Sumter Original Brewing

The story of Sumter Original Brewery speaks much louder than the four walls that make up this massive brick building on the corner of Main and East Liberty streets. It echoes even louder than the 30,000 square feet that encompass three floors.

It’s a story of beer pioneering as the first brewery in Sumter, and one of revitalization in a historic downtown area to increase foot traffic and nightlife.

The journey was slow and steady, beginning 12 years ago when owner Gray Shuler immersed himself in market research. He worked in the beer industry and hopped around craft breweries across the United States in hopes of opening his own brewery someday. The next step for Shuler was hands-on research while working in restaurants throughout downtown Sumter, where he identified the potential for growth and eventually planted his business.

Today, Shuler showcases his skills and training in both craft beer and food at Sumter Original Brewery (SOB). His 15-barrel brewing system uses the centuries-old Germanic process of step mashing that combines malting, breaking down glucans and proteins, and extracting sugars. The finished product at the brewery is a diverse lineup of about a dozen taps pouring out an IPA, stout, sour, pale ale, light beer, and more. Try the Crescent Moon, their play on the Blue Moon national brand; Worth the Squeeze Orange Creamsicle Sour; the Signal Fire, a smoked beer; or a flight of more samples.

Brewmaster Jamie Turner is a native of Lamar, South Carolina, and a US Navy veteran. Before tending the tanks at SOB, he worked at nearby Seminar Brewing in Florence and quickly became a master of his craft as a Cicerone Certified Beer Server. In 2018, Turner won a bounty of medals at the inaugural South Carolina Brewers Guild Award ceremony, including seven golds, one silver, and two bronze.

The venue itself is an industrial beauty of brick, wood, and steel in a wide-open layout. The first level features a tasting room, dining room, and centerpiece bar, with the brewing equipment gleaming behind the bar. On the second floor, it’s game time, with another bar and seating area in proximity to pool tables, ping pong, foosball, and more. And the rooftop terrace is the grand finale as a lovely outdoor space overlooking the city that can also be transformed for special private events.

The food menu is pub grub kicked up a notch. The “I’m Getting Hangry” munchies section includes the deliciously fun Totcho: tater tots, queso, pico, fresh jalapeños, lettuce, and a sour cream drizzle. Meal musts are the garlic parm wings, the gyros, or the loaded nachos piled high with chipotle chicken, queso, lettuce, and a blend of gooey cheese. For dessert, order the cinnamon churros with ice cream and chocolate syrup. On Saturdays, they grill out on the rooftop from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., when you can choose the Southwestern burger topped with melted American cheese, jalapeños, bacon, barbecue sauce, and an onion ring; the pimento burger with its namesake cheese plus bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, and a spicy honey drizzle; or the classic cheeseburger.

Sumter Original Brewery is a hybrid dining, beer-drinking, fun, family-friendly experience. But it is also a sign of the potential growth of downtown Sumter, standing tall as a reflection of the revitalization efforts in this historic area and of the dream that Shuler made happen after years of diligence.