Walter M.
Yelp
Collective Arts is like that one friend who lives a completely different life than everyone else.
Way on the North end, next to the steel mills and the water it's kinda of a walk from Hollywood. It's a big facility, looks like an ice rink, but apparently I was the old Lakeport Brewing sight. A collab between Nickel Brook and Collective Arts to create Arts & Science Ltd.
Coming in the winter is completely different than the summer. It's cold, dark, exposed, but in the summer that entire back parking area is a sort of make shift open air patio for concerts and events. Since the inside is kinda of small they have to bring in portapoties when they make use of the outside area. The inside bathroom is small and in the back, right next to some tables, so be wary.
Outward facing railed high top with a few bar seats, minimal coat hooks which is weird. The menu reads like they do quite a bit of their business to go, cans, bottles, growler fills (very open policy). I love the weekly growler fill special for like $13 or less which is like a steal. Small back room is lined with the hundreds of collabs they done with bands, local artists for the labels. I'm not sure how collaborative they are with the beer, but don't try and collect them all, it's already too many to catch up. Prices are par for the course. I wished for some nitro's.
Staff is amazing, knowledgably, friendly, helpful, even bringing and taking your beers. Basically table service, that's a first. We sampled the lot, bought a few pints and took a few growlers to go. They have board games, but lack seating. We didn't get to see the warehouse or really even what the back looks like. The beers were somewhat true to style, but interpreted on the bold side. The Blonde is on the mild side as with the session beers. IPA is also sessionable. I loved the west coast pale ale, they really get what we are doing back home. The ciders have been here from the beginning and are here to stay, well liked by a local friend who has been drinking ciders for 10+ years.
It's not just about tangible art, and music, they delve into support of visual, film, anything creative. It's really a sight to see the spread of creativity. They keep things local while expanding internationally.