Take it from the Tap: Phenol-menal Belgian beers

March 29, 2019 4:12 PM PT

Go: The Belgian Room at Clem’s Tap House

Know: Two years ago, Paul Kasawdish opened a 50-tap annex to Clem’s Tap House, where 30 taps focus on made-in-San Diego brews. “I decided to theme it,” he said. “Why don’t we just do a bunch of Belgian beers?”

Glow: The annex also pours 20 Belgian imports, all fresh and all on tap. Popular offerings include Cuvée de Jacobins Rouge, a sour ale; Saison Dupont, a classic farmhouse ale; and St. Bernardus Tripel.

Geeking out: Belgian beers usually feature distinctive aromas. Phenols are responsible for odors that can manifest as fruity, sour, herbal, clove-like and even reminiscent of Bazooka Joe bubblegum.

To and fro: Clem’s Tap House is behind Clem’s Bottle Shop, a liquor store owned Wally Kasawdish, Paul’s father. Paul honed his beer expertise by expanding the store’s ale and lager offerings to its current 700-plus unique labels.

Pro: Photos of Will Ferrell decorate this bar, but not because the comedian/actor has Belgian roots. (He doesn’t.) Clem’s Tap House supports Cancer for College, a charity founded by one of Ferrell’s USC fraternity brothers, Craig Pollard of Vista.

Clem’s Tap House: 4108 Adams Ave., Kensington, 619.255.4526, clemstaphouse.com

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Peter Rowe

Peter is a freelance writer who writes about beer in his bimonthly column Brewery Rowe for the San Diego Union-Tribune. He worked as a reporter and columnist for the San Diego Union-Tribune from 1984 to 2020. A native Californian who grew up in Encinitas, Rowe is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Northwestern University. He is past president of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and a former Fulbright scholar. He has won a few journalism awards, but would trade them all for a chance to avenge his 1994 “Jeopardy!” loss. Married to a terrific woman who has saved him from errors in writing and in life, he has three sons.