Nanobrewery called Union Bear going into Social House space in West Village

Opening in November.

West Village in Dallas

DALLAS — The new concept going in to the old Social House space in West Village will be a "nano-brewery" called Union Bear, which Matt Spillers of Eno's Pizza Tavern and Oddfellows plans to open in November.

The definition of nano-brewery differs case by case, with the main common denominator being that "nano = small." But the concept is definitely becoming hot. Top Fermented says it's about love of beer:

"There’s no good definition, but what seems to be settled upon is that you're making an amount of beer, per batch, that is considerably less than one would expect from a production brewery: half-barrel or one-barrel systems are common and sometimes even less. ... The nanobrewer isn’t going to quit his day job. They are brewing because they love the process and want to share the results with the people in their neighborhoods."

Spillers says that Union Bear will be a small neighborhood brewery where almost anyone can come in and make their own batch of beer.

"It'll be a place to do fun little experimental beers inside our own four walls," he says. "We'll be making some, but we'll also invite other brewers to come and do an experimental beer. Or home brewers, if they have a cool beer they've made and they'd like to see what other people think of it."

Courtesy of Bennie Brigham at Pecan Deluxe

Thanks to OakCliff.com

They'll also offer a component that's similar to those make-your-own-wine places.

"If somebody wants to make a beer for someone else, they could come in and make it and give it away as gifts for their family or you could buy a growler," Spillers says. A "growler" is a glass jug that you can buy and fill with beer on tap to take home.

Spillers says that the nano-brewery concept was the only mode that the TABC allowed him to participate in a brewery.

As for the name Union Bear, it combines both the community spirit he wants to summon as well as a bit of local color.

"Over in Oak Cliff, across from where we live is the former Polar Bear Ice Cream," he says. "It's not in existence anymore, but at one point in time, it was an icon in the community, a very special place for people. We have that in our back yard."