New beer bar will have you hopping

REVIEW: Because of the World Beer Festival, I have discovered that I like other beer besides Yuengling and George Killian’s Irish Red. Now, because of World of Beer, I have a place to advance my exploration of beer.

While it’s not the first beer-centric establishment in the Vista, World of Beer, open for about a month, is a place for the beer enthusiast who prefers knowledge and unfussy decorum when it comes to their beer drinking.

There are than 500 bottled or canned beers available and 60 more brews on tap at the space that formerly housed the restaurant Sly Fox. The menu changes week-to-week and sometimes day-to-day. The folks who work at World of Beer are enlightened about what they’re serving. Ordering there is like a fine-dining experience because the servers are put through rigorous training.

To even be considered for hiring, employees must go through two weeks of training and testing. The first week is beer school, where they learn general beer history and sample various styles so they accurately assist customers.

“It’s kind of a big thing that we do here,” said Dan Albert, the general manager for the Vista WOB. “We want (customers) to be able to recognize the styles, kind of uncloud their perception of what certain beers are.”

After the first week, prospective employees have to score 90 percent or better on a test before moving onto cooler training, which takes another week.

“They’ll go down through every single bottle, individually, in that cooler and be told about each beer, where it’s from, its ABV, what glassware it’s served in and any unique story that will come from that brewery,” Albert said. “That’s a ton of information.”

WOB recognizes more than 60 styles of beer, and for one part of the second employment test, new hires must correctly identify three beers for each style. That’s at least 200 beers — including provenance and service technique — the servers and bartenders have memorized.

On a recent visit, my friends and I, holding menus, lobbed questions at our server, Tiffany, who gamely played along. She had hounds-tooth nail polish on her thumbs. (That doesn’t necessarily say anything about her beer knowledge; it just looked cool.) What would she say to someone who said they can’t find anything on the menu?

“It’s just because you haven’t found the beer you liked,” she said.

If you like Budweiser, Miller Lite, Coors — basically the big domestics — you’ll have to find something new to drink at WOB because they don’t carry the above. It’s craft and import beers only. And wine, but no liquor.

For those who want to venture outside of their beer comfort zone, there’s no need to feel overwhelmed by WOB’s selection.

“Those are the people we love to have in here because we try to train our staff to recommend beers for people like that,” Albert said.

Even those who favor the flavor of mixed drinks, like martinis, could find an enjoyable brew.

“(The servers) can usually match you up with a beer that will complement,” Albert continued. “Sweetness, dryness, malty, hoppy. It all depends on what you drink.”

WOB, with its leather cushioned stools, leather couches and brick-enclosed cooler feels like more than just a bar. WOB certainly can’t be considered a restaurant, though, because no food is served. But you can bring your own meal, whether it’s a ham sandwich from home or food from a nearby restaurant. Mellow Mushroom and Wild Hare, among others, will deliver. I expected Five Guys to, since it’s essentially across the parking lot, but I had to make the one-minute walk to get my cheeseburger and fries.

“We want people to be able to eat while drinking beer,” Albert said.

The first WOB was opened in Tampa, Fla., in 2007. There are now currently 21 WOB locations. Asked how much the owners of the Columbia franchise spent on remodeling, Albert wouldn’t reveal the exact figure. He did say it was less than $1 million but more than $500,000. It looks like money well spent.

The decor is sports bar meets cigar lounge. There are 34 TVs. Outside the Lincoln Street entrance, there’s a lounge area that will be a hot spot when the weather warms — or when the fire marshal approves the heating system. And speaking of hot spots, WOB offers free WiFi.

There are three decks, including one indoors. The pine floors have been sanded and refinished, and metal beams were installed to support the upstairs area that includes a nook for live performers. The brick work throughout the space is new, as is the cooler which stores more than 150 kegs at a time at 38 degrees.

The prices at WOB are low, too. Add in the various membership discounts, a premium beer drinker can drink the best of what’s available without feeling like they’re paying premium prices.

WOB is the kind of place where it’s was appropriate for S.C. Forward Progress, a Democratic group, to hold a GOP primary night watch party last Saturday night “to celebrate the departure of the Republican candidates for president.” It’s also a place where it’s cool to celebrate Beer Can Appreciation Day, which WOB did Tuesday night.

Yes, there is such a thing as Beer Can Appreciation Day. And yes, there are other beers besides Pabst that you can look cool with drinking out of a can.