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Entrepreneur Rawley Macias’ passion for ales, lagers and bicycles are clearly communicated via the beers and bike paraphernalia at his Carlsbad interest, Rouleur Brewing. Now, the mantra ruling not only his business, but his personal life – onward and upward – is being brought to the forefront, as well. That optimistic motto has been applied to an on-site culinary concept Macias is installing inside Rouleur’s tasting room: Onward & Upward Deli & Drinks.
“Onward and upward is a way of thinking and reacting,” says Macias. “When challenges get in our way, you can stop and whine about it or you can keep going; making forward progress and improving. This mindset is extremely important and useful in pretty much every facet of my life, from running a business to raising a family to competitive cycling. It was only natural to name our food concept after it.”
Macias’ adherence to this mindset was never more tested than last spring when, facing the slew of economic conditions challenging craft breweries across the country, he made the pragmatic decision to close Rouleur’s satellite tasting room in North Park when it failed to meet revenue goals. That move allowed him to bring his business back under one roof where he could get his arms around operations and focus on effectively servicing his existing clientele rather than chasing additional customers far from his home base. Adding a reliable in-house food option that he will be able to manage firsthand is another step towards bolstering what Rouleur has to offer to its regulars.
Today’s craft-beer fans want more than just beer. They want food and other beverage options, too. Bags of chips, beef jerky and canned soft drinks don’t cut it anymore. Some taprooms get around this by scheduling food trucks, but that presents a host of challenges, including overpriced food items, varying quality, last-minute cancellations, booking minimums and more. On top of that, we get lots of cyclists who end a long ride at our taproom. We want to be able to provide them with good, wholesome food they can have with their beer.”
Rawley Macias, Owner & Brewmaster, Rouleur Brewing
Onward & Upward’s kitchen occupies a small section of Rouleur’s warehouse just off the tasting room. Customers will be able to walk up or place orders on Rouleur’s website or mobile app. The menu will consist of higher-end hot and cold sandwiches as well as curated cheese and charcuterie boards. The following items will be available:
- Meatball sandwich with marinara sauce, provolone and Parmesan on a baguette
- Pulled pork with pickled red onion, cabbage and Dijon mustard on a ciabatta roll
- Warm brisket with pickled onion, coleslaw and barbecue sauce on a brioche bun
- Classic French dip with Swiss cheese, horseradish cream and au jus on a baguette
- Turkey with bacon, balsamic onion marmalade, avocado and mayo on a ciabatta roll
- Salami, ham, soppresatta, provolone, lettuce, onion, tomato and vinaigrette on a hoagie roll
- BLT with bacon, heirloom or beefsteak tomato, bibb lettuce, and mayo on country bread
- Chicken salad with walnuts, frisee, pickled onion, tomato and mustard seeds on country bread
- Caprese panini with tomato, mozzarella, pesto, arugula, basil and balsamic glaze on country bread
Wraps and flatbreads will be added down the road. As far as the add-on’s “drinks” options, with the addition of the kitchen, Rouleur is now authorized to offer guest wines, hard cider, hard kombucha, hard seltzer and more.
Menu development and test cooks were all conducted by Macias, his head brewer and taproom manager. The former says lessons learned managing the culinary operation at his North Park venue were of great assistance when it came to conceptualizing Onward & Upward.
“Our spot in North Park didn’t have any vent hoods due to it being located in a historic building, so we had to creative with our menu items,” says Macias. “Coincidentally, our zoning in Carlsbad does not easily allow for a true kitchen with vent hoods, grease traps, et cetera, so we must again be creative with our offerings. Typical items like burgers and fries were tossed out the window, but we’ve created a concept built around simple food with high-quality ingredients that tastes really great. We consider that a best-case scenario and are excited to present it to our fans.”
Onward & Upward Deli & Drinks is tentatively scheduled to soft-open to the public on Wednesday, February 28. Those looking to stay apprised about the project are directed to consult Rouleur’s Instagram account.
Rouleur Brewing is located at 5840 El Camino Real in Carlsbad