TAPS, etc.

I’ve aways liked Taps, a seafood restaurant and brewery in Brea, the O.C. I’ve never really liked Orange County, however, so it’s always nice to find a place where I feel safe enough to drink and enjoy a good beer. During 2003-04, when GW Bush started the Iraq War, I would often join the handful of anti-war protesters who dared to occupy a little bit of space at the intersection of Imperial Hwy and Brea Blvd in what we called “The Heart O’the Beast.” Those famed Republican-leaning Orange County-ites would hurl all kinds of viciousness our way, and many times, when I found myself standing in front of TAPS with my “Stop U.S. Imperialism” anti-war signs, I thought, ‘Damn, I really just want a beer right now. I wonder if I should hide my signs…’ Those days (not really) aside, I still make myself at home at the Taps bar, home to some of the best beers, and one of the best happy hours, around. From 4-7pm on weekdays, they offer generous portions of popular appetizers, and their brewed-on-the-premises European-style ales and lagers will please any beer-geek like myself. I love taking growlers home. (Growlers=64oz. jug of beer you can take home from a brewpub.) My favorites include the Irish Red and the Doppelbock. I have yet to meet Vic, their brewmaster, but I will soon. I would be very happy to make beers that taste this good. Next time you’re at Taps, look for Sarah at the bar. I like a girl who knows her beers. Sarah turned me on to their IPA. It’s a lot like the Pliny the Elder’s Double IPA, a beer I really enjoyed and reviewed here. Sarah was very generous with the tastings, and she poured me samples of the IPA, Doppelbock, APA (American Pale Ale), and their cask ale. That’s another thing I like about Taps: they carry a hand-pumped, cask-conditioned beer, something that’s always a treat. It’s only the second place I’ve come across, aside from Pizza Port in Solana Beach, that serves a cask ale, and to me, that’s always a good sign of a place that knows what they’re doing with their beer. At any given time, they offer between 8-10 beers, ranging from the pale lagers to deep Belgian-style ales, all crafted on-site by their master brewer. Next time you find yourself in the Belly O’the Beast, O.C., stop into Taps and order yourself a pint of goodness. It’ll take the edge off. –mel h.