First up… if you haven’t been over to Columbia Tusculum’s Streetside Brewing company lately… you’re missing out on some deliciousness.  What you’re also missing out on is watching the brewery start to take on it’s personality in a very outwardly visible way.  They’re in the process of getting their new mural on the side of their building.

Why It Matters

On the surface, a mural on the side of a brewery expresses a bit of the personality that the brewery possesses.  This is extremely true for a mural like the “Gambrinus In Space” that is on the side of Streetside. The side of the building was always going to feature artwork, it was built that way according to Garret Hickey.  When they were designing the building, they could have added more windows (Which would have helped cool the space down immensely), but instead… there was a much bigger picture in mind.

The other side of adding a mural like this (especially in an area of town like Streetside is in, is that it can have a direct and visible impact on revitalizing a neighborhood.  Beautification of this city is more important than I think we give credit for.  The Streetside mural will be a beacon of light and color as you approach the brewery.  It’s a little bit more of that “other side” of what beer and breweries is are all about.

Community… As Streetside’s tagline tells us, they are the intersection of craft and community – and this mural is just a little piece of that, albeit a very visible one.

About The Mural

Designed by Xylene Projects (who’s work is currently found at a few locations around town) this mural is being dubbed “Gambrinus In Space”.  I have had the chance over the last few months to watch as the idea for the design started and was refined before becoming what it has ended up as.  Capturing perfectly the personalities that the brewery houses, the final design features a lot of small touches that you will discover as you step back farther from it.

If you want to get a glimpse of the work in person, you can always hit up the brewery, of course.  Keep your eyes and ears peeled, though, as I’m expecting the brewery to throw some sort of party to celebrate the dedication of the mural in the very near future.  When I stopped down last week it was well under way, and the mural was expected to get finished up as early as this week.  I’ll have updated pictures, right here, as soon as I swing by again to get them!

If you want to see a little more about Xylene Projects, you can look them up on their website – as well as their instagram.