Two co-workers at NASA Langley Research Center are planning to bring a craft brewery to Gloucester’s Main Street.
Mike Brewer, 55, of Gloucester, and Myron Ware, 52, of Newport News, leased 6778 Main St. next to Southern States with plans to open Gloucester Brewing Co. there next summer.
“The dream would be to have to expand because people want to drink our beers,” Brewer said.
Brewer said he latched onto the idea after a local market analysis showed a craft brewery could be a good fit for the Courthouse area. Ware, who has been homebrewing off and on since 1991, was immediately on board. Plus, Brewer and Ware had been crossing the bridge to the Williamsburg area, Peninsula or South Hampton Roads to get a taste of local beer.
“This is where we want to be,” Ware said.
The 2,200-square-foot brick building, constructed originally around the 1930s with a later addition in back, needs significant work, but the goal is to be producing beer by April if equipment is ordered by the end of the year, the partners said.
The duo is starting small with a seven-barrel system, but they anticipate needing more production capacity after a few years based on demand, Ware said. Ware and Brewer have been testing and perfecting beers on a small half-barrel system in Brewer’s garage.
Brewer called head brewer and recipe creator Ware “the brains.” Ware, a NASA information technology contractor, and Brewer, who heads NASA Langley’s projects and engineering branch, met playing volleyball at NASA a couple decades ago.
Gloucester Brewing Co., which uses a deadrise work boat in its logo, would like to have a diverse range of eight or so rotating beers in addition to seasonal brews, Brewer said. Ware enjoys India pale ales while Brewer likes lagers and brown ales. The beer names would reference Gloucester, such as Low Ground Brown or Ordinary Pilsner, Brewer said.
The partners said they are exploring launching a crowdfunding campaign to raise some capital and to get the word out. Gloucester Brewing would like to connect brewerygoers with local Main Street restaurants for food as well as hosting entertainment, Brewer said. The taproom may fit roughly 50 people.
The idea is to make Gloucester Brewing the hometown hangout where locals can walk by and congregate, they said. Brewer would like to host community meetups and plans to add a deck for outdoor seating. Some brewing equipment could beckon customers from a large front window, Ware said.
“We like microbreweries. It’s a neat environment,” Brewer said. “People are relaxed. They’re happy. It’s very social.”
A craft brewery was in the top three desired businesses by Gloucester residents, according to September survey feedback, said Jenny Crittenden, executive director of the Gloucester Main Street Preservation Trust.
A craft brewery, distillery or cidery is like a shot of adrenaline to a downtown, Crittenden said. It provides foot traffic and becomes a destination that neighboring businesses can use in cross-promotion and marketing, she said.
“We’re incredibly excited to have the Gloucester Brewing Co. opening up here on Main Street,” Crittenden said.
Bozick can be reached by phone at 757-247-4741. Sign up for a free weekday business news email at TidewaterBiz.com or follow @TidewaterBiz.
