It was three years ago when the founders of Docent Brewing secured a decrepit cottage just off the main drag in Carlsbad’s Village area and announced lofty plans to convert it into a satellite venue for the seven-year-old San Juan Capistrano-based company. Progress on the project has been slow – it took two years for them to even get the keys – but of late it’s also been steady, and now, Docent co-founder and President Brian Hendon says he expects to roll out the welcome mat to the public next week.
Once open, visitors will notice that, while numerous walls have been knocked down and the ceiling has been overhauled, the 950 square-foot former domicile has retained much of its homey feel. Guests enter into a cozy living-room space preceding a long bar running along the taproom’s north wall. Around the corner is a dining room, the centerpiece of which is a retro chandelier grandma would be proud of, segueing to a reading nook and trio of high-top tables opposite the bar.
“We loved the thought of taking over an old house and creating a unique space with a house-party vibe celebrating our public-house motif,” says Hendon. “We wanted to keep it similar to going over to your friend’s house for a barbecue. We love the idea of welcoming folks over to join us in our craft.”
Docent has made the most of limited interior space, but that’s just the beginning. A set of glass bi-fold doors give way to an outdoor area that, like the cottage, has been divided into multiple areas offering different seating options, amenities and atmospheres…