Wednesday Brew Pub Blogging

If I had an enterprising bone in my body I would try to open a Santa Barbara equivalent to Santa Monica's Father's Office, a bar anchored by great food (a killer burger and sweet potato fries, cause you need some fried stuff with beer, just good fried stuff to justify the grease) but starring a wall of micro taps. Alas, not only do I lack the drive to pull off something like that, but I also drink too much beer to do more than dream. Still, I quickly notice signs of beer-stirrings in Santa Barbara, especially when one appears within blocks of my home. Oddly enough that sign, in an area known as upper State Street (the main thoroughfare for our town), trumpets the coming of the Downtown Brewing Company. At first I was worried this geographical snafu meant the owners imbibed too much of their own product, but instead it turns out that we're getting the third branch of a brewpub based up the coast in San Luis Obispo (a town happy to be called SLO--this is California, after all).

An article in January from the SLO Tribune--we don't just import our beer, we import our news in Santa Barbara--about the business wrote:

When Korie and Todd Newman took over the old SLO Brew a little over a year ago, locals quickly took notice of their efforts to beef up the entertainment scene.

Soon after their arrival, the newly revamped restaurant/bar/brewery brought in big-name acts, like Dick Dale, Sir Mix-a-Lot and Hank Williams III. And the establishment, now known as Downtown Brewing Co., was revitalized.

That new vigor has obviously been good for business, because now the Newmans, with partner Darren Smith, have opened a second Downtown Brewing Co. in Paso Robles. If that wasn’t enough, a third one is set to open next month in Santa Barbara.

Last evening after dinner Amy and I decided it was time for some reconnaissance, so leashed up the pups--there's no better way to sneak up on people than with greyhounds in tow, or more precisely, towing you--and walked to the site. It's going into a restaurant space near the Sandman Inn, a spot that's been home to numerous other failed ventures, so here's hoping it's not jinxed. It does have a lot going for it, though--two areas for outdoor seating, which is always a plus in idyllic SB, plenty of parking, room for a long bar. But as for the place opening by the end of February, which the brewery's website announces, well, I wouldn't bet a beer on it. There was no sign of taps installed and things were in such an early state that the doors were left wide-open and the lightas were bright; it seemed as if people working on the site left for a minute but figured there was nothing for anyone to take so why lock up?

Only time and a few downed ales will tell if the Downtown Uptown will be a hit, shipping in its beer from up the coast, and perhaps offering one more place for some interesting live music. (No one bothered to email me back when I queried them about their plans, but that's bar owners for you.)