USA, NH: Aviation Brewing Company plans to begin brewing in Dover this coming spring

The Cocheco Mills has lost two brewpubs over the last five years: 7th Settlement Brewery in 2018 and, in August, Smuttlabs Brewery and Kitchen, a business under the Smuttynose Brewing Company umbrella, the Foster’s Daily Democrat reported on December 21.

In recent days, the doors to another brewery opened in the Chinburg Properties-owned building, and its founder is eager to hit the ground running in a Dover space he had his eye on for years.

Aviation Brewing Company, a full-service restaurant with plans to begin brewing this coming spring after license approvals, opened this month inside the 47 Washington St. commercial building.

Seth Simonian, the business founder, also owns The Flight Center, a craft beer lounge and restaurant with locations in Nashua and Manchester, and the Puddle Jumper food truck. He wanted to open Aviation Brewing Company inside the space after 7th Settlement left four years ago.

“The history of this building means a lot to us. We worked with the guys at 7th Settlement to acquire the space when they were closing up shop,” he said, though the deal wasn't completed at that time. “Now we’re really excited to be part of the great restaurant and beer scene that is already in Dover, while also continuing to grow off the reputation of the brewers that come before us at this place.”

The brewery, named in homage to Simonian’s time spent studying to become a pilot at the now-closed Daniel Webster College, will run upwards of 11 beers on tap.

Many bars, he said, run about a dozen tap lines, with typically two designated for craft beer, with one of them often a major craft beer producer such as Samuel Adams.

At Aviation, he aims to steer away from offering large-scale craft beer producers and highlight local pours. Simonian’s plan is to showcase the best of the Seacoast craft beer scene, offering brews from Earth Eagle Brewings, Tributary Brewing Company, Chapel + Main, Garrison City Beerworks, Great Rhythm Brewing Company and Liar’s Bench Beer Co., among others.

The restaurateur and craft beer connoisseur further hopes to bring 7th Settlement out of retirement and have them brew their former brown ale to be sold at Aviation.

“We want to see that legacy continue,” Simonian said.

The brewery owner added that, upon Smuttlabs’ closure, he acquired the brand from Smuttynose Brewing Company and will brew under that moniker, though the space has been entirely rebranded into Aviation Brewing Company.

“Both of those breweries played a big impact in the beer scene of Dover,” Simonian said of Smuttlabs and 7th Settlement.

When Aviation receives the necessary licensing approvals to begin brewing operations, Simonian said the business will likely produce a number of sour beers, New England and West Coast-style India pale ales, and red ales.

Categorizing Aviation’s food options as an “American-style menu with our worldly twists to it,” Simonian touted Detroit-style pizzas, appetizers like a charcuterie board, a 12-inch pretzel and crab rangoons, as well as entrees such as steak frites, chicken pot pie, vegetable ramen, and fish and chips, in addition to an assortment of burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads.

“One thing we really want to hit on is that we really took a lot of time to make sure that our menu was built not only around the type of beer we want to serve, but also the cocktails that we serve and the selection that we have,” Simonian said.

The bar will have several dozen liquors, ranging from scotch and whiskey to rum and tequila. Aviation will also be serving whiskey flights, wine and 17 cocktails.

“We really want to bring a layer that doesn’t exist in Dover today,” Simonian adds.

Aviation Brewing Company will be open seven days a week, he said. The brewery and restaurant will operate Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until midnight and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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