See it first: New east-side brewery, taproom starts construction

Alexa Giebink | Argus Leader

After receiving approval from city officials, Obscure Brewing has begun construction.

The new brewery, located at 5200 E. Garfield St. in eastern Sioux Falls near the Dawley Farm development, hopes to open in early 2019.

"We're excited to be a part of the east side community and get to know people in the neighborhoods," said co-owner Don Choate.

The 4,400-square-foot facility will feature seating for 75 and a 15-barrel brewing system.

"We're looking for a comfortable, relaxed environment that will appeal to a diverse crowd," said Choate. "We're not really looking to make a modern place. The taproom will reflect that it's a place to sample and learn about different types of beer."

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The owners plan to release a variety of brews from experimental IPAs to aged sours and reliable lager beers.

"I work as a bartender at Monk's, so I see all of the trends," said the co-owner. "Personally, I'm really happy with our IPA."

In the future, the brewery plans to add a kitchen with a simple menu, but for now it will focus on perfecting the brews.

"Jumping from our homebrew recipes to a big scale can be challenging, and we want to make sure those are dialed in before we start offering food that pairs with the beer," said Choate.

Obscure Brewing will also feature an outdoor patio for relaxed sipping in the summer months. The interior will be designed so customers flow efficiently through the taproom, ordering their drinks at the bar.

"We're going to put a lot of beer out to begin with, and we'll see what people gravitate towards," said Choate.

To elevate the space, the brewery is working with a local interior designer to create a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing environment.

"We're excited about the growth on the east side of town," said Choate. "We felt a lot of our Sioux Falls breweries are already downtown, so we wanted to offer something different on the east side."