Friends in Weed
Vaune Dillmann, right, owner of Mt. Shasta Brewing Co., jokes with Bob Kunis in the brewery’s tasting room in Weed, Calif. Kunis, from Breed, Wisc., was visiting his friend Andy Miles, who lives in Redding. Kunis and Miles stopped by after spending the day exploring the area around Weed. “It’s just good-quality beer,” said Miles, who had been to the brewery before. (Jakob Schiller / For The Times)
Mt. Shasta Brewing Co.’s beers include (from left) Lemurian Golden Lager, Mountain High IPA, Abner Weed Amber Ale, Shastafarian Porter and Weed Golden Ale. (Jakob Schiller / For The Times)
Brewer Vaune Dillmann stands near the metal entry arch in downtown Weed. Dillmann, whose family has deep roots in the community, helped erect the sign back in 1988 and is quick to note that he has never inhaled the illegal stuff. (Jakob Schiller / For The Times)
A box of bottle caps with the contested words. Federal regulators caught up with the caps in February, as brewer Vaune Dillmann was seeking label approval for his Lemurian Golden Lager. (Jakob Schiller / For The Times)
Mt. Shasta Brewing Co. sits in a neighborhood at the south end of Weed, right at the base of its namesake mountain. (Jakob Schiller / For The Times)
An SUV parked on Weed’s Main Street reflects the driver’s pride in the city, which sits at an elevation of 3,500 feet. (Jakob Schiller / For The Times)
