From airplane part manufacturer to neighborhood brewery, Central Machine Works is rooted in Austin history, with the space's origins dating back just over 80 years ago.

Known as Capitol Machine Works in 1940, both men and women worked there to produce aircraft parts and transport trailers during World War II. And decades before becoming a beer hall, the space was used to make custom industrial parts for local businesses.

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Then, after years of the space lying dormant, Central Machine Works opened its doors in November 2019, leaning on its signature house drafts and cocktails and an assortment of American and European-style dishes. 

“This place is a monster," general manager Dhal Smith said. “We were expecting (Central Machine Works) to be a neighborhood spot, but soon we realized we were a destination brewery, which is a huge compliment for us." 

The name of the brewery and the mementos placed along its walls evoke the past, and the open aesthetic feels modern. It's the community that's shared inside that Smith also thinks is special.

"Even though we have a beautiful space and a lot of activations, our biggest asset is the staff, our guests and the culture of how we do things," Smith said.

Smith said Central Machine Works, located at 4824 E. Cesar Chavez St., has taken a communal approach to business, adding an art gallery to showcase the work of local creatives. The brewery has also taken part in community service projects and donated funds to local and international causes, including $12,000 to the Ukraine Defense Support Fund earlier this year. 

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"We're focused on people, being authentic here and making the best beer we can by using our combined experience," head brewer Scott Rynbrandt said. "This place doesn't run without the people. Otherwise, it would just be a business with tanks."

Along with refining the brewery's drink and food menus, Rynbrandt said Central Machine Works will add more capacity to its 15-barrel brewing system to begin limited keg distribution and branch out to other bars and restaurants in the metro area. 

From the outside, Central Machine Works looks like a small steel mill, with its hard metallic exterior reflecting the space's past as a manufacturing site. 

Its brewing tanks are placed right inside its doors, which gives guests a more intimate look into the beauty of beer making.

Once you pass the doorway, the large facility is filled with bench seating in the main hall and high chairs inside the traditional bar area. There, you'll find relics of the building's past, including a metal airplane lathe above the bar, an original break switch near the kitchen and other heirlooms throughout the space. 

Outside is the beer garden, which is where live music takes place under the gleaming string lights of the outdoor stage.

When a guest comes to Central Machine Works, more times than not, they are ordering the premium pilsner, the American lager, the kolsch or a mixed drink from the bar. But with 100-degree weather settling in Central Texas for the foreseeable future, Smith said the brewery's frozen drinks are popular, too. The frozen espresso martini and Blackberry Smash provide a much-needed cooldown.

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Central Machine Works' pizzas, burgers, brats and bar snacks fill out the food menu.  And if nothing on the menu gets your mouth watering, grab a jerk or curry chicken plate from Winston's Kitchen in the brewery's beer garden. 

Conjunto, Tex-Mex, country and Cajun zydeco act Mark Weber y Los Cuernos will perform at 7 p.m. on July 8.

Comedy wrestling show "Slam Portal II: Fire It Up" comes to the brewery at 7 p.m. on July 9.

Find some new platters at the vinyl market from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 10. Waterloo Records, Lovewheel Recors, BLK Vinyl and Breakaway Records will have selections to peruse, and DJ Dead Flowers will spin.

Soul/R&B artist Nick Swift plays at 6 p.m. on July 10.

For more happenings, go to cmwbrewery.com. 

CMW is open from 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. The brewery is closed on Monday. 

This story is part of a new occasional series exploring Central Texas' breweries, distilleries and bars. Have a favorite? Email your recommendations to ehopkins@statesman.com.