For 14 years Hamilton’s Tavern stood as a bastion for seekers of quality ales and lagers in a laidback atmosphere; a standout beer bar that breathed new life into the South Park community while serving as a model for businesses of its kind in San Diego and beyond. Then came the pandemic and its assorted closures and regulations, which shuttered the watering hole. But the nail in the coffin for Hamilton’s was an early-morning fire last November which caused a reported $1 million in damage and led owner Scot Blair to shut it down for good.
Even in its broken, tarnished state, the property had a wealth of suitors, entrepreneurial groups that put in proposals to install new concepts on those hallowed grounds. In the end, an accomplished entity well known for building beverage-focused concepts, particularly those involving beer, won out, and now the group behind the Bottlecraft family of bars and bottle shops is in the early stages of transforming the Hamilton’s space into a pub called Bock.
Brian Jensen, the founder of Bottlecraft and its wine-centric sister concept Vino Carta, says he was motivated to make something special of the Hamilton’s site by the loss of it and similarly iconic beer bar Toronado San Diego. That North Park business closed its doors in March after 12 years in operation, leaving Jensen feeling there’s a gap that needs filled by a new venue touting the values and heritage of beer and the culture surrounding it.
“The landlords wanted us to bring back the Hamilton’s vibe, so we didn’t want to overthink it,” says Jensen. “Bock will be an everyman’s bar with the comfortable, cozy, warm feeling of a pub along with South Park’s craftsman stylings. The atmosphere and feeling will be similar to what Hamilton’s was.”
Bock will draw inspiration from European pubs. Much of the design is in its early stages. Newly appointed Bottlecraft CEO Chris Sarrette says the full vision for the venue will come together over the coming months, but he and Jensen have the beverage side of things mostly figured out.
“As the name suggests, we’ll have properly poured lagers and likely a bock on-draft at all times, but it won’t be a German beer bar,” says Jensen. “We’ll also be keeping up with what people are drinking at the moment and highlight the likes of Russian River Brewing, Alvarado Street Brewery, Humble Sea Brewing and others. It’ll be a place that a beer geek can go to, but also anyone in the neighborhood that wants a solid beer.”
Rounding out Bock’s beer selection will be classic Old-World staples that aren’t available in kegs (such as Belgian sour ales), ciders and wines. Bock will also feature a bona fide food concept, though what that will be is unknown as of now.
More than a dozen proposals were received for the Hamilton’s site, but decision-makers were swayed by the Bottlecraft group’s concept and decade of success in operating similar enterprises as well as testimonials provided by South Park business owners eager to have them as neighbors, including Kory Stetina of vegan bar and restaurant Kindred two doors down from the Hamilton’s site.
Despite the loss of its most prominent beer-centric venues, Hamilton’s and fraternal next-door brewpub South Park Brewing, the neighborhood will soon have more craft-beer options than before. In addition to Bock, Scripps Ranch-based Harland Brewing is in the process of converting the corner spot that formerly housed Grants Market and Coffee Room into a bar and all-day restaurant, and North Park’s Fall Brewing opened a satellite tasting room dubbed the Golden Rhino Room back in June.
The timeframe for Bock’s arrival is uncertain, but due to the aforementioned fire damage and the overhaul nature of the project, ownership expects to debut the concept sometime in the second half of 2022. Meanwhile, Bottlecraft’s new store at Oceanside’s Tremont Collective, which includes culinary concept Shootz Fish x Beer, is scheduled to soft-open to the public on October 13.
Bock will be located at 1517 30th in South Park, and Bottlecraft’s Tremont Collective store is located at 602 Tremont Street, #101, in Oceanside