by Stephanie Thara Metzinger
Though brewery-distillery hybrids are slowly on the rise, they are still few and far between. Webb’s Grainworks in Aliso Viejo fills a void in Orange County – in spades. Webb’s designates itself as a brewery, distillery and restaurant, with a dedicated brewmaster and distiller under the same roof. In short, the beers are easy to drink, the whiskey packs a punch, the food is out of this world delicious and the architecture/design is unique and awe-inspiring.
Let’s get into it.
The Grain
The brewery-distillery focuses on the grain, and that is echoed throughout its spirits, beer and food. All of its spirits and beer are made from grain, with the whiskey being comprised of 72% Corn, 18% Rye and 10% Malted Barley, with a focused effort on using the same grains in its beer production.
When visiting Webb’s recently, I had the chance to speak with Marc Levine, the CMO/Managing Partner at Webb’s, who shared:
“We definitely wanted to spotlight the grain. We make our breads fresh in house. Everything — from our bourbon to our beer to our breads — starts with grain. We carry that through with everything we do.”
And that they did.
The Beer
They offer an ample beer selection – everything from a Hibiscus Ale to an Oatmeal Extra Stout. When I visited, there were 12 selections available on tap and had the option to get a taster, ½ pour or full pour. I ended up trying the: Super Crisp Lager, Hefeweizen, Webb’s Coast IPA, Honest Brunette (a brown), and the Coconut Imperial Stout.
Each beer, no matter which one I tried, packed a punch of flavor at first sips and then mellowed out. The fellow brew influencer I journeyed to Webb’s with had the perfect term for it: poolside beers. And he hit the nail on the head. Because of the “mellow” element, you can enjoy numerous beers in succession without getting burned out. Essentially, each and every one of Webb’s beers is refreshing enough to be enjoyed throughout the day, while lounging in the pool.
For example, the Honest Brunette provides you at first with a mouth full of that toasty flavor Browns are known for; but then it goes light, crisp and acts as a palette cleanser to allow for the next type of beer to be enjoyed.
If you are looking for beers that can be enjoyed “poolside” and drank steadily one after the other over a stretch of time, every beer on Webb’s menu fits the bill. However, if you are looking for a Hefeweizen with that typical heavy and hearty banana clove flavor or an IPA that leaves you with a mouthful of hops from first drop to last, this is not that.
The Spirits
Before I headed to Webb’s, Chauncey B asked me to pay particular attention to whether the quality of beer is as high as its spirits. So on to whiskey tasting I went!
I tried the Butterball – Brown Butter Whiskey, and it tasted exactly as described on the menu: flavored whiskey that contains hints of salty brown butter and the subtle sweetness of toasty caramel and brown sugar. Honestly, this was not my cup of tea. But if you are looking for a unique selection of spirits, give Webb’s a try. The distillery also makes its own Bourbon, Vodka, Gin and Awamori – all of which are used as the main ingredients of its extensive cocktail menu.
The owner, Jeremy Webb, is actually the in-house distiller. According to the website, Jeremy developed a passion for the Appalachian whiskey tradition and spent some time in Kentucky to study the craft of Bourbon production. Shorty after, he returned to California to build a state-of-the-art distillery and brewery steeped in that tradition.
What I appreciate about having the dual spirit and beer offering is that I can come here with my “hard liquor only” friends and still be able to enjoy a flight of craft beer for myself. Sometimes people have beer moments, while sometime people have cocktail moments – and Webb’s harnesses all those moments.
The Food
Like its drink menu, Webb’s cookery menu offers something for everyone.
Marc let me know that when they launched in September 2023, “we were just going to have a tasting room but decided that we would be doing our beer and spirit production an injustice without having food that we thought met the caliber of spirits and beer that we create.”
After trying the Smokey Corn Ribs and Smothered Latkis, I’d argue that the food was actually better than the whiskey or beers. This also could be because many of the menu items have some alcohol touchpoint whether it be smothered in bourbon butter or dipped in beer cheese…
The Vibe
Walking toward the distillery-brewery, your eyes can’t but help gravitate toward the train caboose protruding from the side of the building. The trio that launched Webb’s – founder Jeremy Webb and managing partners Marc Levine and Ryan Hatch—found a free caboose on Facebook and decided to cut a side of the building out and put the caboose on.
“There’s a lot of history with transport spirits during prohibitions with trains, so it was fitting,” Marc said.
Beyond the caboose, the lighting fixtures, sleek furniture and vibrant textures and colors all add the upscale vibe of the massive brewery-distillery. Webb’s entire operation comes in at a whopping 21,000 square feet, with plans to further scale its distilling and brewing side.
Webb’s Grainworks is located at 7 Journey, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656.
Until next time, cheers!
— Stephanie
@stephzinger
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniethara
Published
