You are likely to come across craft breweries tucked into industrial or urban areas of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside or San Bernardino counties, not necessarily a Southern California casino.
Yet, that’s exactly where SR 76 Beerworks — the first tribal-owned brewery in Southern California — at Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center calls home.
“San Diego is known for its craft beer scene and there wasn’t a Native American voice there,” Ruth-Ann Thorn, Rincon Economic Development Corporation’s chairwoman said. “So we saw the brewery as a great opportunity and we feel what we are doing is very unique.”
Named after the state highway that follows the corridor the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians traveled between the coast and the San Luis Valley region, the brewery is located adjacent to the resort’s hotel valet on Highway 76.
Thorn said Native American elders are consulted when coming up with names for beers like the Kolsch-style Temet, which means “sun” or Supul, a Saison named after the Luiseño word for “one,” which was the first beer brewed at SR 76.
“It’s another way for people to learn more about our culture,” Thorn said.
The bright and airy tasting room has an industrial feel with cement walls and bar, leather couches and a wall of windows offering views of nearby mountains. There are also giant Jenga games and wooden cornhole platforms that are popular at many craft breweries.
“I come by about once a month or so,” Bob Marek, a Valley Center resident, said as he sat at the bar and sipped a beer. “It’s hard to find a brewery with views like this. Most don’t even have views and the beer is really good.”
And it’s not a typical brewery where groups of people on a beer tour stop by or where beer geeks congregate. Instead it’s a mix of resort guests, locals and other beer lovers who make the trek to the east San Diego County alehouse.
“The brewery is an amenity of the resort so we get a lot of resort guests,” Matt Sadowski, head brewer at SR 76 Beerworks said. “If you are an avid beer drinker, you have to search us out.”
Sadowski worked at Karl Strauss Brewing Company in San Diego for five years before coming to the Harrah’s location when the brewery opened in November 2016 and said it has been an adjustment to be in a more rural area.
“Most breweries have a steady stream of traffic,” Sadowski said. “It’s a little different here because we are so far east, but more people are realizing we are here and have great beer.”
As of press time the brewery has nine beers on tap and guests can order beer flights, pints and growlers.
Sadowski said many of the people that come in from the resort tend to lean toward lighter beers as opposed to heavier IPAs or stouts, so he crafted the first beers offered when SR 76 opened to appeal to those palates.
But as time went on Sadowski said he started to get requests for craftier brews and began experimenting with recipes and creating brews such as the popular Blueberry Saison, Red IPA and an American IPA which have been well received by patrons.
Tasting room manager Shane Baker said a handful of San Diego-area restaurants have taps featuring SR 76 brews and more are likely on the way.
“We just signed a distribution agreement with Karl Strauss,” Thorn said. “A full launch will happen at the beginning of next year.”
SR 76 Beerworks
Where: Harrah’s Resort Southern California, 777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center
Hours: 2-8 p.m., Monday and Thursday; 2- 10 p.m. Friday; noon-10 p.m. Saturday; noon-8 pm. Sunday; closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Information: 760-651-3009, harrahssocal.com.