Keowee Brewing Co. to open in Seneca

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The city of Seneca is expected to have its first brewery by the end of the year, with the planned fourth-quarter opening of Keowee Bewing Co.

The new brewery is owned and operated by Alex Butterbaugh, who most recently worked as a brewer at 3 Sheeps Brewing Co. in Sheboygan, Wis. The brewery gets its name from Lake Keowee, which is a few minutes from the brewery and is also the source of the water for its beer production. The five-barrel brew house will be located at 401 E. Main St. in downtown Seneca and will house the operations split over two floors, according to a news release.

“My wife, Allison, and I grew up in Spartanburg and attended Clemson University. While our jobs after college took us away from South Carolina, we always knew that coming home would be a priority. We are very excited about returning to the Upstate and becoming an integral part of the community,” Butterbaugh said in the release. “Downtown Seneca already has some of the best restaurants and bars around, and we hope to add to the draw of the downtown area.”

The production facility will offer 12 beers on tap, with a focus on IPAs, stouts and pilsners, among others.

“The goal is to have something for everyone who comes through the doors,” he said.

Plans call for Keowee Brewing to have an indoor tasting room along with an outdoor biergarten that will have a patio for concerts, community events and other social gatherings. Keowee Brewing also plans to partner with nearby food establishments to allow outside food to be brought in, as a way to encourage the local food movement and work with area food trucks to offer local ingredients, according to the release.