USA, MA: Bad Martha Farmer’s Brewery set to open East Falmouth location early next week

Passersby on Route 28 can’t miss the sensuous dark-haired mermaid — trademark for Bad Martha Farmer’s Brewery — surveying traffic from the side of a giant black silo attached to a rustic barn set to open as the brewery's first mainland location, the Cape Cod Times reported on September 2.

Legend has it, according to the brew company’s website, the mermaid once lured 17th century explorer Bartholomew Gosnold to “a field brimming with lush island grapes” on Martha’s Vineyard. Being a good Englishman, Gosnold decided to use them in the ale he brewed for his crew.

It has taken the best part of a year, but Bad Martha is now set to open its first mainland operation in East Falmouth next week.

Jacobi Reid, the 31-year-old brewmaster for Bad Martha’s on Martha’s Vineyard, has been on-site in Falmouth making sure construction went smoothly.

While his specialty is brewing the beer, Reid said he was involved in every facet of the interior finish work, conferring with the contractors and even doing some of the plumbing to make sure the brewing process “will flow correctly.”

Crunch time has now begun. Tables and chairs are being set up and shelves are being stocked. But most importantly, beer is already fermenting in gigantic stainless steel tanks in the building’s backroom.

Those who stop by for the “soft” opening Thursday and grand opening Friday can choose from 16 different craft beers on tap.

“We’ll have our beer here ready to go and we’ll have a couple from the island,” Reid said.

The mix will feature a little bit of everything, from German lager and Belgian ale to several American brews and one English-style beer.

Bad Martha's operation in Edgartown brews about 50 varieties of beer in a year.

“Here it will be a slightly smaller number,” Reid said of the East Falmouth location.

The brewing process takes about six hours, followed by two weeks fermentation for ale and four weeks for lager.

Among the beers available will be year-round staples as well as special seasonal beers, like an Oktoberfest.

The rustic barn that houses the taproom was built by Mennonite tradespeople in Pennsylvania and then reconstructed onsite. That room seats about 45, with a handful of those above on a gallery which can be used for private functions.

Extending from the front of the barn, an outdoor beer garden nestled beneath a pergola and surrounded by greenery can accommodate another 40 or so customers. Warmth will be provided by a large fire pit and some heating units.

“We’re hoping to get spring, summer and fall out of the outdoor area,” Reid said.

The taproom will be open year-round, rather than seasonally like the Vineyard location.

The large rear section of the Falmouth building, where the craft beer will be brewed and light fare will be prepared, was built by local contractors and designed for “new age production,” Reid said.

Beer will also be canned and packaged for sale to individual customers and businesses on-site in Falmouth. In fact, company general manager Josh Flanders said most of the Bad Martha's beer production will take place in Falmouth.

The decision to build the Falmouth brewery at 876 East Falmouth Highway (Route 28) was helped along by Mahoney’s Garden Center, which is next door.

“It was Mahoney’s that sought us out,” Reid said. “Our island brewery is in the middle of a nursery. We like to have a nursery next door, and Mahoney’s notified us that the property was for sale.”

Oysters Too, a restaurant on the site, was going to continue to lease the space. Instead owners decided to permanently shut down last fall, and the building has since been demolished.

Ingredients being used at the brewery will be for the most part local. Mahoney’s has been growing hops, herbs and other ingredients.

“By next season, we’ll be growing our own hops out front,” Reid said.

Grain used by the brewery comes from Wareham. After it is used to make beer, the spent grain is donated to Coonamessett Farm.

“It lacks the sugars, but still has plenty of nutrients for animal feed,” Reid said.

Bad Martha's Vineyard location was opened in Edgartown Village by Jonathan Blum and Peter Rosback in 2014.

Blum is expanding into Falmouth, Flanders said.

Part of the brewery’s mission is to invest in the community. On Martha’s Vineyard, the company has fulfilled that goal with yearly donations to the island food pantry.

While a similar arrangement will be made with some community service group in Falmouth, one has not yet been selected, Flanders said.

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