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You’ve likely heard the expression: slow down, relax? Well there’s no better place to do that these days than in the heart of San Luis Obispo – SLO. Staying SLO style allows you to taste terrific beer at a variety of breweries, stroll Mission Plaza, and enjoy small boutique shops. It also means a stay at SLO Brew and Lofts, where great food, drink, and loft space might just mean you never leave the property.

Let’s start with a look at why many visitors come to SLO and SLO Brew in particular: the beer.

Brewer Luis Lapostol led us through a tasting of some of the best beers in town. Always a home brewer, Lapostol joined the SLO Brew team three years ago,  working with brewmaster Steve Courier. “I was always a home brewer and always interested in craft beer. I came in and asked Steve if he needed help. His first question was what kind of beer I liked. We were expanding, and craft beer was expanding – I was in the right place at the right time,” he attests.

SLO Brew was the first purveyor of craft beer in the state. “The people who built the original brew system in 1988 built it outdoors,” Lapostol told us. “When we moved to this location, the tanks were jack-hammered out and rolled down the street.”

We started by tasting a terrific Cali Weisse, the California version of a Hefeweizen, an American Pale Wheat Ale, with a subdued yeast character, a little subtle clove, and dry bright hops. We also tried the Reggae Red, a smooth brew with a bright flavor and a dash of hemp seeds, and the Cascade Pale Ale, which is not a year ’round brew but a rotating flavor. “We do have some pale ale all year round,” Lapostol says.

The Cascade is a single hop beer, but many brews on the menu are not. “We use up to eight different types of hops. It’s an art to create the mixtures, to see what a certain hop tastes and smells like. With the Cascade we are using a very old West Coast variety, one of the most widely used hops, a grapefruit and pine needle flavor that Sierra Nevada also uses,” Lapostol explains. 

Next up: the Stein Slammer Oktoberfest beer, which boasted a malty sweeter taste that’s easily drinkable and not too hoppy. We followed that with Barley Champ.

“Barley Champ is a brown ale, and I always wanted see it added to our selection. We had nothing on that color spectrum of beers between black stout and Reggae Red. Steve didn’t initially want to do an English-style brown, but I finally got the go ahead,” Lapostol laughs. “It’s hoppy for brown ale, but what I wanted. The name is mine, too.”

Lapostol relates that because this beer worked out well, SLO Brew is considering a smaller pilot system to do more experimental beers, present them to a tasting panel, and get notes. “We hope to look into doing that part of the process before offering a beer on tap,” he says.

The seasonal Holidaze that we tasted was born of a “fun idea to try something new – pumpkin pie porter with graham cracker crust, vanilla, and a fresh pumpkin taste. We brought in pumpkins, put them through our pizza oven, roasted the pumpkin, and mixed it in mash. We also added graham cracker flour to the boil,” Lapostol attests.

The rich Nitro Oatmeal Stout presented well with small bubbles and a creamy mouth- feel redolent of caramelized sugar, espresso, and oatmeal.  “You need a beer with substantial body to nitrogenate successfully,” Lapostal notes.

Calling brewing a “definite balance of art and science,” Lapostol says SLO Brew is still known for it’s first brew, The Original Blonde Ale. “It’s an approachable craft beer that showcases a balance of malts and hops.” The refreshing beer has a mouth-feel that’s not too sweet, a beer that SLO Brew calls their “beach and hiking beer. It’s accessible and light, an ale not a Pilsner, a little crisper than a Pilsner.”

Naturally, along with tasting SLO Brew’s beers, we tasted their food, both for lunch and dinner. The menu is fresh and delicious. From a crisp flatbread pizza to perfect fries, we were impressed.

The pizzas are varied: above is the pizza of the day, with onions and cilantro on a cheese-rich crust.

Fried but not greasy, a delicious guilty pleasure, the lightly breaded and seasoned calamari and artichoke hearts above go just great with a beer or two. Served with sliced lemon, Arrabiata sauce and lemon aioli, they’re a don’t miss.

More great-with-a-beer dishes: macaroni and cheese and fries.

For dinner, we went with more refined choices.

Above, a sweet farmer’s market soup of the day: corn.

Above, a really wonderful salad: the Complete Greens is a mix of kale, frisee, arugula, French Feta cheese, quinoa, sliced green apple, red onion, and almonds all in a light herbed vinaigrette.

Fish tacos, above, featuring grilled, marinated mahi-mahi with tomatillo salsa, lime cabbage slaw, pickled red onion, and avocado crema. On the side is hearty serving of peruano beans and a fried jalapeno.

One has to save room for dessert: in this case, the decadent Beer on Beer Brownie Sundae, a stout chocolate brownie with SLO Brew beer gelato and IPA caramel sauce. Yes, you want that.

Last but not least, it doesn’t have to always be beer at SLO Brew’s bar. Above, SLO Fashion with Brew Rye Whiskey, house simple, and orange peel on the rocks.

So after a good meal or two and some beer, it might be time to listen to some music – SLO Brew often hosts live acts.

And then – it’s time to chill out in one of the property’s six luxurious, sleek lofts upstairs.

Beautifully designed spaces are stylishly modern with urban touches. We were in the one bedroom Castaway, with a record player, classic tunes, a fireplace, and a gorgeous kitchen, with a fridge stocked with SLO Brew cans.

Our stay was on a rainy weekend, and while we took advantage of the central location to check out the art museum, the Mission, and take a stroll along the swollen, pretty creek, we also just stayed in. Spacious, with hardwood floors and bright colors, the Lofts make a great hideaway.

Other loft spaces are great for families, and there’s a common room, above, that’s just waiting for a party.

So SLO down – SLO Brew is waiting.

• Genie Davis; Photos: Jack Burke, additional photo SLO Brew