On November 17, 2017 I promised you that Modern Times Beer will be coming to 418 State Street, the former home of India House. Reader Andy says that I kept my word and that the popular brewery has opened their 6th location, joining Cubaneo and Shaker Mill in the now fully occupied lower State Street space. Other locations for Modern Times Beer include two in San Diego (Point Loma and North Park), one in Los Angeles, one in Encinitas, and a location to the north in Portland, Oregon.
Modern Times Beer offers 34 different beers on tap, with the core lineup being about 8, while the rest rotate in constantly to give you access to everything they have to offer. All beer offerings are brewed at their Portland, Los Angeles, or San Diego locations, and each region brews different things depending on needs and production schedules. In addition to the tasting room they have a kitchen for hot food and a mini-mart with beer to-go and t-shirts/bags.
The bar menu is 100% plant-based yet not in the traditional sense, going for bolder and richer flavors than you might expect. They offer a double-double burger, a Bratwurst Schnitzel sandwich, loaded chili verde fries, Kimchi, and more. The cheese is made from coconut milk while the proteins are made by Beyond Meat which recently had a wildly successful public offering.
When you walk into Modern Times Beer, one of the first things you will notice is the huge outdoor patio (one of the largest if not the largest in Santa Barbara) and an extensive amount of art on the walls. Modern Times Beer has an in-house art team that created all the design elements that you see. They designed the to-go beer can labels, the merchandise, the tasting room space – pretty much everything under the roof or outdoors.
Continuing with the everything-done-in-house theme, I am told that Modern Times Beer also roasts their own coffee, available for sale as whole bean or cold brew in cans or in draft.
Hours are 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-midnight Thursday-Saturday. Call 566-9294 or visit moderntimesbeer.com
Photos by The Restaurant Guy
How many tap handles can 100,000 support
I would have said 27 or 28. Beyond the tap count, I really wonder if the entirety of their food menu being plant based is a good call. It’s a brewpub, yeah? Time will tell I suppose.
All of Modern Times’ locations are vegan 🙂
Tap rooms are not targeting locals on State are not targeting locals. They will survive on locals, tourist and students/recent grads. They are a nice addition to the scene. That space has three different resturants/bars. It’s a great use of shared space.
Yikes….I should have proof read that sentence….Tap rooms on State are not targeting locals.
Anyone that skips the food because it’s plant-based is really missing out. The kimchi elote and cheesecake were amazing, and you might not realize the burger was plant based if you ordered it without knowing.
The potato croquettes were super tasty and satisfying with a perfect amount of dill. The schnitzel, while maybe not being a dead-on match for the genuine article still had great texture and flavor. And it was not a light bite, it was a substantial plate. I meant to try the burger as well but had no room after the schnitzel and an uncountable number of 5oz sample pours.
Be sure to try the pastry stout for dessert.
Be careful, they stamp you like cattle and demand to see your stamp before asking you what you would like to drink. Terrible bar service and rude bar staff.
I believe they have a new location in Ventura also!