After several recent incarnations and remodels that left customers a little confused as to the state of the old Creekside Brewing Co. – in Downtown SLO on Broad Street – an entirely new firm took over the location back in August.
Metro Brewing Co. opened with little fanfare after giving the whole place a through scrub down, a new coat of paint and a brand new beer bar upstairs, along with a ruby red revamp of the overhang patio.
At first, said manager Rai Reynold, they weren’t prepared to start brewing on their own right away, but in order to get customers accustomed to the style of beers they plan to make on site, they started out with offerings from Moylan’s Brewery and Kern River Brewing Co., as well as Common Cider from Nevada.
After getting homespun comfort food worked out with a local chef and thoroughly cleaning and refitting the old brewing equipment, Metro is ready to brew on it’s own again.
Jack Light, who started his brewing legacy as a home brewer was hired on as Metro’s Brewmaster in November.
Light, who also happens to be president of the Atascadero Firefighters Association, started out with support from the close-knit hobbyist community, but is looking forward to seeing what he can do with the 13-barrel system that takes up space on both stories of the brew house.
He added that he’s been looking for an opportunity to stretch his wings for “awhile now” but that when Reynold offered the opportunity, he still had to talk it trough with his wife of 19 years. While it’s a full time gig, requiring constant attention during the critical phases, she might secretly be hoping to see more of him at the house now that he doesn’t need to spend hours perfecting recipes in the garage.
“We put our heads together here and are starting out with personal taste to set Metro apart,” said Light. “Beer, like wine, is very regional in California. I’m a South-West Coast IPA fan. The So-Cal IPA [style] is a vehicle for the hop’s flavor. I want the hops to be the ‘Rock Star’.”
To define the difference, he explains that Northern California beers tend towards a “beefier” or “grainier” quality that, while there’s nothing wrong with that, don’t necessarily suit what Metro is going for.
“After Thanksgiving we’re putting on the first beers that are exclusively the Metro brand,” he said. “The idea with ‘pub grub’ food instead of a full restaurant will be to have people come in for a pint and lunch for around $15.”
Like the old Creekside, the downstairs features a standard bar area serving liquor, cocktails and wine, but only in the evenings.
While denizens of the underground bar will recognize the layout, the space has been brightened with the same aesthetic treatment as the upstairs, and the formerly blank walls have had new artwork commissioned from local artists. Several future installations are planed, but for now the unique industrial, neo-gothic art greets visitors with a sideways glance.
Reynold’s goal is for the establishments to once again draw the foot traffic off Higuera and Broad and to let people know what they’re up to now that some good stuff is coming out of the tanks again.
Unlike the former way the equipment was operated, they intend to have the vessels in continuous production with barrels being stored off site.
“The location is great and brewing is recession proof,” said Light. “Management here is trying to surround themselves with the best available…so I’m looking forward to this.”
