Brews, Beats, and Business w/ Beck of Off the Rails

Have you ever wondered what it takes to turn a passion for hip-hop and craft beer into a thriving business? Join us as we chat with Beck, the dynamic owner of Off the Rails in Bakersfield. Beck shares her incredible journey from being anti-club to creating a mature, chill space that offers exclusive brews and a welcoming atmosphere. We discuss how she navigated the challenges of starting her business in a city where country and Latin music dominate the scene and her commitment to fostering a community for both seasoned craft beer enthusiasts and curious newcomers.

In this episode, you'll learn about the broader world of craft beer entrepreneurship in Southern California. Beck opens up about the significant risks and rewards of opening her own brewery and the hurdles she faced along the way, such as local regulations and unpredictable weather. The importance of climate control in enhancing customer experience is underscored, along with personal tipping points that drove her to take the plunge into business ownership. We also reflect on memorable moments and obstacles encountered since Off the Rails' inception, offering valuable insights into the craft beer industry.

But it doesn't stop at beer! Beck's Off the Rails is a vibrant community hub, hosting events like epic birthday parties with the Funk Freaks, engaging with the local community through the Arts Council's First Fridays, and partnering with Cruisin' for Charity. Beck shares her exciting future plans to transform the bar into a lounge and kitchen combo, featuring live music, DJ nights, and innovative paint nights. Tune in to hear about the diverse music that sets the mood at Off the Rails and Beck's unwavering dedication to providing a unique and enjoyable experience for all.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:20

all right, y'all. This is the most dope proprietor of Off the Rails downtown craft brew and there's a bit of a fusion with her hops and her music. There's some connection there. This is episode three. Episode three. Episode three.

Speaker 2: 0:49

We got the queen bee over here, right here, queen bee how you doing over there?

Speaker 1: 0:52

good yeah, yes, hanging in there yes, how are you?

Speaker 2: 0:55

I'm great it's my birthday today I know happy birthday, I got the big faux faux I know 40 faux.

Speaker 1: 1:03

I'm getting old, I got gray coming in my beard, all kinds of shit Hair growing out of my ears and nose places and we don't want that shit growing, so Beck.

Speaker 2: 1:18

That's me.

Speaker 1: 1:19

Tell us a little bit about yourself, a little bit about your history.

Speaker 2: 1:23

Oh gosh, okay. So I think, when it comes to me, and my love for beer is because I've always been anti-club, so take me to a brewery. I'd rather do that and chill than, as opposed, to go have some cocktails where people might bump into me and their music's too, as opposed to all right the chill vibes yeah I'm just super chill low energy, all right.

Speaker 1: 1:56

So, um, how did you get started with off the rails it's it's craft brew in bakersfield. Bakersfield has some breweries coming up doing their thing. Lengthwise has been here for a long time, several other establishments. They have either come and gone or they're still around, but not super relevant, I guess you could say. How did you get started with the idea that I want to own my own craft beer shop?

Speaker 2: 2:31

First, I think it started with the idea of having a place that was a little bit unique to what Bakersfield had to offer. One thing about Bakersfield there is no shortage of places to go. If you are a country music person, you can go to restaurants or bars wherever, and there's going to be somebody plucking a banjo or whatever.

Speaker 1: 2:52

Sorry, Sure, yeah, yeah, yeah, typecasting around here, right? I'm just like I'm not a country girl.

Speaker 2: 2:58

So that's kind of where I was like. I wanted a place where you can chill and it was pretty and that there would be like hip-hop, but it didn't have to be like somewhere that was like ratchet or you know it, grimy. I wanted it to be like a mature spot classy especially for somebody.

Speaker 2: 3:21

I'm up there, middle-aged lady here and I want to still have a good time and listen to good music and enjoy a good beer and not, um, have to just be inundated with too much silly stuff or, you know, wild things going on around. So the thought process was build a place for mature people to come kick it. And also, I've always been a craft beer girl and, knowing a lot of brewers all over, especially in California, I had access to being able to bring things to Bakersfield that nobody else did. So my spot is unique and I've got wild beers that nobody else has and no other stores carry and you can enjoy it here. Or, if you're just like, no, I'm an introvert, I want to go home, take your beers to go. So we offer both and um, and it's unique. I love that I have a space where people that are unfamiliar can come and we can sample something, and I get it all the time. I don't drink beer. Well, but have you had this?

Speaker 1: 4:32

have you tried this?

Speaker 2: 4:33

yes, and so then I got you locked in and now you're on mine.

Speaker 1: 4:38

Now you're gonna come every week and you're gonna sample, you're gonna taste something new. Every week you'll drink the one that you were introduced to, that you love. But you also say, hey, beck, give me a suggestion or let me try this one. They'll try it. If they like it, great. If not, they still have their, their base for sure, and uh.

Speaker 2: 4:56

The one thing, though, that I've learned is that I thought I'm going to open up this spot and everybody's going to like just love the beer the way I did, and everybody's just gonna come. Good beer doesn't bring people in bakersfield out of their houses. You have to really pull and pluck them and say this is fun, come do this uh you know, I've got this event every friday, this one's saturday, this one's on may.

Speaker 2: 5:21

So just hey, you to stay at it. But that's kind of where the you know the initial. Let's build this and they will come story, I guess.

Speaker 1: 5:32

So I agree with that, bakersfield being quote unquote country, right. Obviously the history and the background, with Buck Owens, merle Haggard, you know some of the OGs of the country game, right. And then, on the other end, like I feel like it's a huge latin population, right and you're going to talk about zama. You're going to talk about puesto. You're going to talk about um, this place over here on hegman, I don't remember new estro is there too, but this other one that, uh, they had opened up in that shopping center.

Speaker 1: 6:03

You guys go get your nails done at oh, um ritmo, ritmo yeah, yeah, there's a, there's a whole bunch, and then, uh, agave or casa tequila, and there's all kinds of country or latin very true and no shortage of lines yeah, and they just keep opening up, they just keep popping up, they just keep popping up everywhere.

Speaker 1: 6:24

right, but it is geared towards the younger crowd, it seems. You know, 22, 23, up to like 27. So we went out. You know we've been out a couple times with many of her friends and we've tried, we've tried. What is it called again, nostro?

Speaker 2: 6:44

No, the one we just did.

Speaker 1: 6:47

Ritmo Monopoly for a brief second when it was over on Oak.

Speaker 2: 6:51

Like a second. We were in there for like a second.

Speaker 1: 6:54

In and out. We were like, nah, this is not our spot, right? And the other thing is again middle age 44, 37, 38, 39, whatever. I won't give your age out on the air.

Speaker 2: 7:06

Sure, she's young. I'm on the upper end of the 40s, I'm the baby.

Speaker 1: 7:10

So I'm okay out of the group, I'm the baby. But yeah, we go into these establishments Looking to have a nice evening, a nice time, things of that nature and it's too rowdy, it's too young. And then I go in there and I feel like people are looking at me like who's this old man, like this is not your spot anymore. Old timer, like what are you doing here? This is for us young kids.

Speaker 2: 7:31

You phased out. Yeah, we're out. I don't care about people bumping into me. It's too cluttered.

Speaker 1: 7:38

I don't like that and that presents opportunities for other bad things to happen misunderstandings. People are drunk and they perceive things a certain way that shouldn't be perceived. Hey, it was innocent. I'm sorry. I stepped on you, Jay, my bad.

Speaker 2: 7:56

But it's not worth dying for. No no.

Speaker 1: 8:00

So, without talking too poorly about some of these places, they're just not for us and we do like the older. We've been to Foxtail Lounge.

Speaker 2: 8:09

Oh yeah, that's super chill.

Speaker 1: 8:10

That's a chill place right and I think Crash is pretty chill. For the most part, I love Crash A couple of times that we've been there, but one of our big influences in what we love is out in Ventura.

Speaker 1: 8:24

It's called Rocks drams oh yeah, love rocks and drams because it's very mature, very classy. Um, they have djs in there. They'll do vinyl sets and they're doing r&b, they're doing neo soul, they're doing real laid-back, chill, nice music with substance, right, and again I'm gonna get in trouble with some of the viewers of like hey what do you mean? Music with substance. You know, you don't think little zan or somebody has substance.

Speaker 2: 8:53

No, I don't, motherfucker, I don't but that's true, you know what you guys would like. The gold line, gold Line Bar, is it Eagle Rock? It's the Stones Throw spot, so we'll find that for you so that you can make sure to check that out. Yeah, they do vinyl sets and they definitely have some really good guest DJs will pop in. I think Psycho Les is there once a week and I know Howe Shoes have been there, of course, once a week, and I know how she's been there, of course, and um, but good DJs that know how to just read the room of a good energy.

Speaker 2: 9:35

We're not trying to twerk on the bar, or things, or you know, make your elbows touch your knees, whatever. But, you know we still, if we're in our forties, we want to go out and have a good time and listen to some music, and at a tolerable volume level.

Speaker 1: 9:50

Where we can still communicate.

Speaker 2: 9:52

We're at, I think, maybe at an age where we are valuing our time with our friends. So we want to like, kind of, get all of our friends together and talk and be like, wow, this was a week and all this shit happened, and you know, but hey, don't you love this song, I love this song. Get all of our friends together and talk and be like, wow, this was a week and all this shit happened.

Speaker 1: 10:10

But hey, don't you love this song.

Speaker 2: 10:11

I love this song and it makes me think about that. Whatever, whatever. Whereas you've got to love your 20-somethings, of course they're just trying to get out and move and get dressed up and meet somebody. Get the attention of whoever they want. Opposite sex, not the opposite. Whatever, Whoever not the opposite.

Speaker 1: 10:24

Whatever, whatever your preference, but they're having a good time.

Speaker 2: 10:28

I mean, I know in my 20s, yeah, I did that, but I grew up super young so we were going to La Movida for college night.

Speaker 1: 10:38

What was it? Aldo's? Yes, Aldo's La Movida.

Speaker 2: 10:42

I was talking to a DJ that used to DJ there during that time and telling him like that shit wouldn't fly nowadays, college night. We went to college night because my boyfriend husband he was 18 when I was 16. So in order for us to get into the club, you had to go on a Thursday. It was college night, where 16-year-olds had the wristbands and we couldn't drink, of course, but that shit would not fly nowadays.

Speaker 2: 11:12

And so, yeah, I feel like I grew up young clubbing at 16. And so in my 20s, just midway through it, I was already like I'm ready to be a mom, like this is crazy. Just midway through it, I was already like I'm ready to be a mom, like this is crazy and um. But the younger 20 somethings nowadays they're out and heavy in in numbers and so, yes, there's a not a shortage of places to go if you're looking to drink and have a good time and you know, just keep it going like Like overpours, whatever.

Speaker 1: 11:46

You're out there doing too much. Your drug of choice, yeah, all that good stuff.

Speaker 2: 11:50

You know, I guess that's cool, it's just, it's not for me. So I avoid anything where high heels are a requirement. No, thank you If. I can't go in my Vans, I ain't going.

Speaker 1: 12:02

Yeah, you got to be comfy. Yeah, and we're at that age, you know again I need a supportive shoe, yeah At that age.

Speaker 2: 12:13

We're going to the Skechers store Memory foam when are those cloud shoes?

Speaker 1: 12:16

They got all kinds of expensive shoes. They have the memory foam.

Speaker 2: 12:18

Yeah, the Vans have to have the comfy cush, or else I ain't doing it.

Speaker 1: 12:23

But yeah, we again middle age, we're in relationships, either married or deep in fiance. You know we're not out there trying to meet anybody, um, and yeah, we just want to spend some quality time with some quality people. Yeah, yeah, let me ask, um you mentioned that you you used to escape bakersfield quite a bit. You lived your life here. Then on the weekends Friday, saturday, sunday you'd jet out, go wherever. What was your favorite spot?

Speaker 2: 12:53

Oh gosh, I love visiting Santa Barbara.

Speaker 1: 12:57

Okay.

Speaker 2: 12:58

Ever since I was born, every summer we would spend a week in carpentry, a santa barbara area, and we would um, it was just like tradition. So when I got married, I told my husband this is where we go, this is what we're doing. He had never been to any beach other than venice beach and uh, and he was like, no, it sounds boring. I was like there's other places.

Speaker 1: 13:26

Yeah, trust me.

Speaker 2: 13:28

And so then I just love it there. It's pretty, it's chill, and there's like an area called the Funk Zone where you could just walk to multiple breweries and restaurants, and so our favorite thing would be to stay in a hotel in that area and we never have to get in the car for days.

Speaker 1: 13:49

No Uber, no car, you just walk up and down.

Speaker 2: 13:51

Yeah walk off your beer and your snacks, whatever. And it's just so pretty and the weather is always great, but that was always a fun vacation spot. I have my favorite breweries that I like to visit when I'm in this socal area and, um, sometimes some of the spots maybe didn't necessarily have like the greatest beer per se, but just the vibe and the art and the music. It was like I just want to hang out here the entire experience as a whole overall, yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 14:26

And that's kind of where I was like inspired when I make my place. Maybe people don't like craft beer, but they keep coming back and they'll find something that they like or find a reason or find a friend that they want to bring, because they came on, like you know, arts and crafts Day or whatever, and had a good time and just enjoyed the experience and the vibe.

Speaker 1: 14:51

All right, we were talking about favorite hip-hop, hip-hop artists, albums, soundtracks, things like that. I told you one of mine is the Roots Roots huge. One of their albums is called the Tipping Point. And the Tipping Point is that point where everything happens. Everything happens at that tipping point and then you know, a result happens at the end of it. What was your tipping point? If you will, opening off the rails, when were you at? What were you doing? Who were you talking to? That said you know what? Fuck it. I'm going to go downtown, I'm going to find a spot and I'm going to open up my own craft brewery.

Speaker 2: 15:40

I guess I kind of had a couple of tipping points, but number one being to take that leap was that my kids were getting older and moving on with their lives. But if I died and didn't take some sort of risk with my you know what makes me special then I would have had just this regret, and that's the part that I don't think I would have been able to live with is regretting. You know why didn't I take a chance on me?

Speaker 1: 16:26

Why didn't you bet on yourself?

Speaker 2: 16:27

Why didn't I bet on myself? Because I do think I'm kind of kick ass and I think that's kind of what makes me special. And but damn, in retrospect you do open up a lot of just doors of exposing yourself and you try to stay positive as being a creative soul and saying I made this beautiful thing. Now everybody come, and then when people don't, then you're just like, well, shit, I guess I might as well go beg for my job back, but I'm still in the grind, I'm still in the fight and still trying to continue on making this something special. But that was probably like the big motivator is. Do I want to live with a life of regret for not just trying? And then the other thing here in Bakersfield the breweries and places to go. If you want to enjoy craft beer Not so much climate controlled you go to breweries and it's kind of got that outdoor feel. Sometimes it's kind of garagey.

Speaker 1: 17:32

They got that big garage door that swings up and it's just whatever the weather is, it is, and maybe they have some fans, but it's not AC.

Speaker 2: 17:40

If it's brew day, forget it, because the humidity is yikes and I am a natural curly girl and I would walk out like Mufasa at the end of the day.

Speaker 2: 17:50

And then, oh gosh, do not tell me my place has misters or whatever. That's a hard no for me. You have misters, I'm not coming to your establishment. And so, that being said, though, wintertime too, I still want to enjoy a cold beer in December, you know, and if I have to wear a parka, then that kind of takes away from the experience. So I was like I'm going to have central air and it's going to be great, and then it's going to be so toasty warm in December that everybody's going to be fine drinking mimosas if it's 50 degrees outside. So having a space that was climate controlled was definitely another thing that I was like this is going to be a big seller.

Speaker 1: 18:38

What's your ideal temperature? 76. 76 on the dot. No wait, that's like outside like a good day for me All right.

Speaker 2: 18:47

My AC in the bar stays at 69.

Speaker 1: 18:50

Okay, all right, we kind of live like that. We live like that quite a bit.

Speaker 2: 18:56

It's nice and chill.

Speaker 1: 18:59

What's some challenges that you have faced since opening?

Speaker 2: 19:05

Gosh, there's so many. I mean, there's a ton of challenges, even when it comes to just like dealing with city and the county and all of the different entities that you have to make happy. And then, just when you think, yay, I did everything.

Speaker 2: 19:24

Right, then the fire department they spring something else on you and I do my best to try to stay on top of things, but, um, being a new business owner and just starting from scratch a lot of the time, it's very much begging for forgiveness. Oh, I didn't know you couldn't do that.

Speaker 1: 19:44

Sure Little slap on the hand.

Speaker 2: 19:47

Yeah, and then, of course, there's times when I have to throw out some name drops from family members or whatever I can, just to be like please, please don't shut me down which it works sometimes, but those are challenges. And then the biggest challenge is the things that are totally out of your hands, things that you can't control. And in the last two years we've had some of the wettest rainy seasons, the longest rainy seasons.

Speaker 1: 20:20

Yeah, all the lakes are filled.

Speaker 2: 20:22

Which people don't like to drive in the rain. In Bakersfield we're not one of those towns where it rains so much.

Speaker 1: 20:29

We're not in Washington Seattle.

Speaker 2: 20:32

If a sprinkle starts happening at 5 pm, everybody's going straight home and there's no more of these. Well, let's just drink, have one beer and stop off before we head home. Or let's just meet for one cocktail. No, that doesn't happen. So the weather is the one thing that is just out of my hands. So those types of things are super sad.

Speaker 1: 20:57

What's your most memorable memory so far Off? The Rails has been open for almost three years now Almost two, almost two, okay so almost two. What's the biggest highlight? What's the biggest memory? If you were to leave everything today, what's the one thing that you're going to remember that's going to bring the most joy to you?

Speaker 2: 21:17

uh, this year, uh, for my birthday, for my birthday weekend, I wanted to make sure to get like my favorite entertainment on the stage. So which was the funk freaks okay I love the Funk Freaks.

Speaker 2: 21:33

They're a group of DJs that play all vinyl, 80s funk and deep cuts and all that fun stuff. So, um and uh some people find this hard to believe. I do like to drink beer. I don't like being drunk, so I do like to have that one day a year my birthday where I'm like I'm going to get a nice little buzz and have a good time. So it's really really stressful, though, when we have these busy, busy days. So I made sure all hands were on deck and my friends kind of took me out to some of the surrounding little spots around downtown, took me out to some of the surrounding little spots around downtown, so that by the time I was ready to go and have some fun, the party was already started, djs were on the stage and I didn't have to worry about any of it. So this year for my birthday, funk Freaks were on stage.

Speaker 2: 22:34

I walked up and the place was packed there you go and it was probably the most packed it honestly, yes, I think it was the most packed it had ever been. And, um, and when I walked in, there was like hundreds of smiles like saying, hey back, hey back. When I walked in and I just wanted to cry because I was like every it's like having that dream birthday party when everyone's having fun and everybody's happy to see you. And it happened like to me and it was so exciting and so, um, it was a big deal and that was probably something that I could take away. I was like I freaking, at least once had an epic party.

Speaker 2: 23:21

There you go and it was a good time and we made some money that day too.

Speaker 1: 23:25

Oh, that doesn't hurt. You know, that's a nice bonus.

Speaker 2: 23:28

But yeah, it was definitely fun and I learned there was a lot of people that come from out of town, from up north, to come to see them, because they generally stay in the socal area, so a lot of people they had the opportunity to meet them in you know midpoint in bakersfield.

Speaker 1: 23:45

Yes, they didn't have to go all the way down south to go see them it was a good time.

Speaker 2: 23:49

That's nice. I need to get them back what is um?

Speaker 1: 23:53

what is your guys' capacity there?

Speaker 2: 23:56

100, technically.

Speaker 1: 23:58

Technically, yeah, it's 100.

Speaker 2: 24:00

We have a really big basement that technically can get included into our total square footage.

Speaker 1: 24:06

Oh, there you go, but I don't, you don't utilize it, I don't. We'll utilize the number, but we're not going to utilize the space down there.

Speaker 2: 24:14

I keep it at 100. I think technically I could fit 140-ish, but yeah.

Speaker 1: 24:20

Keeping it 100.

Speaker 2: 24:21

Keeping it 100.

Speaker 1: 24:23

That's a nice one. Right there, we keep it 100 around here.

Speaker 2: 24:28

Now available in our upcoming merch.

Speaker 1: 24:30

Yeah, hey, keep it 100 with Off the.

Speaker 2: 24:33

Rails, y'all Tagline hey.

Speaker 1: 24:43

Hey, that sounds pretty nice. Um, what are your musical influences where? How did you get started with hip-hop? What you know? There's a movie that I love. It's called brown sugar, and in that movie, when did you fall in love with hip-hop? Now, hip-hop ended up being anthony a gentleman. What's your husband's name? His name's anthony. Love with hip-hop. Now hip-hop ended up being Anthony a gentleman. What's your husband's name?

Speaker 2: 24:58

His name's Anthony.

Speaker 1: 24:59

Anthony. Hip-hop ended up being Anthony. Right, it ended up being a guy in the movie. But what's your influence? Where did you fall in love with hip-hop?

Speaker 2: 25:11

For me, my dad always listened to jazz. It was, he was always a jazz jazzy guy, whether it be, like you know, old traditional jazz or like smooth jazz.

Speaker 1: 25:25

What are we talking like?

Speaker 2: 25:26

Nat King Cole, dizzy Gillespie, more like, oh gosh, he used to listen to a lot of like. I don't know if you know naji oh yeah yeah, so like smooth jazz okay so that type of thing and then, uh, of course, like when you think of like old school type of music, but he was also always super jazzy and a lot of quincy jones, like anything that quincy had produced.

Speaker 2: 25:55

My dad had like a box set up so I listened to a lot of like Stevie Wonder growing up and James Ingram and Bobby Caldwell and stuff like that. So it was always those influences and so kind of. About the time I was a junior high. I was when De La Soul started to come out and then Tribe Called Quest and it was just funny listening to that and then being in the car and him pointing out the samples.

Speaker 1: 26:30

This is where this came from. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 26:32

So you know, knowing that background of it, and my mom listened to a lot more like kind of classic rock type of stuff, so on my mom, she was very like Steely Dan and Fleetwood Mac and stuff like that, stevie Nicks and all that Right.

Speaker 2: 26:54

So like knowing Steely Dan and the countless samples coming out of that too, so that just kind of influenced into me loving hip hop and then it mostly being East Coast stuff, just because that's more to me, the jazzy influence, and when it comes to like West Coast stuff, yeah that, yeah, that stuff's sample, but it was always a little on the gangsters yeah, a little gangster rap, yeah and I've never really been super gangster rap.

Speaker 2: 27:24

Of course, big nod and respect and whatever and yeah, like I'll put it on in the summertime at the cookout, but it was just never something that I was like throw that on, and so that jazz influence has always been kind of where I was with my love for hip hop All right, All right.

Speaker 1: 27:45

In your facility at Off the Rails you have music playing all the time.

Speaker 2: 27:50

We do, and I'm a Pisces, I'm super moody, so it's going to just kind of reflect on it and and so we open it too. And that's because I've definitely been in times where I was in jury duty or in a meeting or something. I get to get out it too.

Speaker 2: 28:08

boss says you're good for the day, but maybe I don't want to go straight home sure and so that's where we get a lot of our um, you know, after lunch considering going back to work type of people. So during that part of the day it's like a funky energy. Nobody's trying to listen to DJ Quick at 2 pm on a Tuesday. So my playlist, it's very depending on my mood, it's very depending on my mood, but um, usually I do a lot of like tame impala or the cure or something like that to kind of start my day off.

Speaker 2: 28:47

Sure, a lot of wednesdays we always play gorillas and daft punk and people really love that and um, and then, like sometimes if it's a slow day and it's chill and the energy's just kind of low, I do a lot of. I know I'm gonna jack it up krongbin, krongbin. Have you heard this group? Oh my god you're gonna like it, but it's just and cleo soul okay, all right, very just Sort of just chill vibes.

Speaker 2: 29:17

But very, very hip-hop is just usually somewhere in the day. It's like okay, time to crank this up and I have just a lounge playlist and it's all of my faves. And then Saturdays, the energy is different. There's a lot more like Anderson Paak and Time of the Creator.

Speaker 1: 29:37

Schoolboy Q Anderson Paak Love it. Creator. Schoolboy Q Anderson Paak Love it. Mac Miller, mac Miller they collabed a lot together. He had a big influence with them. So the events that you host there, how do they tie in as far as hip-hop or whatever genre of music it is neo-soul soul, whatever it may be jazz, how does it tie into your beverages?

Speaker 2: 30:08

Funny things. When it comes to craft beer, I always say it is kind of nods to hip-hop, because it's like you've got a lot of brewers that are out there just trying to create something and, uh, sometimes the thing that gets the person's attention is that can art and so, depending on the cans, maybe that's something that's like the names of the beers, like you know, mixtape or dope ass lyrics or whatever. And then you see I carry a lot of cans that do have like this influence of whether it be hip hop or a lot of comic books. You get a lot of that too and, especially for people that don't exactly know what they're drinking, they're going to see that and be like oh, this is fun.

Speaker 2: 31:00

But we like to tie in a lot of art with kind of the vibe that we have going About. Two weeks ago we had an art expedition that was anything but a canvas, and so we had people drawing on boxing gloves, skateboards, you name it Anything but a canvas, and so we had people drawing on boxing gloves, skateboards.

Speaker 1: 31:22

Anything but a canvas. You name it yeah.

Speaker 2: 31:24

And the displays they put on were really, really great. But since we had a lot of local artists, I said, hey, I'm going to throw out some sketchbooks and some markers on the table. Throw out some sketchbooks and some markers on the table. And then that day we ended up having a bunch of like graffiti artists and writers and stuff come out and it just turned out to be a whole like support your local tiger day or whatever, and it was so fun. The energy was just creative. Everybody was drawing and scribbling and showing each other their art and then selling some of their art pieces. And I had a lot of tattoo artists that come into because, of course, we're downtown and um, so it's just kind of lends to just the creative aspect. We always have this good music going to where people are like let's just sit down and paint a picture, sure, why not? I got some paints right here Awesome.

Speaker 2: 32:19

And I just keep them in a little cabinet. We have some little board games and simple stuff Do you have Uno.

Speaker 1: 32:26

Of course you got to have Uno. We love Uno.

Speaker 2: 32:29

It's funny when I tell people yeah, you know, it's a chill spot so we don't have a lot of drama. But when I hear people yelling and I like peek around the bar, it's because the uno cards are out yeah it's not because somebody's like you know you're looking at my girlfriend, or nothing. No, it's because somebody put down a draw for and their life's about to end.

Speaker 1: 32:49

And they're mad if, because they try to put a draw for on top and stack it, it's like hey, that's not an official uno rule, you can't, you can't stack I've had people come to the bar.

Speaker 2: 32:57

You got house rules here. I'm like no, not in this house. You gotta figure it out.

Speaker 1: 33:05

How about give me a couple specific beers that you would suggest to pair with, some like De La or Tribe, or so it's funny.

Speaker 2: 33:23

I had, um, this one. It was from a brewery in el sagano and it's called left my wallet and, uh, the can art looks like you know that, like the squiggly lines from the tribe thing, but gosh.

Speaker 1: 33:46

There's just so many.

Speaker 2: 33:47

That one's tough.

Speaker 1: 33:49

I'm going to put you on the spot, girl.

Speaker 2: 33:51

So, okay, I'm pairing a beer with a soundtrack.

Speaker 1: 33:54

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 33:56

Yeah. The soundtrack yeah, yeah. No, I can't think of it.

Speaker 1: 34:05

Can't do it.

Speaker 2: 34:06

No, I have so many, I think, just different varieties and stuff and all kinds of flavor combinations.

Speaker 1: 34:16

What are your top sellers?

Speaker 2: 34:18

Goodness, nations, and geez, what are your top sellers, goodness? Um, we have this one brewery that we get like maybe once every two months, and they're out of miami. And, um, this brewer brews so much wild stuff in the beer that people have to ask multiple times are you sure this is a beer? And it's because they're brewed with cotton, candy and sugar, floss and ice cream and donuts all that fun stuff packed into a beverage, and the beverage tastes like, you know, a bag of skittles if you eat all of them at one time or something so.

Speaker 2: 34:57

So if you like that really sweet stuff, I always have something wild. And then me, my favorites I like stouts. I like barrel-aged stouts, I like it to taste like bourbon and have a little bit of a burn on it and taste like chocolate and it's decadent and luscious. That's my favorite. So that's always a top seller whenever I have something that's got like that strong, high ABV and it's super luscious. But then I've got people that are like I don't care about any of that, I just want to be here because DJ Gordy B's on the ones and twos and can you please give me a Michelob Ultra.

Speaker 2: 35:38

You got that too so to be honest, ultra keeps the lights on so we, I don't.

Speaker 1: 35:43

I don't drink a whole lot, um, when I do, I enjoy a guinness like a dark beer. Um, and one time I was over at the coast, um, central coast, uh, shell beach brew house and they had a belching beaver peanut butter stout. Have you ever had that? Oh yeah, all right, do you guys have that there?

Speaker 2: 36:04

sometimes. No, I don't carry too much of that um, that's pretty readily available, so my specialty is getting things that you're not going to find.

Speaker 1: 36:16

Yeah, because you can get Belching Beaver at BevMo. True.

Speaker 2: 36:20

Yeah, I did carry something from Belching Beaver that was a little bit more on the unique side and it was a white stout, so it was a cappuccino latte white golden stout Sounds nice. So it pours out just like you're looking at a regular pale beer, but it is super sweet and luscious when you drink it, so it's like having a decadent little treat.

Speaker 1: 36:49

Well, that's nice. Do you have that one there currently? No, that one is sold out what's the most decadent one you have currently, because that's going to be the one that little Queen Bee over here is going to want to taste.

Speaker 2: 37:01

If you like cold brew, I've got one that's like a chocolatey cold brew and it's sweet and we serve it in this pretty little glass only like five ounces, because the ABV is, I think, around 14%.

Speaker 1: 37:16

Really high.

Speaker 2: 37:18

So it's a good sipper. It's what I call a slow sipper.

Speaker 1: 37:20

You're going to feel nice. You're going to feel nice, we're going to feel nice. That's what's going to happen.

Speaker 2: 37:25

Oh, I want everybody to feel nice when they come visit. Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 37:29

Absolutely. Let's go to community, community and future plans. Tell me who you've collaborated with as far as local artists, musicians, who all has been in the facility.

Speaker 2: 37:43

Oh gosh, we love working with like the Arts Council and nothing like really formal, but a lot of the folks that work over there love to continue to build on the downtown scene and so, like they do, events on first Fridays to bring people in and families, have live music outside, have vendors set up, which is great and I love, but, um, sometimes it's hard to collab with them because I am 21 and over establishment.

Speaker 1: 38:21

Yeah, not super family. Quote unquote friendly Right Get them kids out of here.

Speaker 2: 38:28

But I love, you know, just some of those faces over there. They're doing great things so we always want to support. And then there's been another charity that we work with every year. It's called Cruisin' for Charity and there's, I think it's like the second weekend of October where they close down some of the streets there around Chester and line the streets with vintage cars and line the streets with vintage cars and the proceeds from the event help. I think it's like widows of police that have been killed.

Speaker 1: 39:04

Fallen yeah.

Speaker 2: 39:05

And so it's great charity and that's one of our favorite days because we do something to collect funds and then we present a check at the end and it's just a good feeling because everybody's out there having a good time for a good cause, um, but yeah, there's, there's been a few. We love doing art events, we love doing anything with classic cars, um, too, because, I've seen you had a motorcycle out there recently oh yeah, that's one of our friends.

Speaker 2: 39:35

He's an artist okay and um, and yeah, that was just a pretty bike and that week it was just random. We just had we have a lot of bike riders. I think because it's downtown and we're right across from bike bakersfield that people like to come visit. And um, but no, we have an impala that you may just catch out from every once in a while when the weather is just right.

Speaker 1: 39:57

It's's yours, mm-hmm, your Impala.

Speaker 2: 40:00

Oh, it's my husband.

Speaker 1: 40:01

Yeah, what's his is yours, and what's yours is yours. Right, he won't catch me driving that thing.

Speaker 2: 40:06

It is like a whole ass boat.

Speaker 1: 40:08

Oh yeah, them things just float.

Speaker 2: 40:11

It makes me so nervous.

Speaker 1: 40:12

What is it? 64?

Speaker 2: 40:14

68.

Speaker 1: 40:14

Okay, yeah, all right, all right. Um, what's your vision? What's your future vision? What are your plans for your bar, and do you have any upcoming projects or events?

Speaker 2: 40:25

So the bar, um, it has a kitchen, it has a big kitchen. That my thoughts were I'm going to open this bar and we're going to make so much money and then I'm going to put it into the kitchen and then open up my own little spot. And but things have not been exactly that and things are kind of moving slow on and come to a point where we probably would need to partner with somebody that is more familiar with the kitchen aspect and the food and all that fun stuff and then get the kitchen open so that we can be a lounge and kitchen.

Speaker 1: 41:15

Absolutely a one-stop shop.

Speaker 2: 41:16

Yeah, so that people will kind of of you know, they don't feel the need to come drink because they want to come hang out. And even though we have a good amount of like alcohol-free options, um, sometimes people just are wanting to snack a little bit more between drinks and stuff, and of course, why. So that's the goal Events that we have coming up. Oh gosh, I don't have any big big ones other than live music on Fridays, and oh no, I take that back.

Speaker 2: 41:50

Live music Fridays, djs Saturday, sunday and then this coming up Tuesday, we're doing a paint night. That I'm excited about because typically when you go to paint night you're given this canvas and I feel like there's like pressure to.

Speaker 1: 42:05

Instruction.

Speaker 2: 42:07

Yeah, and like I'm going to create something that's going to be whack. I'm not an artist, but here we go. So this person pre-sketches, I guess. On a little template person pre pre sketches, I guess on a little template, yeah, like onto the canvas, so that when you're there it's almost like a paint by number.

Speaker 2: 42:25

Type of situation and they have the instructor stay in the lines it's exciting because then you don't feel like you were a major disappointment when you walk away like I wouldn't even put this up in my bathroom, much less like anywhere in my house. This I think people are going to walk away and be like I got my money's worth, I got a beautiful piece of art that I did myself, and so that's coming up on Tuesday.

Speaker 1: 42:46

You still have spots open for that? Yes, okay, what's the cost? What's the range?

Speaker 2: 42:51

I think that one is $35 and you get a free pour. You get your canvas and the tutelage of learning how to apply the paint. Sure and the free pour and that's coming up next Tuesday. Actually, this Saturday we have a beer garden plant in cans thing and Sunday reggae day fade with DJ Gordie.

Speaker 1: 43:21

B, I'll be there. I might show up. I want to go check this guy out. I've heard things All right and you guys tend to have some food vendors that pull up outside right. Sometimes hit and miss Food vendors are a struggle. It's a struggle, it's a struggle.

Speaker 2: 43:39

We had our regular truck every day, but we have had to temporarily move away from that truck and we're kind of in search to find a new one. It's just the city's kind of coming down with some strict rules and so it's hard to be downtown to have a truck and it's just a struggle as it is. You know food trucks right now when it's triple digits it's hard. And sometimes these guys are like uh, not really looking to do all that.

Speaker 1: 44:22

So so you mentioned, uh, uh, future plans opening up the kitchen, getting the kitchen going, getting a menu, everything else. What is beck's hip-hop meal?

Speaker 2: 44:34

gosh hip-hop. I like any meals that consist of food. I don't know a T-bone steak cheese, eggs and Welch's grape hey, there you go.

Speaker 1: 44:47

Yeah, hey, pulling out the lyrics.

Speaker 2: 44:51

Biggie. That sounds like a good hip hop meal to me. Yeah, that's not bad.

Speaker 1: 44:55

Yeah, that's not bad. What advice would you give somebody looking to start their own craft beer or wanting to combine their passions in business? So for you it's craft beer and hip-hop. What suggestions might you have for somebody? What advice?

Speaker 2: 45:11

Just find what makes you unique, Find that thing that makes your space stick out from anything else, and then just kind of run with that. But at the same time don't be sad when that one thing also is the reason why people don't come. You know that part's tough.

Speaker 1: 45:41

All right, so final thoughts. Is there anything you'd like to share with your listeners today? You know we talked about several of the events that you have coming up. You know things of that nature.

Speaker 2: 45:55

I'd say final thoughts were are um, of course it's hard for somebody to be out there and support everybody, and when money's tight for everybody, like especially just in bakersfield, I think, in general but, um, doing what little you can to support a small business helps tremendously in in a bigger way that you can imagine like, for example, I don't go to Starbucks. I. There are too many great little coffee spots downtown, ones that have drive-thrus, ones that make their own pastries and ones that have just something unique and you're helping, like a family, that somebody that tried to do something unique, embrace something cool.

Speaker 1: 46:50

Follow their passion, yeah.

Speaker 2: 46:52

And that's big. So for me, I have a lot of family members that say, you know, maybe they don't drink craft beer or maybe they don't go out or do much, but they'll come in and maybe buy a can ago or a gift card for somebody, or shirt, merch, love that and just support in some way that you can, even when it comes to just the small things like getting a cup of coffee or, you know, buying thrifted clothes, even things like that. Support your local venues that have music, because what will we do if there weren't these creative places? Then we would just like all live in a chain store or whatever. So don't be afraid to go downtown. So many people are afraid to go to places where there's maybe not necessarily a parking lot right next to them. Get away from strip malls, go park in a garage and just take a walk. Do something different. So final thoughts are just definitely get out there and support the unique places that make your community special all right.

Speaker 1: 48:09

Where can everybody find you, both physically and social media?

Speaker 2: 48:13

I live at the bar. I am on 18th Street between Chester and I, but I'm heavy on my social media. It's free, so I am posting. If you're on Instagram, you can definitely find Off the Rails, bakersfield there and always find my monthly calendar. So plan ahead the week events and then highlights of some fun stuff that we've had. And, um, I'm on Facebook. I'm not really great at Facebook, uh, but I'm there, I am present. And then, if you are strictly here for the beer and you don't necessarily care about the events, the music, the hip hop, uh, you can follow me on Untappd, which is definitely that social media for beer drinkers. Untappd tells you everything I put in the fridge and everything that's on my tap. And if you're looking for, you know, those wild cotton candy beers or hard sodas, it'll always keep you updated there.

Speaker 1: 49:16

What is this craft beer Illuminati? Yeah girl, I'm coming.

Speaker 2: 49:27

What is this?

Speaker 1: 49:28

craft beer, illuminati, all about.

Speaker 2: 49:31

It's so silly but it's funny. So the craft beer illuminati is like a group of just a bunch of craft beer heads that are somehow involved in either brewing or, uh, like low-key I guess you could say, just like influencers. And a couple years ago it it was like kind of being in this little secret society where nobody really knew, uh, how it came to be, but that if you had one of the craft beer illuminati in your friend group or at your party it was going to be a party. It was kind of special.

Speaker 1: 50:15

So you know hey, I had to spring that. I was curious. I was like, hey, what? Is this craft beer illuminati stuff.

Speaker 2: 50:23

Yeah, and when we have a party, when we all get together, it's a, it's a good time, good, good all right.

Speaker 1: 50:29

Well, we're gonna go ahead and wrap it up um beck. Thanks for joining it was wonderful, insightful um. I love the connection between hip hop and other hobbies, right Other passions, especially craft beer, and how they correlate and connect. So thank you for coming. We'll wrap this up. Gordie B Queen B Beck.

Speaker 2: 50:54

Thanks so much, becca B.

Speaker 1: 50:56

All right, Until next week. Y'all have a great day.

Speaker 2: 50:59

Thanks guys.