Vista’s Brewers’ Guild was initially created when a few breweries were looking to coordinate music licenses with the City of Vista, and since then, it has united the local brewing community across topics as varied as outdoor seating during COVID and partnering with restaurants for kitchen-to-taproom food delivery.
“The Vista Brewers’ Guild was first established when there were only a few breweries in Vista, and it was about establishing parameters that allowed all of us to access the same city resources,” said Tristan Faulk-Webster, co-owner of Aztec Brewing Co. and former president of the Vista Brewers’ Guild. “We worked together on standardizing music licenses initially. We went from only having permits for acoustic musicians to full bands now, which is fantastic, because we are able to support artists, provide work for more people, and give our city a sense of culture.”
Fostering community is a notable underpinning of the Guild, according to Faulk-Webster, who mentioned that part of the vision behind the guild is modeled off the spirit of Temecula’s wine tourism reputation. “A successful brewery scene encourages guests and residents to enjoy Vista and support its economy,” said Faulk-Webster. “Working together as an industry has helped us do things like partner with restaurants to run food next door or across the street, so brewery patrons can eat delicious food without leaving a tasting room. Since most tasting rooms do not have kitchens, this is a win-win for restaurants and breweries.”
The Vista Brewers’ Guild is expected to be back in full swing within a month after the COVID pandemic necessitated a hiatus of the group, and the first topic of interest is responding to changing regulations around outdoor seating that was created during COVID. “Now that the state of emergency is over, we want to see if there is a way we can keep some outdoor seating,” said Faulk-Webster. “Many of our customers are still cautious, so outdoor options are still important. And it’s Vista, being outdoors with a beer is pretty perfect.”
Faulk-Webster continued to say that the most important role of the guild is facilitating ongoing productive conversations with the City of Vista. “One of the benefits is that we have a friendly dialogue with the city, so we can voice our needs. They have been receptive to working with us, and we are able to discuss things. That way, they have awareness about how certain guidelines or codes will work for us.”
When asked about the vision of the Vista Brewers’ Guild Faulk-Webster said, “It’s about creating an atmosphere. In some ways, Vista’s breweries have given the community the chance to get to know their neighbors. Tasting rooms are different than bars. They reach a wider demographic – people of all ages and walks of life wind up here. And when we work together, there is a friendly vibe to the brewing community. When someone in one tasting room asks for a recommendation for another brewery, they get a genuine suggestion. That comes from us working together for the industry as a whole, and not just our own brewery.”
In support of the brewing industry, Vista Is Open recently launched a walking beer tour podcast that can be found on vistaisopen.com. Listeners can learn the ins and outs of local breweries while walking from tasting room to tasting room.
https://vistaisopen.com/vistamadetours/
