In mid-2019, brothers Justin and Joe Stambaugh launched Stave & Nail Brewing Company in San Marcos, a craft brewery specializing in producing barrel-aged and fermented beers. At the time, Joe was working for Mikkeller Brewing San Diego and Justin was the head brewer for neighboring Rip Current Brewing, so their brewery was only open one weekend a month.
Fast forward to 2022 and Stave & Nail shut down its San Marcos tasting room with plans to launch a full-scale brewpub with an onsite restaurant as an anchor tenant in the 3,500 square-foot base floor space at the new The Rylan Apartment building in historic downtown Vista, CA. Then earlier this month, the company announced it would be ending its run as Stave & Nail and has now revealed its reconceptualized to become Prey Brewing Company, refocusing its craft beer output to more mainstream varieties like IPAs, ales, lagers and pilsners.
Prey Brewing Company is still moving forward with its plans for its gastropub in downtown Vista. The company has enlisted consulting chef Gunnar Plantar, who leads the culinary operations at Four Seasons San Francisco and previously worked for Viewpoint Brewing and Ebullition Brew Works. Chef Gunnar, along with his longtime sous chef, Jesus Gabino, will design an upscale tavern fare menu featuring dishes like pork belly tacos, oxtail fries, shrimp ceviche, and more. From the bar, expect a variety of Prey's beers on tap, as well as guest taps and a selection of craft cocktails.
The Prey Brewing Company brewpub aims to open by late summer at 100 Main Street, #110, in San Diego's North County city of Vista. For more information, visit preybeer.com.
