In June, the owner of six-year-old brewery, Helia Brewing, announced he was closing the business and putting his space and its equipment on the market. Coming in at 6,000 square feet with an 800-square-foot patio, the facility is located in the southernmost section of Vista, less than a block from two larger beer operations, Dogleg Brewing and Eppig Brewing’s recently reopened headquarters. Its for-sale listing appealed to a number of potential buyers, but none so much as Hayden and Kyndall Weir, a married couple who have loved the space since having one of their first dates there. Now that duo is taking it over to build their very own family business, Weir Beer Co.
“Ever since I started brewing nine years ago, it has been a dream of mine to open up my own space, be my own boss and have creative freedom, not only with the beer but the space,” says Hayden, the longtime head brewer at San Marcos’ Dos Desperados Brewery. “As soon as I met my wife, I wanted her to be a part of that dream so we could create a business that all of our family and friends could enjoy.”
“When Hayden first floated the goal of opening our own brewery someday, I was all in immediately. My dad owned his own insurance business and I always loved the idea of having a family-owned business,” says Kyndall, who currently runs her own consulting operation. She says that experience has taught her a lot about backend operations, which she will be responsible for in this new venture, along with marketing and events. “Not to brag…but to brag…Hayden makes fantastic beer, and I knew from the jump that would make this an incredible opportunity.”
Weir began his brewing career in 2015 when, impressed by the then 21-year-old’s work ethic, intelligence and overall character, Dos Desperados owners Steve and Dora Munson allowed the part-time bartender to apprentice under original brewer Dean Rouleau. When Rouleau departed the business three years later, the couple handed Weir the ball and he ran with it, crafting scores of beers and collecting brewing-competition awards along the way. It’s comparable to the Padres’ success-yielding leap of faith with 21-years-young rookie centerfielder Jackson Merrill (a fitting analogy given Weir pitched for the CSU San Marcos Cougars).
At Weir Beer, Hayden will be in charge of brewing operations, inheriting a three-vessel 15-barrel brewhouse with four 15-barrel fermenters and a trio of 30-barrel fermenters, plus a 15-barrel brite tank and a canning line. It’s double the batch size he worked with at Dos Desperados and will allow him plenty of room to grow.
With 24 tap handles, I am stoked on the opportunities that lie ahead for production. I can start fresh with what I want our core beers to be and the creative directions I want to go in. In addition to having enough beers to appeal to the the craft-brew lovers, we will have alternative beverages that will appeal to a wider audience, such as hard seltzers, hard teas and cocktail-inspired high-alcohol seltzers. Keeping up with the trends and paying attention to what our customers are drinking and wanting to drink is going to be a big focus.”
Hayden Weir, Co-owner & Head Brewer, Weir Beer Co.
Hayden expects his core lineup to start out with a hazy IPA, light lager, Pilsner and a hard seltzer. Those year-round options will initially be supplemented by a West Coast IPA, double IPA, red ale and rotating lagers. The Weirs are aiming to produce 1,000 barrels in their first year with a goal of getting to full capacity (2,500 barrels annually) within the next five years, at which point they would be interested in exploring the possibility of a second location. But for now, it’s all about creating a solid homebase.
“We’re excited to be able to make the space our own. Our overall theme focuses on ‘summer in the ‘90’s’, which will keep the space beachy and bright but pull in nostalgic elements from our childhood that makes everyone step back in time to one of the most beloved decades,” says Kyndall. “We’re excited to be working with a local artist that is creating our logo and can-art, as well as an interior designer friend of ours that will help pull the space together aesthetically.”
Helia’s tasting room also featured a beachy motif, making some of the furniture that came as part of the acquisition usable for the Weirs’ concept. That said, they will be overhauling the majority of the space, replacing murals with their own nostalgic wall-art, changing out light fixtures and more.
One of the key assets of the new tasting room will be the fact both Hayden and Kyndall expect to tend bar there on a regular basis, possibly with members of Helia’s crew, who have been invited to stay aboard as Weir Beer employees. The Weirs hope that helps accomplish their main goal of creating a staple place for North County residents and visitors, something Hayden helped accomplish at Dos Desperados. Lessons from his time there will most certainly inform his approach as he and Kyndall build their own business.
“There are many things I have learned after almost a decade working at Dos Desperados, but the most valuable thing would be from the owner, Steve, giving me complete freedom to run the brewery operations,” says Hayden. “I have been able to learn all aspects of running a small business from him, and he continues to give me full confidence as I head out on my own.”
It’s still very early in the process for the Weirs. They literally closed on the Helia site today, but they are eager to share their journey with future fans and encourage those interested to follow Weir Beer’s progress via their Instagram account.
Weir Beer Co. is located at 1250 Keystone Way in Vista