitheringidiot

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -2.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3 | $$$

Newport Beach Brewing seems to be located in the "hot spot" of Balboa Island. Entrance is in the back but parking is plentiful out front. Immediately, the comfortable environs are a welcome vibe. Hoist a seat and observe the wooden planks that create the interior. Sports on the tvs are everywhere.

Beer selection is a tad spotty, but thanks to guest taps, the selection widens to a formidable offering. This place actually cares about beer. Try guest taps of Stone 10th Anniversary, North Coast Prankster and Stone Arrogant Bastidge!

Service was kinda lame. Looks like the 'tender was asleep at the switch, but who really cares?

Pizzas are $6 on Wednesdays. They are huge!

Last call: Could you take your Mom here? Yes! Clean Men's room might mean clean b-rooms. Comfy T-shirt ambiance and food was ok to good. Try the ESB.

09-22-2006 06:52:07 | More by blitheringidiot

SwillinBrew

California

4/5  rDev +10.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $$$

Of the local brewing companies, i like this one the most. It's right in the heart of newport beach. There's nothing better than riding your beach cruiser there after a days surfing, then coming in for some locally brewed brew. (some notes on the brew a little later)

You come in thru the back and the inside has a nice relaxed sports bar look with many TV's and the brewing tanks behind the back bar. There's a patio in the front on the main street which is perfect for people watching. You get a nice beach crowd here, many locals and tourist as well. Quite friendly and can get really busy at night or on a hot day, which is fine because you get many so cal beach sweeties hanging out.

I find their standard brews on tap to be okay, but when they have their John Wayne Imperial Stout now known as Dead Cowboy Stout or their Santa's Little Helper holiday brew on tap, fill your growlers because they are both exemplary. Their hefeweizen is pretty tasty as well. When i was here last they had a guest tap of Arrogant Bastard, love that stuff. The food is hot and tasty and satisfies the tummy... standard pub fare.

If i still lived close by, i would come here more often. Anyways, as head inland from here, make sure to stop by Hi Times in Costa Mesa.

09-21-2006 20:06:01 | More by SwillinBrew

IntriqKen

California

3.88/5  rDev +6.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Ok..this place is fun. Visited on a Wednesday night and still it got crowded starting around 8 PM.
Wednesdays are $6 Pizza and $6 pitcher nights so I can understand the crowd.
Large Brewpub with spacious seating for dinner (typical brewpub fare) and lots of bar space.
Beautiful towering tanks behind the bar holding the beer and then beautiful fermenting tanks behind a second bar.
Lots and LOTS of wide screen TV's showing lots of sports.
6 good brews on tap they make with rotating specials and 3 very respectible guest brews. Tonight they had Pranqster, Stone's 10th, and Arrogant Bastard.
Best brew I tried was the APA....wish they had the IPA on tap tonight. The APA was great.
Fun place...very comfortable....great atmosphere....good brews.

09-21-2006 06:10:27 | More by IntriqKen

PuckLSHS

Iowa

3.36/5  rDev -7.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | $$

I hit up Newport Beach Brewing after doing a tour of Laguna and Huntington, and Hi-Time Wine Cellars. Newport was a step up after my trips to Laguna and especially Huntington Beach. It is standard brewpub decorating - signs for places that are part of the local area, beer related tin, and wood everywhere. We walk in and order the taster set. Standard fare really...IPA, Pale, Lager, Hef, and seasonal. Nothing too interesting about any of them. Nothing strikes my fancy because nothing is really big, but feels semi-watered down instead of a hearty beer for the end of my day.

The reason I rate it higher is that I had to drink Laguna and Huntington beer first...this was liquid gold compared to those.

The people were nice in the place...even the drunken local receiving an earfull from the bartender who deals with the man every single time he comes in. We enjoyed our time and left saying that we should come back and order some food that was passing under our noses smelling of brewpub goodness.

Hit up the Newport Beach Brewing instead of the other two and you won't be too sorry. Just don't look for anything big or amazing because you won't find it here...at least you won't find it here all the time.

04-19-2006 02:33:37 | More by PuckLSHS

Butchlives

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +17.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Business takes me to Orange County at least once a month from Massachusetts, and I can't say enough about the Newport Beach Brewing Company. In the five years that I've been travelling to the area I've tried numerous eating and drinking establishments, but I always go back to the NBBC. It has become my home away from home, a place you can sit for hours reading a newspaper or book, watching a game, or talking with the staff while enjoying their freshly brewed ales and lagers and delicious food. There is music, plenty of HDTV's inside and out on the patio, and free wifi.

There are typically four to six of their own beers on tap along with a guest beer or two. In addition to a standard rotation that usually includes a Pale, ESB, Blonde and Wheat, you may find at any time among others, an IPA, Brown, Stout, Imperial Stout, Cream Ale, Scotch Ale, and a variety of what they call their "Brewmaster's Specials". These selections usually consist of extremely tasty, highly alcoholic and heavily hopped ales aged in various flavored used oak barrels. Mmm good!

Although the staff can be somewhat ill-informed when describing the various beer selections they do try hard and will gladly offer up a sample. Overall the service is usually very good, even when the place is jammed.

The food selection is great and for the most part fairly uncomplicated, but extremely fresh and well prepared. A good selection of appetizers are joined by various salads, brick oven pizzas, burgers and sandwiches, TexMex dinners, and a number of seafood, meat, and poultry entrees. In addition to daily Happy Hour specials, there are specials each night, such as Lasagna Thursday, where less than ten dollars will get you a salad, garlic bread, lasagna, and a pint or glass of wine.

If you live in the area or are visiting give this place a try, I don't think you'll leave disappointed.

04-15-2006 11:59:04 | More by Butchlives

amatuerbeerguy

Oklahoma

4.08/5  rDev +12.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 2.5 | food: 4 | $

Nice, warm setting. People are friendly, talkative. Beers are great, although they never seems to have many when I have been. Last time was on the 25 of March and they only had five of theirs plus two guest beers. Belhaven twisted IPA, and Grimbergen Abby. The house beers that I had had no off flavors to speak of, nice clean, served in correct glasses. The wait staff and bartenders are good. Very attentive, help each other out, no noticeable bickering, go out of there way to keep the atmosphere going. The food was good also had a ruebin pizza, first for me, it was good with an inexpensive price of $8, beers are average for pricing. A pint is around $3 to $4 dollars depending on alcohol %. Overall a very lovely place close to the beach. Nice to go to before or after the beach. Recommend if in the area of New Port beach or Balboa.

03-26-2006 20:03:55 | More by amatuerbeerguy

warmstorage

Georgia

2.78/5  rDev -23.4%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5 | food: 3.5 | $$$

Pretty blah place, though not out of the norm for Orange County. Atmosphere is a sports bar inside, though with lots of dark wood. Loud music playing at 2:35 in the afternoon, heavy on the late 80s progressive and synth pop; place is very slow. The patio looked nice, though it is on the main drag (Newport Blvd) so I chose to sit inside. Plenty of free parking in back, and easy to find. I'm writing this from inside, thanks to the free wifi, which a couple others are also using.

The beer selection is pretty limited on this visit: six taps (steam, brown, pale, oktoberfest, blonde, ESB.) Reviews already posted for the ESB and Pale; Oktoberfest is not available as a listed beer, but is pretty average, as are the others. I wouldn't bother ordering another pint, though I might drink the Pelican Pale again if I returned. The ESB I wouldn't ever bother with again, or the Oktoberfest.

Service is friendly and efficient, and when they brought me the wrong beer (asked for Pale, got Oktoberfest) they brought a free Pale, and I got to retain the Oktoberfest. Nice. Server seemed surprised that I liked the Pale best of the three: "wow! you like hoppy beers!" as though this was very unusual. (And no, the Pale isn't particularly hoppy: pretty standard for an APA.)

Prices for the food relatively high compared to other brewpubs, but pretty standard for south Orange County. (apps $7-$11; salads $6-$11; sandwiches $8-$12, meat entrees up to $30 or so.) Food is tasty, and was ridiculously fast on this slow afternoon.

Nice to have wifi and free parking, but life is too short, and there are too many better places, for me to bother returning unless I was driving by and not able to go anywhere else.

11-07-2005 22:51:23 | More by warmstorage

rowew

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev +6.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4 | $$

Overall a very nice brewpub located in the heart of Newport Beach.

Nice setup inside with two long bars with brewing equipment behind. Sat at a table and ordered a sampler as well as food. Food was very good quality - I had basic fish and chips, but they were above average. SO had fish tacos that were quite tasty. The beer was all decent - nothing phenomenal but all decent representations of the style. I was a little dissapointed that the John Wayne Stout wasn't available this trip, but with the food and beer I may have to make another visit. Also, the large parking lot behind the brewery is a convenience not often found in SoCal. Our waiter was also nice enough to give us directions to Goat Hill!

All in all an enjoyable experience.

01-21-2005 07:36:25 | More by rowew

Rumrunner

California

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5 | $$$

I found the Newport Beach Brewing Company to be very inviting with a very friendly vibe.

Located in the heart of Newport Beach, the streets are very busy and there are plenty of shops and restaurants in the area. They have their own parking lot and this is a major plus because the street parking if any can be found is metered and no one likes to venture out to the meter every couple of hours.

The building is good sized. If feels like a sports bar brew pub on the inside. A plain but warm atmosphere to this pub. Nothing fancy or overwhelming but not boring either. Two bars and brewing equipment behind each bar. Both bars are medium sized and made out of wood. Plenty of tables and chairs fill the rest of the floor space. A good number of t.v.s for sports viewing in various places for the sports viewer. I am sure they do great business during football season. A good sized out door patio where one can people watch. They have heat lamps for cooler evenings.

The service was excellent. I sat at the bar and the bartender was friendly, attentive and genuinely made me feel like a regular. Cheers to him. This is a very well run establishment.

The food was good. Better than cheap bar food but not gourmet. Check the website for the menu listings. It is pretty vast. Burgers, salads, fish n' chips and plenty of other items. This is a very good spot to have lunch. They also have a full bar. I did not notice guest beers. I think they carry some macros but no other craft of micro brewed beers.

They generally have between three and five of their own beers on the taps at any given time. I tried the Brisbee's ESB and I have to say it was very nice. The O'razio's Irish Stout was pretty good. Nothing spectacular. Tons of nitro in this one. It took forever for the beer to settle down. I thought it was going to jump out of the glass. Anyway I hear their John Wayne Stout is very bold and well crafted but it was not on tap at this time. Check the website for the beers that are on tap at that time.

I will return to the NBBC if I am in Newport Beach. I would not make a special trip down here but I do recommend giving this place a try.

Note: They do have growlers but first purchase is 'ouch' twenty dollars. After that the growler fills are nine dollars.

07-02-2004 07:20:49 | More by Rumrunner