New state law delays Cardiff tasting room

Back in June, the Encinitas Planning Commission approved Port Brewing Co.’s bid to open a beer-tasting room at Cardiff Town Center.

With that, the tasting room was originally slated to open last November. However, a new state law pushed back the date.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 2010 in September and it immediately went into effect. The law, which took Port Brewing by surprise, requires a longer review period for breweries that want to open a tasting room away from their manufacturing space.

Port Brewing has a brewery in San Marcos, and the Cardiff tasting room would operate under the same license.

Prior to AB 2010, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control considered tasting rooms an extension of brewery licenses and granted permits within 30 days.

But now, there’s a four-to-six-month review period. Hence, Port Brewing is shooting for a grand opening in May or June.

“It’s a longer process than we had anticipated, but we’ll be good to go soon,” said Adam Martinez, media and marketing director for Port Brewing.

Martinez said the company found out about AB 2010 mere days before it passed.

At that time, the tasting room’s architecture plans had yet to be finalized, and the company was transferring stock shares from one owner to another owner. So, Port Brewing wasn’t in the position to file a permit to preempt AB 2010, he said.

Martinez said the tasting room has all the necessary permits from the city; it’s only waiting for the state license.

“We’re excited to join Cardiff soon,” Martinez said.

The 1,300-square-foot tasting room is looking to open at 2007 San Elijo Avenue, next to East Coast Pizza. The Planning Commission decided the tasting room could stay open until midnight throughout the week.