It can be hard to beat the view at Marble Brewery. No, not like that, we are referring to the new downtown rooftop deck, which opens to the public today (Friday) at 4 p.m.

The staff was putting the finishing touches on the space Thursday afternoon before Brew Club members could hang out. The deck will accommodate up to 150 patrons, with six taps flowing. There will be Red, IPA, Double White, Wildflower Wheat, Pilsner, and a rotating seasonal tap, all of which keep you from the awkward task of not spilling your beer while walking up the stairs. Take note, only the south entrance from the main patio will be available to folks going up. You can exit via either stairwell, but you cannot go up the north stairwell.

Marketing director Elyse Cushman and director of taproom operations Barbie Gonzalez gave me a quick tour Thursday, just to get a good idea of the layout.

For now there are low tables that seat six that dominate the central area. The bar is standing-room only on the west end. There are stools along the south end, so folks can look down upon the music stage and/or people watch below. There are also lounge areas along the east and north. Umbrellas are present, but if you plan to be up there at a more crowded day/hour, stick some sunscreen in your back pocket, just in case.

“The idea also was to have somethings that were fixed and others that were flexible,” Barbie said. “We’re getting a lot of requests for private events. When we have everything so fixed, we can’t really accommodate things. When you’re talking about the rooftop deck, let’s make sure that it’s flexible. People want to host all kinds of stuff.

“It’s about creating a different zone. Inside you have the pub zone. Outside you have the patio rocking zone. Up here, obviously it’s the rooftop deck zone. What does that mean? We’re about to find out.”

Elyse and Barbie said the space will evolve based on what customers want. There are plans to put in high-top tables more toward the south end. Eventually the bar itself will be expanded and direct draft lines will be installed (it will be served via kegs for now).

“We’re really excited to see it come this far already, but this is step one,” Barbie said.

Perhaps the nicest aspect of everything will be simply adding more space for patrons.

“The thing is on the weekends now, we have a line all the time,” Barbie said. “There’s over 2,200-square feet up here.”

More space at Marble? That is a win-win for everyone.

Cheers!

— Stoutmeister