USA, KY: Henderson Brewing Co. expected to open this coming spring

Work has begun on the interior of what will be Henderson's first microbrewery, or brewpub, The Gleaner reported on November 10.

And if anyone doubts the "craft" that will go into this beer business, you only have to look at the efforts each of the five partners is currently bringing to bear to make it a reality.

From the law to finance, sales and marketing and engineering, each of the five co-founders, all from Henderson, have a set of special skills being utilized in the venture. They expect to open as the Henderson Brewing Co. this coming spring.

It doesn't hurt that partner Doug Laramie, a pharmacist by trade, is also a multiple medal winner in the home brewing category at the Kentucky State Fair.

The other four co-founders are Sean Wilder, David Osborn, Austin Vowels and Rob Toerne.

The group came to know each other through the Henderson Beer Club, and the actual idea started as a series of Facebook chats.

"And no one's been smart enough to jump off yet," joked Wilder. "I think it's interesting how the skill set came together, but it wasn't intentional at all."

One unlikely event that did provide a spark: Vowels, the attorney of the group, attended a Kentucky legal continuing education class that was literally on "how to start a brewery in the state of Kentucky."

Turns out, it isn't easy. Among the hurdles still to clear: Getting the OK from the federal government to brew beer. Just this past week, Vowels turned in a 24-page application for that along with hundreds of pages of supporting documents.

Approval is expected in a minimum of three months. Locally, everything is on track although details on the building, signage, and more still have to be signed off on by the Gateway Zoning District committee.

That's because the microbrewery will be located at 737 Second St., most recently occupied by Petals and More Florist. With the coming of Interstate 69 through Henderson, officials believe Second Street will serve as the new "front door" for Henderson. Because of that, a special zoning district and regulations have been implemented there.

Historically, the Henderson Brewing Co.'s building was once the site of the Bright Spot Tavern. There is documentation to show the old Bright Spot operated as a tavern there as far back as 1892.

To honor and reflect that, the Henderson Brewing Co. will appear much the same as that old watering hole, with exposed brick and plaster walls, concrete floors, exposed ductwork and a 14-foot tongue-and-groove pine ceiling dotted with fans. The wooden bar will be hand-made by Laramie's father. Even the light fixtures will be old-style Edison lights.

Of course, that nod to the olden days will only go so far; there will be flat screen TVs for sports fans too.

To get there from its most recent status as a flower shop, the Henderson Brewing Co. partners have gutted the building and are currently working to redo the interior. All that work is being done by them and their families, although they will have to turn to the experts when it comes to electrical, HVAC and such.

When complete, there will be a three-barrel brewhouse in the back as well as a bar and taproom in front and a patio on the west side.

"We plan on offering four beer styles when we open and as time goes on, more options will be available on a rotating or seasonal basis," said Laramie. "The four beers we will open with haven't been solidified just yet as we are working on recipes and refining our choices."

Henderson Brewing Co. beer will initially be available exclusively through its taproom or as a take-home product in "growlers" or bottles. Later on, they may partner with some area restaurants to have Henderson Brewing Co. beer on tap.

The taproom will be open Wednesday through Saturday, with hours of 4-10 p.m. during the week and an earlier start of 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Extra days or hours might be added for events such as March Madness.

As for food, that's still up in the air, but "the focus will be on the beer," said Wilder. There is the possibility of inviting in food trucks on occasion, but only if that jibes with local regulations. The group also said people will be welcome to bring their own food or have it delivered.

The Henderson Brewing Co. group says that, according to the Brewers Association, the number of craft breweries in the U.S. has nearly doubled in the past five years, growing from 2,420 in 2012 to 5,234 at the end of 2016.

Their venture in Henderson follows regional cities such as Evansville, Hopkinsville, Paducah and Bowling Green in hosting a local brewery or even several.

Those wanting to keep pace with preparations for Henderson Brewery Co.'s opening can check out hendersonbrewco.com for links to their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.

In the meantime, the group has high hopes for their venture, but they are also remaining grounded.

In a press release, Wilder noted that "Henderson Brewing Co. is the result of five families who thought Henderson deserved a great beer that it can call its own."

"We hope it's very successful and we can expand the distribution even beyond Henderson," Wilder told The Gleaner Wednesday afternoon during a tour of the site. "But if it ends up just being a really cool place to hang out and we make a little bit of money, that's OK too."

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