SLO is getting a new brewery — and this one is ‘kind of out there’

It started as a hobby and turned into a passion. Now, after keeping his dream on the back burner for years, Max Montgomery is opening a new brewery in San Luis Obispo.

There Does Not Exist, located at 4070 Earthwood Lane, Suite 100, is slated to open by the end of 2018.

According to Montgomery, a tasting room will occupy approximately 1,400 square feet of the 6,500-square-foot space. Guests will have a view of the cellars and brewhouse, he said.

“For all brewers, even home brewers, the idea of owning your own brewery is always in the back of your mind,” Montgomery said. “I thought, ‘Now’s the time.’ ”

Montgomery said he has been working on the brewery since May 2017. He hopes to begin brewing in November, but has not yet set the official opening date for There Does Not Exist in case of unanticipated delays.

Montgomery, who previously made video and motion graphics, began home brewing as a hobby. After meeting Matt Brynildson, brewmaster at Firestone Walker Brewing Co. in Paso Robles, Montgomery said he decided to go to brewing school.

Montgomery went on to work at Firestone Walker for nearly five years before deciding to open There Does Not Exist.

According to Montgomery, the brewery’s name started out as a pet name for the project and grew to encompass the existential, “kind of out there” feel the brewer said he was hoping for.

Via Instagram, Montgomery described the business as equal parts art project and brewery.

“Really overall, we are trying to develop a unique brand,” said Montgomery, who has been documenting the process of turning the Earthwood Lane space into his ideal brewery on Instagram.

Montgomery said There Does Not Exist will serve the industrial, southern sector of San Luis Obispo, allowing people to grab a beer without having to head downtown.

“I sort of saw this (area) as ripe for needing a business that would normally be only found downtown,” Montgomery said.

For more information, visit theredoesnotexist.com.

This story was originally published October 17, 2018 at 11:49 AM.