Rule G Brewing Co. in Coconut Creek {Han Okcuoglu}
By Han Okcuoglu
Rule G Brewing Co. held its grand opening last week. It’s the first microbrewery in Coconut Creek, and between the tasty beers and surprisingly good food, it should be here to stay.
For Canadian company Smart Brew, its flagship microbrewery is located on the SW corner of Hillsboro and Lyons Road in the Westcreek Commons plaza.
Owner Ralph Rapa was a railroad operator, locomotive engineer, and now entrepreneur. Coconut Creek Talk had a chance to talk to him, and he’s such a pleasant guy. He used to work for Brightline, so he pointed out many people stopping in were from his railroad connections.
He correctly pointed out a vast, untapped, underserved market in the Parkland, Coconut Creek, and West Boca, and wants Rule G Brewing Co. to be a neighborhood bar with live music four nights a week — not your typical bar food.
He said everything on their menu is made fresh daily by his general manager, Ed (except the ice cream). I started with the buffalo chicken dip. It was just packed with flavor. Well-shredded chicken in a robust, creamy, peppery cheddar dip baked with bubbling mozzarella cheese. Gooey and great. Jalapeños are swimming on top for those brave enough. The heat from the buffalo sauce was not overpowering but lighting my mouth up enjoyably. We’ll get back to the beers, but cool swigs of beer in between bites just added to the experience.
Next up was the spinach and artichoke dip. Also baked. Under the top layer of mozzarella cheese was a slightly salty, slightly bitter white sauce that went very well with sizable pieces of artichoke and fresh spinach. I’ve encountered far too many soupy spinach dips, so tasting the vegetables so thoroughly was a pleasant surprise.
The turkey pesto panini was perfection. Six rows of premium sliced turkey cut that morning. Crunchy lettuce, tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onions pressed into a compact and fantastic sandwich. On the bottom is a layer of flavorful basil pesto that rivals many sit-down restaurants. It felt so fresh and healthy.
Ralph is right; this isn’t your typical bar food. The optional sides were plantain chips or Ed’s “special” pasta salad with peas and cucumbers. It was clearly not processed or frozen beforehand. The whole dish is something I will definitely be ordering for takeout in the future.
Ralph did tell me I missed out on not ordering the fish dip. Now, he’s piqued my interest. Apparently, he uses a company called 0 Smoked Fish. A local father-daughter team catches and smokes the Kingfish in their original smoker. Reviews on Google confirm it’s supposed to be a big hit.
Speaking of very good, the beers were all top-notch. I tried a flight for $14, and there was a medley of wheat beers, ales, porters, and a pineapple seltzer that had me enjoying seltzer for the first time. Every beer was really refreshing and smooth. Ralph said the goal is to have a new monthly beer, including his brewmaster’s current projects: a cream ale and an Irish red. Eventually, his vision is to have a refrigerator where people can come in and buy single beers or a custom four-pack to go.
Ralph filled me in on the weekly events. Mondays are trivia night. Wednesdays are karaoke. The happy hour deals are every weekday from 4 to 7, with $1 off beers and wines. On March 26, they will have a “Paint and Sip” wine and beer night.
And for those wondering, the name stems from “Rule G,” the Association of American Railroads’ prohibition against railroad employees working while intoxicated—a great tongue-in-cheek name, in my opinion.
Ralph and his team are very easy to root for. If the beers keep getting crafted and poured, and the food quality stays this good, this will be a welcome addition to the area.
Westcreek Commons Plaza
4800 W Hillsboro Blvd # A12
Coconut Creek, FL 33073
954-531-6122
Business Hours
Monday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Got News in Coconut Creek? Send it Here. Keep reading NW Broward County’s #1 News Sites: Parkland Talk, Coconut Creek Talk, Coral Springs Talk, Margate Talk, and Tamarac Talk.