Santa Monica’s first and only craft brewery is planning a major expansion.
The owners of Santa Monica Brew Works have applied to start serving food in a larger tasting room, open a weekend beer garden and add a second production facility in the brewery’s Colorado Avenue building that will more than double its brewing capacity, according to paperwork filed with the city of Santa Monica. The Planning Commission will consider the brewery’s application Wednesday.
Santa Monica Brew Works, whose beer is sold at more than 800 locations across Southern California, opened in June 2014 and quickly gained a loyal fanbase, selling its one-millionth can of beer in August. In September 2016, the brewery opened an on-site tasting room after customers began clamoring to try their favorite local pints.
While food trucks have parked outside of the tasting room since it opened, the brewery has never before offered food within the building. If the application is approved, patrons will be able to enjoy food in the tasting room and place take-away orders, as well as sample an expanded beverage menu with wine, craft kombucha and beer produced in collaboration with other breweries.
The company is also planning to open a new wing of the tasting room that will provide an additional 63 seats and walk-up bar, as well as a 75-seat outdoor beer garden that will be open from noon until dusk on Saturdays and Sundays. It would be situated directly in front of the brewery, within its private parking lot. The company will continue to offer 117 parking spaces and a bicycle valet on weekends.
The brewery is also asking for permission to open at 5 p.m. rather than 6 p.m. on weekdays and to close at 9 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. on Sundays.
madeleine@smdp.com
