Shalhoob Beer Company’s First Brews

It’s only been two years since siblings L.J. and Leeandra Shalhoob — whose grandfather Jerry started Shalhoob Meat Company in 1973 — added a restaurant to the family’s butchery business on Gray Avenue. But with ample outdoor area to eat, drink, and play games with all ages in the sun and sea breeze, their Funk Zone Patio fits into the neighborhood so well that it’s hard to imagine what the alcohol-soaked, waterfront playground was like without it. 

And now there’s an official line of beers to enjoy with that tri-tip sandwich: Shalhoob Beer Company, whose lager, IPA, blonde, and pilsner flavors can be had on tap at the patio or in cans from retailers around town. “Every brewery is doing a strawberry milkshake IPA or olallieberry sour or …,” said L.J., who started working on his recipes as a homebrewer in the back of the butcher shop, next to dudes cutting steaks. “But everyone I know just really wants a great lager or IPA.”

All of the flavors are refreshing on a warm patio day — particularly the lager, which is based on Mexican-style brews, and the IPA, whose hop profile is certainly West Coast but not so overwhelming. “I wanted an IPA that didn’t taste like candy,” he said. 

For the branding, L.J. went with the tried-and-true look of the family’s ubiquitous beef jerky logo. “Our jerky has been in every store for 45 years,” said L.J. of that strategy. “I have a vision of this being in every liquor store that our jerky is.”

220 Gray Ave.; (805) 963-7733; shalhoob.com/patio