The Burrow: Odd Colony Expands to East Hill with New Biergarten and Eatery

By Madeleine Davis

Odd Colony Brewing Co. is expanding its roots with the opening of a neighborhood biergarten, cocktail lounge and kitchen called The Burrow. Located on the lower floor of the historic Sacred Heart Hospital building in East Hill, the new venue is slated to open mid December.

Longtime friends and Pensacola natives, CEO and founder Blake Foster and co-founders Brett and Beth Schweigert have worked tirelessly for the last five years to bring their ideas and dreams to fruition.

After an unforeseen halt in construction, The Burrow’s setbacks will force the restaurant to open later than originally expected, as it was initially planned to open in the spring of 2023. Owners plan to keep the historic hospital’s gothic charm, while adding in some wilderness elements that align with Odd Colony’s idiosyncratic aesthetic. The Burrow will feature an 8,000 square-foot outdoor area, which will also serve as home to a cabin-esque outdoor bar.

The kitchen menu will be cultivated by Amy Potmesil, a community culinary celebrity in Pensacola, who has ties to restaurants like Union Public House, The Well and The Nest General Store.

Potmesil has been hosting pop-ups featuring potential menu items at Odd Colony’s original downtown location until The Burrow’s official grand opening later this month.

“The food program will be elevated fast casual, synchronized harmoniously with our brewing ethos by utilizing local agriculture and creating a true sense of place. There will be a large tapas style menu, handhelds and some elevated evening offerings,” Foster said. There are also plans to reveal a unique brunch menu in the near future.

Assistant General Manager and Bar Lead Erin Cuneo has hand-crafted a cocktail menu that is only available at The Burrow. Customers enjoy some of Odd Colony’s signature brews, but The Burrow will have a small brewing system that will offer a handful of new beers for their patrons to try.

Foster expressed Odd Colony’s excitement for this new adventure. “Our entire team loves the outdoors. Being able to enjoy a meal, beer, cocktail, or glass of wine in the fresh air is something we have not had downtown. Also, adding the element of an in-house kitchen gives us abundant opportunity to explore tying in our food and beverage programs harmoniously,” Foster said.

The Burrow intends to keep the same integral design as Odd Colony, as the company hired many of the same local contractors to transform it into the biergarten of their wildest dreams. More specifically, they rehired Losobe Woodworks, who have worked on Lily Hall, Union Public House, Craft Gourmet Bakery and many more local favorites. Other local companies like Spoon & Hook, Specialty Ceilings and Integrated Solutions have also lent a helping hand in cultivating The Burrow.

“Our goal is to always create a uniquely immersive OC experience for our guests. That being said, we attempted to venture into a new territory and create a new thread to the greater Odd Colony fabric. We share some elemental crossover but we believe this will be a truly unique spin on the Odd Colony brand,” Foster said regarding the team’s excitement about their new location.

Stop by Odd Colony’s original location for a chance to get a sneak peak of some of The Burrow’s exclusive merchandise that features burrowing wilderness animals as a nod towards the new location’s name.

For more information and details about the grand opening, follow Odd Colony Brewing Co. on Instagram at @oddcolonybrewing or on Facebook at facebook.com/oddcolony. The Burrow can be found on Instagram at @theburrow.oddcolony and Facebook at facebook.com/TheBurrowbyOC.