Brewing Up Something Better

Tucked into the side of The State Theater, South Bend Brew Werks is unassuming and dwarfed by the large theater sign. Once inside, a completely different identity comes together. Combined in a small area is a clash between rustic and modern, harkening back to South Bend’s working-class identity, while looking toward the future growth of South Bend. The L-shaped bar is polished pine wood reclaimed from an old bowling alley lane, the barstools are all made from wood pallets, the tap handles are varying-sized chunks of wood with the South Bend Brew Werks’ cog logo carved into the handle, hand-crafted ceramic mugs hang from the back wall behind the bar, blackboard chalk menus are framed by pallets.

“It’s hard to find a place that is more South Bend,” Drew Elegante, Maestro of Brew Werks, said. “Almost everything in here is repurposed from some historical part of South Bend, or we have local artists, or locally sourced food items, or locally crafted beers that we make here.”

Local modern art work decorates the walls, surrounded by more wooden-pallet frames. All art is for sale: 50 percent goes to the artist, while 50 percent goes to a local charity organization. The air vents are visible hanging from the ceiling, while the floor is polished and a Dr. Seuss-esque mural of brewing equipment is painted on the cement. Reds, grays and blacks grace the walls, giving the small room a modern, yet comfortable feel…  CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY AT THE OBSERVER