USA, NJ: Ghost Hawk Brewing Company on track for late-November opening in Clifton

With an electric drill in hand, Ghost Hawk Brewing Company's brewmaster Chris Sheehan assembled one of the draft beer serving tanks on October 9. With much still to be done, the brewery remains on track for a late-November opening, Sheehan said in an interview to NorthJersey.com.

Sheehan worked feverishly alongside Ghost Hawk's Vice President Steve Bauer to get the River Road brewery ready.

A realistic opening date, Sheehan said, is in six weeks.

"We are rounding third right now," Bauer said.

There are still many moving parts in the works. The brewing equipment's manufacturer was expected to send a team from Connecticut to Clifton on October 12 to begin the installation of piping. On Monday, October 15, the water filtration system will be completed.

That leaves the electrical system to be upgraded.

Sheehan has been through the process before, he said. Clifton's Ghost Hawk is the 11th brewery to employ him and his fourth start-up.

Sheehan's plan is to feature four "flagship" beers: a lager, a wheat beer, an India pale ale, or IPA, and a stout, his specialty. Most of his Great American Beer Festival medals involved stouts.

Throughout the year, the brewery will add special batches of beer, Bauer said.

Its proximity to neighboring Silk City Distillery should draw additional people to its tap room and provide opportunity to "swap barrels," Sheehan said. He said storing beer in used barrels where whiskey or rum has been aged adds complexity to the product.

Ghost Hawk Brewing Company represents a collaboration between its president, Tom Rachelski, and Bauer. They joined efforts last summer after Rachelski responded to a Facebook post by Bauer.

"I was trying to figure out my next move," said Bauer, who has a background in marketing.

Rachelski, an Army veteran who works in finance, contacted him the next day. The two knew each other through mutual friends, and Rachelski was looking to invest some money, Bauer said.

They received initial approval from Clifton's zoning board in April, but returned this summer to ask for additional space.

"It was a bit tight," Bauer said, especially since they plan to have a tap room and seating for beer lovers.

The "bar" is currently just some tape on the floor now, but Bauer said it will be something special when it's done. The decor, Bauer said, will be minimalist.

"We are keeping it very industrial," Bauer said.

The floors will be concrete, with an unobstructed view of the brewing equipment. It also fits nicely with lower Passaic County's history as an industrial hub.

Bauer said people are excited about the brewery. "Not a day goes by" without a query about when the spot will open. "Soon," he said.

Those familiar with New Jersey's burgeoning brewery industry say the time is right for Passaic to have its own.

"There is always room for more beer in New Jersey," said Mike Kivowitz, who founded the website newjerseycraftbeer.com.

In the past decade, the microbrew movement has widely expanded, Kivowitz said.

In 2010, there were about 12 breweries listed on his site — on Wednesday, October 10 there were 90.

Once open, Ghost Hawk plans keep its tap room open from Wednesday to Sunday. It is on River Road across the street from Rutt's Hutt.

Other NJ breweries nearby:

2nd Act in Dover, Morris County
The Alementary, Hackensack, Bergen County
Bolero Snort Brewery, Ridgefield Park, Bergen County
Brix City Brewing, Little Ferry, Bergen County
Fort Nonsense, Denville, Morris County
High Point Brewing Company (Ramstein), Butler, Morris County
Jersey Girl Brewing Company, Hackettstown/Budd Lake, Morris County
Twin Elephant Brewing Company, Chatham, Morris County

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