Few local brewing companies burst onto the scene in as prolific a manner as WestBrew. In 2020, mere days after the family behind construction firm EvergreenCali opened its sudsy side-hustle’s Vista headquarters, they launched a kitchen-equipped taproom in downtown Del Mar. That was followed by the company announcing it had secured a project site for another satellite venue in downtown San Diego’s East Village. Progress on that project was slow-going and arduous due to the pandemic, but it debuted in early-2022, ahead of a successful Padres baseball season that generated consistent patronage.
Most business owners would have taken a break at that point, but 2022 proved an eventful one for WestBrew’s Joshua and Heather Lynn Schreer. After original brewer Cody Gagnon moved to Carlsbad Brewing to head a recently introduced fermentation component that upgrades the company’s moniker from misnomer to legitimate (the business hasn’t brewed since in-house since moving from Mission Brewery Plaza where it operated as Acoustic Ales Brewing Experiment), the Schreer’s brought on former Rough Draft Brewing headman Dustin Hendrick. Additionally, the company doubled its cellar capacity while introducing new beers and revised versions of existing flagships. Even with all of that, the Schreers’ say one of their most notable accomplishments was getting the go-ahead from their property owner to revamp their Del Mar location.
WestBrew is in the process of demolishing the existing patio leading from its main structure—which includes a taproom and kitchen—to an open-air pavilion on the corner of 15th Street and Camino Del Mar that previously served as a flower shop and coffee gazebo. That structure will also be torn down to make room for a stand-alone dining room that’s accessible from the sidewalk and will operate in conjunction with the existing kitchen and taproom.
“We have always loved the location we have but have known that we needed a more comfortable situation for our guests and protection from the elements, even though the weather is usually great,” says Heather Lynn. “Also, we’ve had to take our furniture in and out every day due to the nature of the public patio, so we have been limited on what type of seating we could provide.”
The new dining room will be located inside a larger, glass-enclosed pavilion with vaulted, pyramid ceilings. The outdoor area between the pavilion and the taproom will be converted into a lounge-style waiting area with comfortable seating, fire pits and a space for live music acts to perform beneath the awning of the adjacent Chase Bank building.
“The structure is designed with the ocean breeze in mind and the best people-watching in town. It will feature glass, foldaway walls and windows over 90 percent of the exterior wall area,” says Schreer. “The interior will pay homage to our location and be very nature-forward. It will have an indoor-outdoor feel with natural colors, tons of native plants and greenery with an updated coastal menu that keeps some fan-favorites but will be a new approach to our food offerings.”
As with WestBrew’s two other locations, the menu will be the charge of Executive Chef Doug Fyall. He is not ready to disclose the dishes he has in development—not even to the Schreers as of press time—but says he is eager to put his stamp on the Del Mar location and, hopefully, the San Diego food scene.
A key to WestBrew’s fast growth has been having in-house construction resources. That asset should once again come in handy and result in an accelerated project timeline. The Del Mar location is currently closed and will reopen in phases. The Schreers hope to open the taproom component later in January as they finish up construction and are shooting to have the entire project completed sometime in March.
WestBrew is located at 1435 Camino Del Mar in Del Mar