As previously reported in the Express-News, the castle-like main building of the Pearl complex is slated to once again house a brewery, but until now, details have been sparse.

Today, it was announced that the brewpub will be known as the Southerleigh Brewing Company. Its brew system will be installed in June, with the grand opening expected in October. The name is a nod to being located in south Texas, with the spelling being a representation of the sophistication of the culinary and craft beer environment developing in the Pearl complex.

Chef Jeff Balfour, formerly of Citrus restaurant at the Valencia Hotel, and Les Locke, past head brewer of Branchline Brewing Company, will head up the brewpub’s operations. According to Balfour and Locke, in the vast majority of brewpubs, either the brewery or the kitchen leads the way, limiting the amount of collaboration between the two. While that model can be successful, their goal is to emphasize true parity between the two, with each side influencing the others choices.

Southerleigh will pay homage to the building’s past, by integrating parts of the original brewing system into the interior design. In addition, one of the former grain silos will function as a private dining room for special events, where guests can enjoy a custom menu and beer produced especially for their occasion.

For more details on Southerleigh’s development, pick up the Sunday, May 18 Taste section.

Markus Haas