Last November, we reported a group of entrepreneurs had secured a building in Vista to house a brewery collective project called Co-Lab. Located at 2129 Industrial Court, it will operate in a fashion similar to H.G. Fenton’s leasable Brewery Igniter brewing facilities, except that Co-Lab is intended as a permanent home for its tenants.
Co-Lab’s quartet of beverage manufacturing tenants are as follows:
- Barrel & Stave: Chris White, co-owner of San Marcos’ Wild Barrel Brewing, is working on a new concept which will bring a longtime, award-winning homebrewer into the pro ranks to oversee collaborative efforts with other standout San Diego homebrewers. The concept has a “Pour House” venue currently under construction in Fullerton, California.
- Breakwater Brewing: A 12-year-old brewpub that has brought home numerous awards at the Great American Beer Festival but is off-the-radar for most craft beer fans outside of the business’ home city of Oceanside, this should up its visibility and reach considerably.
- Laguna Beach Beer Co.: This will be the third location for the six-year-old operation, which brews in Rancho Santa Margarita, has a taproom and kitchen in its namesake locale, and just brought on former Beachwood Brewing brewer Chris Linn. This will be their initial entrance into San Diego County.
- Propaganda Wine Co.: The passion project of an ex-investment analyst who left that profession to make a go of it in the wine industry.
The Co-Lab team has also secured New York-style pie operation, Flippin’ Pizza, to provide food at the shared space. Similar to the beer and wine operations, that business will have its own dedicated kitchen space and service interface with visitors. If all goes as planned, Co-Lab will open this summer.