Since taking over the Vista facility formerly occupied by Helia Brewing in August, Hayden and Kyndall Weir have been hard at work overhauling the space’s tasting room and patio to reflect their neon-hued homage-to-the-‘90s motif. In doing so, the married couple behind Weir Beer have brought a burgeoning band of social-media followers along for the ride with reels sharing their excitement, inspiration, design details and the elbow grease fueling the site rehab. It’s been impressive to watch how much they have accomplished in such a short time, enough that, after less than two months in their home base, they are ready to debut it to the public via several soft-opening events starting this week.
The first of those debut affairs will be an industry night that will help Weir Beer’s staffers to get their footing behind the bar. That includes Hayden (the former head brewer at San Marcos’ Dos Desperados Brewery) and Kyndall, who both plan to regularly pour beer for their customers. That will be followed by a public soft-opening on Friday, October 18. In keeping with the warp-speed approach the couple has employed thus far, the venue’s official grand-opening festivities will take place just two weeks later on Friday, November 1. Despite being a day late, that coming-out party will be themed to the Weirs’ favorite holiday, Halloween, and include a costume contest where guests are encouraged to wear ‘90’s-themed ensembles.
“Our overall theme is summer in the ‘90s. Our tasting room is bright, summery and decorated with nostalgic pieces – from murals to furnishings and even our merch – that will make customers of all ages think back to our favorite decade,” says Kyndall, whose role within the company as “Vibe President”.
Design features driving home the Weirs’ aesthetic include palm-tree lighting fixtures suspended above the bar, vintage era-appropriate furniture, lava lamps and a coin-operated sticker machine. There’s also a mural on the east interior wall from local artist Jules Kiess (pictured above) featuring a Volkswagen bus parked at a beach during sunset. That work-in-progress features (or will feature) dolphins with sunglasses and a UFO tractor-beaming sharks and other sea creatures from the ocean. The names of house beers will be inscribed on a seawall giving way to palm trees and a lifeguard station. The Weirs’ pups, Daisy and Doobie, will be huddled near the VW, which will be painted to create a three-dimensional illusion that it gives way to a refrigerator filled with to-go beer.
“We wanted the space to feel as welcoming as walking into your childhood best friend’s house without having to knock,” says Kyndall. “We’ll also host a variety of monthly events that are a tad different from other spots around town, including – but not limited to – comedy nights, singles events, adoption events with local animal shelters, charity events with local non-profits, karaoke nights and even vintage video-game nights. And we’re excited to put on a party-like-it’s-1999, Y2K-style New Year’s eve bash come December.”
The tasting room comfortably accommodates seating for 64, while additional room is available care of picnic tables and lounge setups on an 800-square-foot outdoor patio.
The following are beers and the extensive line of hard seltzers (including high-alcohol “cocktail seltzers” that will be served ice) that will be on the opening-day tap list:
- Bring Out the Dancing Lagers, Premium Lager, 4.2% (alcohol-by-volume)
- Double Dog Dare Ya, Jalapeño Lager, 4.2%
- Saved by the Pils, West Coast Pilsner, 4.5%
- Reptar, Red Ale, 5%
- Woogity Hazy IPA, 6.2%
- Quit Playin’ Games with My Hops, West Coast IPA, 7.2%
- I Don’t Get Angry When My Mom Smokes Pot, West Coast IPA with Terpenes, 7.2%
- There’s a Snake in My Boot, Porter, 7.4%
- Haterade, Blue Raspberry Hard Seltzer, 6%
- Disco Lemonade, Iced Tea Lemonade Hard Seltzer, 6%
- Stop Trying to Make Fetch Happen, Black Cherry Hard Seltzer, 6%
- Cheeseburger in Paradise, Margarita Cocktail Seltzer, 10%
- As Told by Ginger, Moscow Mule Cocktail Seltzer, 10%
“We are so excited to share our space with the community. The last few months have taught us both a lot about running our own business and what it takes to get doors open. Although the brewhouse was almost ready to go, there was still a lot we had to change to make the space our own,” says Kyndall. “We are feeling really happy with how everything has come together, and how the process has brought us closer together.”
Once open to the public at large, Weir Beer’s hours of operation will be 3 to 9 p.m., Monday through Wednesday, 2 to 10 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, 1 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, and 1 to 8 p.m. on Sundays. Individuals who are interested in getting in on the ground floor with Weir Beer from a fan perspective can click here to check out the assorted benefits associated with subscribing to the company’s members-only “Weirdos Club“.
Weir Beer Co. is located at 1250 Keystone Way in Vista