Pinch Penny Pub’s plans to open a microbrewery will probably be approved by the Carbondale Liquor Control Commission tonight a member of the commission says.

Pending commission approval, Pinch Penny Pub, 700 E. Grand Ave., plans to add a microbrewery to its business.

Ann Karayanis, part-owner of Pinch Penny said the business hopes to start brewing its own beer next February. She previously estimated the cost of the microbrewery project to be about $450,000.

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I think we’re going to approve it, Commission Member Maggie Flanagan said.

Flanagan said the only obstacle to approving Pinch Penny’s plans that she could foresee would be logistical problems with fire, building and health codes. She said she doubted these would be problems with Pinch Penny .

Knowing the Karayanis’, they probably have all that to a T,’ Flanagan said.

The commission will vote on two measures:one allowing an expansion of the pub about 20 feet east into a parking lot and another allowing Pinch Penny to sell the beer it brews.

Karayanis said council approval will get the ball rolling with the brewery plans since they will be able to order brewing equipment and have plans for the addition drawn up .

Commission Member Michael Neill said he will vote in favor of the both measures.

If they’re willing to sink that much money into it, I’d like to see them be successful, he said.

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Karayanis said she was optimistic that the commission would approve their plans but was hesitant to say it was a done deal.

They look at alcohol in a negative way now, she said.

She said Pinch Penny Pub’s lack of underage drinking violations since they opened in 1972 might help their chances of gaining approval.