Beer of the week: Romeo & Julius from Pure Project

April 2, 2019 6 AM PT

Beer Name: Romeo & Julius

Brewery: Pure Project

Style: Vanilla Cream Ale

ABV: 5.8 %

Tucked behind hectic Miramar Road, Pure Project is an oasis brewery with a warm and comforting vibe radiating from its reclaimed wood and green foliage surroundings plus a chalkboard list full of consistently delicious beers. Committed to sustainability, community and purity of product, Pure Project lives up to its name. PACIFIC inlisted the help of owner Mat Robar and head brewer Winslow Sawyer to get the scoop on the Beer of the Week.

What’s with the name? A clever combination of the Shakespeare play, Romeo and Juliet, and the famous creamsicle-like Orange Julius, this vanilla cream ale might have you trading true love for another sip.

What’s in it?

“Local Valencia oranges from Durst Family Farms in Sacramento Valley, drought-tolerant California barley and wheat from Admiral Maltings, and Tahitian vanilla,” said Sawyer. “We use the whole orange, so you get the oils of the skin, the tannin of the pith, and the burst of the skin.”

What Mat says about Romeo & Julius:

“It’s one of the ones that we opened with,” Robar said, “and for us this is a representation of what we really like to do. It’s a beer that showcases the ingredients, like organic citrus. When you come in here the day they are processing the fruit, the citrus permeates through the brewery, and it’s magical.

The perfect pairing?

(laughs) “I pair everything with tacos”, Robar said.

“Sunshine,” Sawyer added.

This beer gal’s take: Like a burst of orange-hued sunlight on a cloudy day, this refreshing beer is perfect for brightening up Sunday brunches and relishing on sunny afternoons. Pair it with French toast with vanilla cream, croissants with marmalade, fruit salad, or grilled tacos.

Where to get it and for how long? For now, this beer is available only on tap at Pure Project, but keep your eyes open for cans to appear at the end of May.

Pure Project, 9030 Kenamar Dr., Miramar, 858.252.6143, purebrewing.org