Yellowhammer Brewing co-founder grows his Decatur brewery with a cozy new cafe + coffee roastery

Sign promoting the new espresso and coffee bar at Cross Eyed Owl Brewery in Decatur, Alabama, along the business patio fence. — The Owl Cafe & Roastery opened in early November 2024. (Lisa Battles / Hville Blast)

Cross-Eyed Owl Brewing Company (XEO) patrons can now wake up and wind down at the popular Decatur brewery. The Owl Cafe & Roastery coffee and espresso bar opened in early November.

From yellowhammers to owls

The Owl Cafe & Roastery Owner Keith Yager and Head Barista Aja prepare a drink using an espresso machine. — The Owl Cafe & Roastery Head Barista Aja and Owner Keith Yager (Lisa Battles / Hville Blast)

This June marked Keith Yager’s first anniversary as the owner of the Decatur brewery, which became the city’s first back in 2018. XEO’s previous owners had saved it from closing in 2020, purchasing it from its founders and rolling out a big rebrand.

In 2022, along came Yager, a co-founder of Yellowhammer Brewing and 2016 Alabama Brewmaster of the Year. He’d just sold his stake in the previous company and was “looking for something to do,” as he says. After a year working there, he had the opportunity to buy it.

Freshly brewed coffee + cozy workstations

A steaming latte, two mug club mugs and a container of roasted coffee beans at Cross Eyed Owl Brewery in Decatur, Alabama. — There’s plenty of space to post up at The Owl Cafe & Roastery inside Cross-Eyed Owl, a downtown Decatur brewery. (Lisa Battles / Hville Blast)

The digital menu for The Owl Cafe & Roastery, a new coffee roastery inside the Decatur brewery, Cross-Eyed Owl in Alabama. — There’s plenty of space to post up at The Owl Cafe & Roastery inside Cross-Eyed Owl, a downtown Decatur brewery. (Lisa Battles / Hville Blast)

The Owl is open weekday mornings only for now, and it has all the ingredients for tackling morning emails or just enjoying a moment’s peace. Yes, there’s Wi-Fi available, plus:

Plenty of space to spread out
Lots of seating options
A soothing wash of filtered sunlight
Head barista Aja’s cool, calming playlist

Catch these upcoming + recurring events

Don’t fret if you missed last week’s grand opening or the pop-up breakfast with The Bar Association Bakery. We can expect to see many more events and collabs at both The Owl and XEO as Yager continues his focus on bringing people together.

Here are just a few upcoming events not to miss:

Food Truck Lunch

When: Friday, Nov. 22, 11AM-2PM
Details: Brown Books & More will serve chicken tortilla soup, hot dogs, cake + more. Don’t forget your book-fair money! There will be a small one set up, although we can’t promise any Mad Libs.

Hops & Shops Holiday Market

When: Saturday, Dec. 7, 11AM-4PM
Details: Enjoy a pint and shop local craft and gift vendors.

River City Runners Weekly Meet + Run

When: Every Tuesday, 6:15PM
Details: Meet at XEO, choose your length and pace on an out-and-back 5K course, and socialize with a pint afterward.

Where to find The Owl + Cross-Eyed Owl Brewery

Live music, art nights, Singo Bingo, the Salty Dawg Food Truck and other events round out the many reasons XEO has established a following that keeps growing.

Here’s how to find the brewery, cafe and roastery:

Where: 105 1st Ave NE, Decatur, AL 35601
When: Cafe hours are Monday-Friday, 7AM-?. The brewery is open Monday-Thursday, 4PM-9PM | Friday, 4PM-11PM | Saturday, 11AM-11PM | Sunday, 12PM-6PM

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