Cal Poly grad took over popular SLO brewery. Here’s what it looks like now

A decade ago, Dylan Roddick and his roommates decided to give home brewing a try.

“My roommates thought it would be fun to get a home brewing kit,” recalled Roddick, a former Cal Poly football player. “I just really fell in love with it.”

Making craft beer has become more than Roddick’s passion — it’s now his full-time job.

He and co-owner Anthony Ponsey opened Oak and Otter Brewing Co. at 181 Tank Farm Road, Suite 110, the former location of 7Sisters Brewing Co, on Jan. 18.

Roddick, who graduated from Cal Poly in 2008, won the best in show award in the California Mid-State Fair‘s competition for home brewing in 2017.

He also worked at Mother’s Tavern in San Luis Obispo, where he met Ponsey.

Roddick and Ponsey took over 7Sisters Brewing in October 2019 and continued to run the business under the 7Sisters name until the Tank Farm Road space was ready for renovations.

In the month or so before he and Ponsey took over, Roddick said the brewery’s previous owners showed him how to use the equipment they had set up, easing the transition.

“Its been a learning curve but it was made a lot easier by a network of friends who know what they’re doing,” Roddick, Oak and Otter’s head brewer, said. “They made it a lot smoother than I could have imagined.”

Roddick’s said the name of the new brewery, Oak and Otter Brewing, combines Central Coast images of land and sea.

“We liked the idea of an otter holding a beer,” Roddick said.

Roddick said he wants the brewery to have “an old Irish pub” feel. In fact, the brewery will offer traditional Irish music every Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m., according to its website.

“I want this to be the public main spot, a warm, comfortable place where people can relax,” Roddick said.

Oak and Otter Brewing will also feature weekly trivia nights on Thursdays and live music on occasion.

Besides beer, the brewery offers cider on tap and wine from local wineries. Oak and Otter also serves up a variety of appetizers, sandwiches, hot dogs and meals ranging in price from $4 to $16. Vegan options are also available.

“I want this to be the public main spot, a warm, comfortable place where people can relax,” Roddick said.

Oak and Otter Brewing Co. is open 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday.

This story was originally published February 5, 2020 at 5:00 AM.