Written by Ben Cox – At the corner of Baker and Brown streets downtown, across from The Vault and next door to Shearly Southern sits a building that has often elicited the phrase “when is someone going to do something with that beautiful old building?”

The answer is 2019.

The building that has been vacant for much of recent memory is on its way to becoming the home of Red Gap Taphouse, serving the Red Gap line of craft beers, and operated by Micah Jaynes.

Ashley and Micah Jaynes at last fall’s Corks and Caps event in Brownwood, left. The proposed logo for the new Taphouse opening this summer, right.

Jaynes, who is known locally for his fervor in Worship Ministry, began working for the young company as a sales and distribution rep in Abilene. The company has several new brew houses in Abilene that are causing a stir. 

Jaynes wanted to bring that experience to Brownwood after friends expressed interest in having such a thing closer to home. “I’d be talking to my friends at Red Gap in Abilene and they would say they wished we had something like this in Brownwood, so I brought the idea to the company.” 

Jaynes says after some time, and prayer, the founders contacted him and said they wanted to open a Brownwood tap house. 

Yes, prayer. From a company that makes beer.

The website for the Cisco based company says “It’s our belief that God created us for community and that’s exactly why Red Gap exists. We desire to connect with the city of Cisco and surrounding areas by knowing the names and stories of those who walk in our doors.”

Jaynes and his wife Ashley walk through the building during remodeling, showing where part of the bar and the lounge area will be.

That is what initially drew Jaynes in. “I call them the Chik-Fil-A of beer! They have a purpose of community and that is what I want to create here in Brownwood. A place where people who want to have a beer with friends can come and sit in a comfortable environment and enjoy something they love: a good beer.”

Also, Jaynes is not apprehensive about opening a tap house down the street from the new brew pub by Jeff Tucker’s Pecan Bayou Enterprises in the old Weakley Watson building. “Not at all! It’s more business downtown. We need more business downtown where people can meet and hang out.”

Jaynes plans to have live music on weekends and a patio seating area in the front of the building, once the remodel is complete

With a targeted opening of summer 2019, Jaynes is excited about Red Gap Taphouse and expects it to be, to borrow a phrase, a place where everybody knows your name.