Return to Mad Lab Craft Brew

[Update - Closed as of Summer 2013 - the owners closed up the tasting room but will still have their bottling production center]

A few weeks had elapsed since our last visit to local nanobrewery, Mad Lab Craft Brewing.

It was time to pay them another visit.

These are the signs you should look for off the 905, Otay Mesa Road, and then Corporate.

Exit here and hang a left at Corporate...

When you see the DMV on your right, make a left into that complex.

You will see this keg.

Tatonka was already there by the time we arrived. This time the tasting room was completely packed with more people gathered in the back where the vats were.

Some of the guys we saw a few weeks ago were also there and they remembered us. In fact, one of them even took Tatonka's advice and actually visited the newly renamed Living Coast Discovery Center (formerly known as the Chula Vista Nature Center)! Last time they were talking about petting manta rays. So funny, but cool.

They had their new beer, the Dirty Brown nut brown ale on tap, so we had to try that!



















The Sultry Venus was also available. Last time we went, they were out. Tatonka also needed to get a new growler because the one he bought last week was taken by someone at a party he went to. Taken and not shared that is. That kinda sucked.

Mike the owner was also there greeting folks and chatting with them. It was packed like anything in there, but the mood was very congenial. There were also more women, not like our visit a few weeks ago when I was the only chick. I didn't feel so alone this time!

It was great fun to hear Tatonka mess around and BS with this one guy there who seemed to be trying to impress us with all of these famous people that he supposedly knew (Keith Richards for one thing)! He said he had been to his mansion in Jamaica or something. Whatever dude!

I got the flight, which I thought was a great deal, $2.75 for whatever they had on tap. This time, the guy served it all at once. For our first visit, it was kind of piece meal. I liked seeing it lined up here. It's more fun for me to try a lot of different beers in tiny amounts than to commit to 8 oz. Plus, a pint would be way too much for me to finish, even if I really liked the flavor.

Bert had a pint of the new Dirty Brown.

My flight included everything except the Hitchhiker. So from right to left: Mango blonde, Diabolic, Latin Lover, Dirty Brown, Anne Bonny Porter, One Night Stand stout, and the Sultry Venus (which was last instead of being in the middle for some reason). I liked most of them except for the Diabolic which Tatonka finished off for me. The Latin Lover is the one that has serrano chile infused in it! Spicy!

The beer looks cloudy because it's unfiltered. That's how they roll here. My favorites were the mango blonde and the stout.

Bert really enjoyed the Dirty Brown ale, along with Tatonka. They liked the strong flavors.

I thought this ornament on their front desk was cool and of course very appropriate!

Bert had another pint - the Sultry Venus this time.

This seemed to be a favorite with the crowd that evening, the Sultry Venus and the newly released Dirty Brown.  I met one of the workers who lives at a nearby ranch. In fact, the ranch was there when that whole area was undeveloped. He and his family used to own cows too! Lots of locals were here which is cool. Even though we don't live in the area any more, we still have an affinity for the South Bay because we grew up there and we like supporting local businesses making specialty products such as this one.

Previous visit to Mad Lab was last month in which we also had sushi afterwards with Tatonka...

We didn't stay too long, maybe an hour or so, before we headed out for some actual sustenance. I hope they come up with more varieties this summer!