Beer and science collide in Vista

Just before Thanksgiving, Vista Village's Wavelength Brewing issued its beer in bottles for the first time, offering three stash-in-the-fridge options: a vanilla bean variation of its Off Kilter Scottish heavy, its Ad Astra Belgian quadrupel ale, and Oort Bruin, the beer company's first sour release.

The Oort Bruin features wet hops, also known as fresh hops. In this case, fresh picked simcoe and nugget varietals, the nugget having been grown by Wavelength co-owner Hans Haas at his Valley Center home.

An interesting variety for first-time bottling, but the disparate styles fits Wavelength's ethos. "One of our mottos is 'full-spectrum Beer,'" Haas points out, "Meaning, we like it all."

Those who paid attention in science class might spot a trend in the branding here. Wavelength and spectrum are physics terms, referring to physical properties of sound and light. Ad astra hails from the latin for "to the stars." The Oort cloud is the icy sphere of comets and other space detritus surrounding the solar system going out about two light years.

Wavelength clearly has an affinity for scientific terms. But judging by the series of Friday night lectures hosted in its tasting room, it's not just lip service. The brewery has become an unlikely hub for science fanatics in North County.

"We've had astrophysicists, chemists, biologists, electrical engineers, and many more come present," Haas says. "We've been fortunate to work with some of the local science outreach institutions as well, such as Reuben H. Fleet, International Dark-Sky Association, Palomar College, Oceanside Photo and Telescope, to name a few."

These aren't idle summaries of info you might have picked up in school, either. One recent talk featured Reuben H. Fleet center's resident astronomer Dr. Lisa Will explaining the historical context and implications of NASA's recent announcement that liquid water flows on Mars. Another brought in Liam Kennedy, creator of ISS Above, which monitors the activities of the International Space Station, to discuss the 15th anniversary of humans living in orbit.

Presentations include a lecture, supported by visual projections and whatever level of discussion avails itself in a room full of beer-drinking intellectuals. Wavelength has created a video library of its Friday presentation series on Youtube. Each lasts about 30 minutes to an hour, usually beginning at 8 p.m.