Update on Lost Abbey’s Tasting Room Situation

EDIT — As of late afternoon, we’ve been informed by multiple sources that the SD DOH reversed the cease order,and business will be back to normal effective immediately. More to come. –  TFP

To follow up on the San Diego Tasting room situation we reported on last Friday, we followed up with Port Brewing/Lost Abbey to see what if any fallout has occurred as a result of them ceasing tastings within their San Marcos Based tasting room.

TheFullPint: How did this weekend go, having to cease pouring tastes of their draft offerings?

Lost Abbey: The weekend went ok. We didn’t pour beer off the taps, but people were able to buy growlers & bottles and drink, so it didn’t hurt us too much.

TFP: How does this cease and desist affect Port Brewing’s 4th Anniversary Party this coming weekend?

LA: Party isn’t affected since that’s in the warehouse adjacent to our brewery and the C&D only affects the tasting room. Info is on our website & Tomme has a post on it.

TFP: What is your official comment to tha hataz who say you guys “should have known?”

LA: Until Tuesday of last week, the SD Health Dept has never taken notice of brewery tasting rooms — and they’ve been here since Stone started doing it 14 years ago. We’ve always been regulated by the ABC which does not regard beer as “food”. We follow all ABC regs in accordance with our license when it comes to serving tastings within the brewhouse. The health dept, however, has determined that beer, contrary to the ABC’s rules, is food, and that serving it — even if you’re in compliance with your ABC license, is still a no-no unless we have a plan filed with the county and have applied for a “limited food prep” permit. (It’s important to note than neither us — nor any of the other breweries served last wweek were cited for health violations — just for “not having a plan on file” with the health dept.)

TFP: Have you guys thought of planning any rallies or movements to make change against these types of actions against San Diego craft brewers?  From what I gather, San Diego beer  tasting is not being treated equal to wine tasting.

LA: We’re all still working through the new regs and getting our plans filed with the county. After that we’ll  decide how to best proceed. Certainly we’d like our tasting rooms to be treated on an equal basis with wine tasting rooms.