Kalona News – Kalona Brewing Company opens Friday
September 11th, 2013
It is only fitting that one of the partners of the new Kalona Brewing Company is named Lew Brewer. He and co-owner Ted Nagy are opening the craft brewery and restaurant Friday.
The two describe their micro-brewery as passionate for quality – “but substantial, creative, warm and inclusive.” “One of our goals is to be Kalona’s living room – a place where people can come to relax, relate, and have some recreation playing scrabble or dominos by the fireplace in the sofa area of the restaurant,” they added.
Located at the west end of Kalona’s business area on B Avenue, the brewery will feature a 15-barrel brewing system that includes a three-vessel brew house, four 15-barrel fermenters, two 30-barrel fermenters and two 15-barrel bright tanks.
Brewer said Kalona Brewing Co. will be working collaboratively with local businesses. For example, since Kalona Brewing Company is licensed as a native brewing company, they are not allowed to sell other spirits or wines. Patrons will be allowed to bring their own wine, but will have to pay a corking fee unless that wine is purchased at the neighboring Tuscan Moon Grill on Fifth.
The restaurant will be open seven days a week with a beer garden on the north side of the building that will feature a bocce ball court – similar to lawn bowling. Another special feature is a rainwater collection system that will filter the water about five times.
“You will be able to drink ‘pristine’ rainwater,” Brewer said.
Initial marketing will be done in kegs, but the beer will be distributed mostly in cans. Brewer explained that craft beer trade is moving to cans for distribution because cans are coated to protect the flavor of the beer and are sealed better than bottles.
Plus flavor can be lost through glass bottles and their caps. Full production will see beer brewed in 15 barrel batches (each holding 465 gallons). It takes two to three weeks or more to brew a batch of beer.
See the original article at the Kalona News Website.