USA, CA: Metro Brewing Co. opens in San Luis Obispo but is not brewing yet

A new brewery has opened in Creekside Brewing Co.’s former spot at 1040 Broad St. overlooking the creek in San Luis Obispo, The Tribune reported on August 19.

Metro Brewing Co. opened quietly on August 15, though it’s not brewing just yet — the company has yet to hire a brewmaster for the 13-barrel, on-site system. In the meantime, Metro will pour drafts from one or two featured craft breweries from around the state each month, starting this month with Novato-based Moylan’s Brewery and Kernville’s Kern River Brewing Co.

“We’ll have unique, interesting things you’re not going to get at other places around here,” said manager Rai Reynold. Pints run from $6 to $8, with 5-ounce tastes costing $2 to $4 each.

Metro purchased the business in February 2015 and operated it under the Creekside name for about a year before deciding to close down and rebrand, said Reynold, who declined to disclose the company’s investment in the space.

The entire location has been redesigned with sleek, industrial greys and blacks and pops of red, including the central bar and the one that wraps around the creekside patio.

Local artists will be invited to paint or tag the now mostly white wall spaces.

“It’ll give customers something interesting to look at and the artists a chance to show off their skills,” Reynold said. “We’re giving them a canvas.”

But the main focus, Renold said, will be the beer and carving out Metro’s place among the city’s other downtown breweries, including SLO Brew, Libertine Brewing Co., BarrelHouse Brewing Co. and Central Coast Brewing.

“It’s becoming a little trail,” Reynold said. “We want to be a craft beer stop.”

21 August, 2016