Downtown San Luis Obispo, California’s longest running brewpub since prohibition, SLO Brew, recently announced plans to expand and relocate. SLO Brew is debuting in its new location on Higuera Street in early 2016 and will feature an upgraded brewery, restaurant, bar, and music venue.
Careful consideration has been taken by the entire team to ensure the new location will keep its authentic local spirit, paying special attention to handcraft the SLO Brew experience for its loyal clientele. When doors open next year, SLO Brew fans can expect the venue to be enhanced and booked to the brim with local and world famous performers and bands.
SLO Brew wouldn’t be complete without the original copper brewing kettle and brewing tanks that have been cooking up SLO Brew beer since 1988. The iconic kettle and tanks will be transferred to the new location, and as a new signature amenity, several innovative self-serve taps have been added, offering up a variety of fresh SLO Brew beers.
State of the art kitchen equipment and a well-appointed dining room attest to SLO Brew’s commitment to an elevated culinary experience. Diners can order gourmet pizzas and burgers, along with other hot and delicious pub-favorite foods, expertly paired with SLO brews.
Outdoor dining options include seating in front of the restaurant, where patrons can take in the passing scene on Higuera Street, and creek-side dining on the brick terrace behind the restaurant. A secluded and cozy alternative with fire pits, lunch, cocktails, or dinner can be enjoyed there along with views of the picturesque San Luis Obispo Creek.
The expansion of the SLO Brew experience includes the addition of a Whiskey Lounge, located on the mezzanine level and overlooking the stage area. The Whiskey Lounge features comfortable amber-colored tufted leather seating, solid wood tables, and a full service cocktail bar, which will offer SLO Brew Rye Whiskeyamong other popular and artisanal spirits and beer. Reservations for the Whiskey Lounge can be made in advance for parties and special events.
“We’re working very hard to smoothly bridge SLO Brew’s 27-year-old heritage with modern design innovations and amenities,” says SLO Brew co-owner Hamish Marshall. “I think our fans will be pleasantly surprised.”
The overall design of the new space will respect the historic nature of the 1905 Carissa Building where SLO Brew is located. The original “bones” of the building have been exposed, including brick walls and beamed ceilings, with pressed tin ceilings added throughout. Floors will be wide plank Douglas fir with decorative blue and white encaustic tile at the bar, front patio, and entry. Natural materials predominate—tabletops are wood, the bar is topped with “leathered” finish stone, and the bar stools are metal with leather seats.
Overall the ambiance will be rustic and industrial with touches of steampunk inspiration, as evidenced by riveted sheet metal wall treatments, exposed pipe beer taps in the bar ,and wall sconces made from pipe and gauges with Edison bulbs.
The new locationis slated to open early 2016 at 736 Higuera Street, just a few hundred feet away from the original Garden Street location and still in the heart of downtown San Luis Obispo. The upper floor above the new SLO Brew will feature the SLO Brew Lofts—urban lodging designed to accommodate any type of getaway. The five spacious loftswill feature one, two, or three bedrooms complete with kitchens, dining areas, and living rooms with fireplaces. The fullyfurnished spaces are intended to be inspiring to their guests and provide a sense of genuine comfort. In the heart of the SLO Brew Lofts is the Carissa Club, casual entertaining or for private meetings. Another highlight of the SLO Brew Lofts is a 700 square foot private rooftop deck overlooking San Luis Obispo Creek and the nearby Mission.
