New Brews
This is poised to be the next Hill Country hot spot for craft beer and much more
A new brewery with big offerings is taking root in the Hill Country. On June 4, Vista Brewing broke ground on a 21-acre development in Driftwood. The Hill Country destination promises a brewery, tasting room, and much more when it opens in 2018.
Vista Brewing will offer "world-class beer and acres of beautiful beer garden to enjoy it in," says Karen Killough, co-founder of Vista Brewing along with husband, Kent.
"Craft consumers, and particularly those that live in and are visiting Central Texas, are increasingly looking for the local experience around craft products. The Vista destination is the embodiment of that local experience, where customers can sample a wide variety of styles of beer, see the production of onsite-sourced ingredients, and relax in the shade of centuries-old oak trees on a historic property."
Future plans call for a farm-to-table restaurant, event venue, eco-friendly tiny home accommodations, apiary, and later, a farm and orchard.
Vista Brewing will specialize in two genres of beer. There will be low-alcohol, dry, "beer garden" beers, as well as complex, wine-like brews aged in barrels from nearby Hill Country wineries and distilleries. The brewery is also committed to sourcing ingredients from the property. Local fruits, veggies, and honey will play a part in both the beer-making process and the menu of the upcoming restaurant.
"We spent many months searching for just the right property to create Vista as an escape from the hustle of day-to-day life ... It was important to us to have enough land for visitors to spread out, relax, and take in the views," says Killough. "We are keeping the site as natural as possible (no paving) and landscaping will be low-water, native Texas plants."
The team is working with OPA Design Studio, LandDev Consulting, and Rand Construction to develop the heavily-wooded property, which includes massive oak and elm trees. A pre-existing stone wall that dates back to the 1800s will be carefully preserved, providing an enclosure for an outdoor beer garden.
Vista's first phase is expected to open in early 2018.