Mike Stevenson, co-founder and head brewer at Culver Beer Company, has been around beer most of his life.
Stevenson was first exposed to beer as a baby, while his dad was a home brewer.
“He’s got photos of me when I was a baby,” Stevenson said. “He’d be brewing in the kitchen, so that’s kind of how I got my feet wet.”
In 2012, he started working at a brewery in Santee and serving tables because he wanted to try to figure out if the industry was right for him.
“That’s when I fell in love with it,” he said. “I was brewing down there, learning the business side of things and about the service industry.
A few years later, the opportunity came to open Culver Beer Company in Carlsbad, on the border of Vista, with the help of his business partner.
“It was kind of a dream come true,” Stevenson said. “All the stars aligned. I never envisioned opening a brewery, but my business partner had the opportunity to open a brewery in Carlsbad, and I came on board, and it’s been about 10 years now we’ve been in business.”
Culver Beer Company brews blondes, lagers, IPAs, ales and more. It has a tap room and a deli, connected to the brewery, called Locally Toasted Delicatessen, which serves hot and cold sandwiches.
Stevenson is also the lead instructor for the MiraCosta College BrewTech Program at the TCI campus in Carlsbad. He said he helped start the program in 2018, after the school approached him. It’s a 16-week course, where students get hands-on training about beer production, recipe development, canning and packaging. Students also attend brewery tours and must complete an 80-hour internship at a local brewery.
“Our goal is to provide entry-level employees for the beer industry,” Stevenson said. “We need to backfill the industry at all times, as people get promoted or move to different sides of the industry.”
He added that about about 90% of students who graduate from the program and are seeking a job, find employment. The other 10% are in the program to learn about making beer as a hobby and not looking for a job.
“I think one of the most rewarding things for me is seeing former students and cohorts become colleagues and share their success stories with me and new students,” Stevenson said. “It’s fun to see where they end up, like a student who graduated a few years ago, he’s opening a brewery in Japan, so I can’t wait to go visit him.”
Stevenson describes the local craft brewing industry right now as the market adjusting itself, with the recent closures of breweries.
“I think people are being a little bit more responsible about the drinking, that’s for sure,” he said. “I think right now, these small businesses that are failing, a lot of them are run by people who have never been in the brewing industry. So I think it’s just a market adjustment for bad business models that are going out of business. But the healthy breweries out there, the ones that have good business plans, those ones had a healthy year last year.”
He added that successful breweries also know how to adapt. Stevenson said his brewery is now making non-alcoholic beers and seltzers to keep up with new customer preferences and market trends.
Stevenson also commented that enrollment at MiraCosta’s BrewTech program is down.
“Education is getting more expensive,” he said. “We were previously really grant-driven, in order to keep tuition prices very low. Unfortunately, right now, we’re not under a grant. So even though the program is cost-effective. It’s like $4,000 all in, including lab fees; that’s a lot of money for somebody who is making near minimum wage. So we’ve seen a pretty drastic drop off in enrollment.”
Stevenson was born and raised in Vista. He describes Vista as the “climatic wonderland of the United States” since on “most days it’s 75 degrees” and the marine layer burns off quickly.
“We have all the amenities of a coastal city, but we are just east enough that if it’s a cloudy, crappy day on the coast, we still have a beautiful day because we are just inland enough,” Stevenson added.
Here are his five picks for places to eat, drink and explore in Vista.
Mike Stevenson is the co-founder and head brewer at Culver Beer Company and Locally Toasted Deli in Carlsbad. (Marcy Browe Photography)
Q: Where is your favorite dining option?
A: I love going to Prey in downtown Vista. The cocktails are super well done, the food is excellent, and the happy hour doesn’t disappoint. Downtown Vista has changed a ton growing up here, and Prey is another great addition to the community.
Q: What is your favorite small retail business or pop-up vendor to support?
A: Vista Farmers Market on Sundays at the courthouse. It’s one of the longest-running markets in the county, and it consistently delivers. With over 50 local farmers every Sunday, rain or shine, plus small-batch makers offering everything from fresh breads to salsa, as well as other local crafters, there’s always something worth checking out. Supporting them is investing directly back into our community. And as a bonus, the abundance of parking makes it incredibly convenient.
Q: Where is your favorite open space?
A: Brengle Terrace Park, especially with the Moonlight Amphitheatre, is a true Vista staple. I’ve been going there since I was a baby. The park has it all: disc golf, tennis, basketball, pickleball, softball fields, playgrounds, walking trails, picnic areas with barbecues and even the Alta Vista Botanical Gardens. It offers something for everyone: sports enthusiasts, families and nature lovers alike.
Q: Where is the best piece of artwork?
A: Back in downtown Vista, as you walk between the restaurants and shops, you’ll notice a number of murals, sculptures and painted electrical boxes. These pieces of art accentuate the historic downtown and give it a unique character that makes the area feel vibrant and welcoming.
People and the dogs walk on one of the trails at Rancho Guajome Adobe County Park. At left is a wetlands area. (Charlie Neuman / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Interior view of the Chapel at Rancho Guajome Adobe County Park. (Charlie Neuman / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)
At Rancho Guajome Adobe County Park a bell for the nearby Chapel (not shown) stands along side one of three former water storage sisterns. (Charlie Neuman / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)
View looking down a hall in the main living quarters area of the hacienda at Rancho Guajome Adobe County Park. (Charlie Neuman / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Portrait of Park Ranger Esmeralda Aguilar Garcia in the main courtyard of the hacienda at Rancho Guajome Adobe County Park. (Charlie Neuman / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)
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People and the dogs walk on one of the trails at Rancho Guajome Adobe County Park. At left is a wetlands area. (Charlie Neuman / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Q: Where is your favorite entertainment attraction or historic landmark?
A: Outside of Brengle Terrace with the Moonlight Amphitheatre and Botanical Gardens, I’ve always enjoyed visiting the Rancho Guajome Adobe. I’ve been there many times, and it even makes a great wedding venue. Built in the 1850s, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the region’s past and what life looked like for ranchers during the period of Spanish and Mexican influence. The surrounding 112-acre park provides hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, along with plenty of open grass areas that make it a perfect spot for a picnic.