Soccer City 1852 Visalia brings new brews and classic 'footy' culture to Tulare County

Jeremy Schultz is excited for Thursday for two reasons.

As CEO and founder of Soccer City 1852 Visalia, Schultz is thrilled because his business officially opens its doors to the public after years of planning, construction and finetuning.

The main source of his excitement, however, is it’s also his daughter’s birthday — the cherry on top of the grand opening cake.

"My little one is a soccer junkie," Schultz said. "She's in here all the time when I'm working, kicking the ball around. It just was happenstance that I was able to open Aug. 4."

When you first walk into the 1852, a new family-friendly venue with a full-service brewery located on the corner of Johnson Street and Murray Avenue, you’ll see two fields separated by seating and tables for fans.

To the right is the 4CG-sponsored field, and to the left is the Family Healthcare Network field.

The establishment's third pitch, the Character Counts! field, named in honor of the Tulare County Office of Education, is located near the entrance of the building.

"This game has been so good to me, and provided me an opportunity to have a career and provide for my family," Schultz said. "And the only reason that's possible is because the community has always been behind the projects we've been involved with."

Along the building’s walls hang banners and flags representing different soccer teams throughout the United States and Europe, a handful donated and loaned by local community members.

The back of the building houses 1852’s Brew Co., led by Will Peltzer, a local farmer trained in San Diego at Karl Strauss.

"At 1852, our goal is to create a space where our community can come together through the connection of sports and good brews," Brew Co.'s website states. "1852 is a place where all are welcome."

The microbrewery, open to those 21 years and older, features five core beers and a community series suds, "El Martillo," or "The Hammer," a brown ale. The name is meant to represent both the hardnose soccer player as well as the construction side of things.

The core series — all tongue-in-cheek references to the sport — include "El Classico," a Mexican lager, "Breakaway," a blonde ale, "Unite and Strengthen," a West Coast IPA, "Away Days," a Hazy IPA, and "El Legado," an American pilsner.

The brewery opens up to the parking lot outside, where local food trucks will be on a rotating basis.

The brewery’s walls are abstractly painted with the names of incorporated and unincorporated areas throughout Tulare County. The branding pays homage to the history of Visalia, as the city of Visalia was incorporated in 1852.

"I'm excited and nervous," Schultz said. "It's super exciting that we're finally here."

Soccer City 1852 Visalia will celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon cutting at 2 p.m. Thursday at 707 W. Murray Avenue followed by a first kick and ceremonial toast.

The facility is open Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The 2022 fall "footy" season will start following 1852 Visalia's grand opening as teams begin to fill up over the next few weeks.

The club offers men's, women's and co-ed divisions for competitive, semi-competitive and recreational players, as well as girl's and boy's divisions. The 1852 Visalia Roots Training Program is also available throughout the summer for youth at three levels.

The "Acorns" program offers training for boys and girls ages 2-3; the "Chipmunks" program offers training for boys and girls ages 4-5; the "Mighty Oaks" program offers training for girls and boys (separate sessions) ages 6-7.

"My heart has always been with youth," Schultz said. "I mean, for me … the rewarding part of this facility is when I'm gonna see kids smiling and having fun."

To learn more about membership registration or the 1852 Roots training program, click here or visit https://www.1852visalia.com/.

Lauren Jennings covers education and news for the Visalia Times-Delta/Tulare Advance-Register. Follow her on Twitter @lolojennings. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: 1852 Visalia brings brews, 'footy' culture to Tulare County