Downtown merchants had all eyes and ears on Martin Cipollini during the monthly Downtown Coffee Break on Friday. The Berry College professor offered a primer on the fine art of brewing beer and offered some thoughts on the type of beer that will one day be made at the Brewhouse Music & Grill.

Cipollini received a certificate from the American Brewers Guild in 2002, and did an apprenticeship at Big River Brewing Works in Chattanooga. He will be the consultant for Brew­house owners Jay Shell and Jeff McGowan as they attempt to make their establishment a micro­brewery or brewpub.

“If all you’ve ever had is Budweiser or Bud Light, well there are thousand and thousands and thousands of different types of beer around the world,” said Cipollini.

Cipollini told the downtown merchants that Brew­house would not be attempting to acquire the brewing equipment that was installed at Paul’s Oyster Bar and Brewhouse on Alabama Highway a year ago.

Cipollini said that once the brewhouse gets all of its state and federal permits, it would most likely be starting with a series of ales rather than lagers.

“Ales can be brewed at room temperature and there is a shorter timeframe to produce ales,” Cipollini said. “Ales are the traditional American style of beer. I think it’s fitting that we would start with that.”

He said most brewpubs develop at least four beers and serve them on a rotation.

“Part of the challenge is to synch up the brewing cycle with how many beers you want and how much is being consumed of each one,” Cipollini said. “A lot of places start off with one which is sort of your flagship beer and then they move from there and expand their repertoire. One of the nice things about having a small system is that you can change things pretty quickly.”

Neither Cipollini nor Shell offered any insight as to when the business would get its permits and begin brewing.

“Marty told me it was going to be a long process, a tedious process,” Shell said.

Following the program at the Brewhouse, many of the merchants walked across Broad Street to watch Bob Blumberg, chairman of the Business Improvement District Board of Directors, snip the ribbon and ceremonially open the new parking lot at the corner of Third Avenue and Broad Street.

Downtown Parking Manager Becky Smyth said the lot, which will officially open in another week or so, will feature three-hour public parking and a number of spaces available for lease to downtown merchants.

Smyth said the lot will be referred to as the Levy Lot. The property is owned by businessman Ira Levy, who is leasing the lot to the city for $1 a year until he is ready to move forward with a mixed-use retail and residential structure on that site.