Original Gravity Celebrates 3-Year Anniversary, Plus Q & A with General Manager Rob Monroe

The craft beer landscape in San Jose – and throughout the region – has certainly changed for the better ever since word got out over three years ago regarding the impending opening of Original Gravity Public House in downtown San Jose.

On Sat., July 18 starting at noon, Original Gravity (66 S. 1st St.) will celebrate their third anniversary by tapping approximately 35 kegs – many from their cellar – throughout the day. Limited edition hoodies will be on sale, and DJs will be spinning vinyl on the patio into the evening. Look for food specials as well, including OG! Burger, Chorizo Black Bean Chili (add to your burger or fries) and Duck Fat Tater Tots with Truffle Salt and Rosemary.

The third anniversary celebration is especially sweet for Rob Monroe, general manager and event coordinator, who has been with Original Gravity since the beginning. Rob is a passionate, multi-talented fellow and a local beer expert. I caught up with him recently, and he graciously shared his thoughts related to reaching the three-year mark.

Congrats on reaching the three-year mark! Your thoughts on reaching this milestone?

It is exciting to not only hit three years, but to have grown with a lot of the same people in that time is rewarding as well! Some days it feels as though we just started and others like we have been doing this forever; either way we are still having a lot of fun.

What have been your proudest achievements?

I would say the expansion last year is definitely up there. For me personally, I love the scope of our events program. I feel like it has helped bolster the downtown San Jose craft beer community and put some fun into it as well.

Attention to quality beer and knowledgeable beer servers were priorities from the get-go, and OG continues to help lead the way in the continuing growth of the San Jose – and South Bay – beer scene. Compare the San Jose beer scene now to three years ago. Is it exciting to see the continuing growth?

We are extremely proud to have come out of the gate with such a distinct vision and dedication to craft beer. It is pretty incredible the amount of options you have these days, especially in downtown San Jose. When we first opened there was a major void, but the initial demand has not only been met, it is still growing. There is definitely a lot of support for each other in the community and respect for everybody’s unique take on beer.

Due credit goes to Good Karma for paving the way several years before us with an exceptional artisan beer list.

What is new in the works for the coming year?

We are going to continue evolving the events program into multi-dimensional experiences, adding more brewer interaction, education and food pairings. We are also in the very beginning stages of making some of our sausages in-house as well!

Anything else?

We are all extremely grateful and proud to be here and thriving. It is a testament to our unique and incredibly knowledgeable staff – You are all truly the best in the business.

To all the wonderful, unique and amazing beer drinkers out there, thank you for the great three years of support; we are just getting started. Keep it OG!

Kegs to be tapped throughout the day

• Allagash – James Bean (Bourbon Barrel aged Tripel with Coffee)
• Allagash – Currant Affair (Dark Sour Ale with Currants)
• Altamont – Maui Waui (IPA)
• Avery – Mephistopheles (Imperial Stout)
• Ballast Point – Grapefruit Sculpin (NITRO) (IPA with Grapefruit)
• Ballast Point – Calm Before the Storm (Cream Ale with Coffee & Vanilla)
• Bear Republic – Racer 5 (IPA)
• Bear Republic – Tartare Rouge (American Wild Ale)
• Bruery – Sour in the Rye (2014) (Sour Ale)
• Cellarmaker – “Something Hoppy, Something Fresh” TBA
• Deschutes – The Abyss (2013) (Imperial Stout)
• Evil Twin – James Beer (Berliner Weisse with Olives and Strawberries)
• Evil Twin – Aún Más A Jesús (Imperial Stout brewed at Companyia Cervesera del Montseny, Spain)
• Fieldwork – Morning Time Breakfast Stout (NITRO) (Oatmeal Stout with Coffee)
• Fieldwork – Outdoor Pilsner (Hoppy Pilsner)
• Fieldwork – Coconut Milk DIPA (Double IPA with Coconut)
• Firestone Walker – Pivo Pils (Hoppy Pilsner)
• Firestone Walker – Velvet Merkin (2014) (Barrel Aged Oatmeal Stout)
• Lagunitas – DayTime (Session IPA)
• Lagunitas – New Dogtown with Motueka (CASK) (Dry Hopped Pale Ale)
• Lagunitas – Chicago Fusion XXX (Belgian Style Pale Ale)
• Lagunitas – Brown Shugga (2013) (American Strong Ale)
• Lost Abbey – Gift of the Magi (2014) (Bier de Garde with Brett)
• Lost Abbey – Red Poppy Ale (2014) (Barrel aged Flanders Style Ale with Sour Cherries)
• New Belgium – Eric’s Ale (Barrel aged Sour Ale with Peaches)
• North Coast – Old Stock Cellar Reserve (2013) (Brandy Barrel aged Barley Wine)
• Port Brewing – Wipeout (IPA)
• Port Brewing – Older Viscosity (2014) (Barrel Aged American Strong Ale)
• Prairie Artisan Ales – Bomb! (2014) (Imperial Stout with Coffee, Chilies and Spices)
• Sante Adairius – West Ashley (Barrel aged Saison with Apricots)
• Sante Adairius – Simpleton (IPA)
• Santa Clara Valley Brewing – Coyote Creek (Session IPA)
• Stillwater – The Devil Is People (Sour Smoked Wheat Ale)
• Stone – Xocoveza (Milk Stout with Coffee and Spices)
• Stone – 19th Anniversary Thunderstruck IPA (Double IPA)
• More TBA

Note: Beer list subject to change.

[This post was shared on Examiner.com.]