brian dashner
Google
One could be forgiven for having a hard time finding Council Brewing in Santee. The small brewery is tucked away in an off-street strip mall, its location betrayed only by a small sign. Regardless, the tables seemed to fill rapidly. They offer a nice selection of local brews, but for now most originate at their original location rather than the Santee satellite. We ordered an Imperial Russian ale (dark and thin with a deep malty cherry finish), a golden ale and a flight of concoctions ranging from outright Lambics to a deep hoppy ale. The service was fast and efficient, perhaps because they don't serve food. The only menu item is a cheese plate offering store-wrapped sausage, cheese wedge and Ritz crackers. I was assured customers dined with food trucks, but during my visit there were none. Given the limited parking, I wondered where a food truck might sit. This bar is definitely dog friendly. In fact, we watched the manager serve a glass of ale to a German Shepherd. Just as our cheese plate arrived, a group of children also arrived. The young kids were seated at a large table with benches and given crayons, paper and other toys to occupy themselves. Opinions obviously differ, but I personally think a bar that specializes in high-alcohol ales but does not serve food is an inappropriate place for a large group of very young children. I don't know bus schedules for the street, but trolly service is a good distance away. While I hesitate to give any parenting advice, it occurs to me that such a scenario could go badly. The customers seemed satisfied and we enjoyed our brews, but I'm not convinced this will be a regular stop. Perhaps you should see for yourself?
