USA, NY: Irish Mafia Brewing to launch in Bloomfield in late September

The name is a certainly an attention-grabber (or maybe even a bit of a head-scratcher). Mark Mansfield's new craft brewery is full of blarney.

Irish Mafia Brewing opens in late September in Bloomfield, Ontario County. And the first question Mansfield always gets is: Where did that name come from, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported on September 6.

"That’s what everyone is asking, and I wish I had a better story," Mansfield said of Irish Mafia Brewing, 2971 Whalen Road (near the intersection of Route 5 & 20), which will become Ontario County's 14th craft brewery.

"My stock answer is, I’m really proud of my Irish heritage and I wanted to bring that out," he added. "I’m not saying I have relatives in the Irish Mafia, but I’m really proud of being Irish. That’s why it says, 'you know who you are' on the label and in my logo."

Mansfield struggled with a name. (He even considered "Suburban Mafia.")

"My whole theory on the planet and life itself, 'everything happens for a reason,' " he said. "I’m a big karma guy."

He wanted the name to be welcoming and he wanted it to be a bit edgy, he said.

"It just hit me like a lead balloon, like a punch in the face: Irish Mafia," Mansfield said. "That’s the name. I didn’t want to offend people. But I wanted to have fun and I wanted to embrace it. It is cheeky."

Mansfield, 47, is a Bloomfield native. He graduated from Bloomfield High School in 1988. He now lives with his wife and four kids just up the road in Victor. His Bloomfield roots run deep and he wants to be a valuable stop in the bustling Finger Lakes beer trail.

"Let’s make this more about a community of breweries," he said. "That’s how I am. I want people to go to more than just my brewery, and I want those other breweries to send people to me.

"I just want to have the everyday person come here and really enjoy a good experience."

The brewery sits at Toomey's Corner, the intersection of Routes 5 & 20 and Whalen Road. Mansfield's mother is a Toomey. He sees it as the continuation and redefining of a family legacy. "I'm bringing the Toomey back to Toomey's Corner," he said.

Dave Mansfield, Mark's older brother, started Corsair Display Systems in Canandaigua in 1986. The company specialized in concession carts and kiosks for stadiums and arenas. Mark went to work for Dave, starting a strong partnership.

Dave Mansfield furthered the family reinvention (with two partners) about a decade ago with the opening of the expansive Three Brothers Wineries in northern Seneca County. War Horse Brewing, which started as a contract brewing operation through Honeoye Falls' CB Craft Brewers, followed shortly after the opening of the wineries. Dave Mansfield opened War Horse Brewing's $4 million facility last year.

"This is totally scary," Mansfield said. "I just want to create a legacy for my kids. If I don't do something, I've got no chance to achieve my goals. This could be an incredible bust, but I'm willing to take that chance."

Mark is following closely along the path utilized by Dave. Production of Irish Mafia's four flagship — Big Ego IPA, Irish Loyalty Stout, Devotion double IPA, Impetuous Red Ale —beers will be done at War Horse. That will allow Irish Mafia to sell cans of its flagships. Irish Mafia will have a 1-barrel pilot system in-house to experiment and produce small-batch oddities.

Irish Mafia nearly opened in a 9,000-square-foot space at Eastview Mall (in a space near the Ethan Allen furniture store). But plans fell through at the last minute, leading to the discovery of the former antiques shop near the intersection that bears his mother's family name. Instead, Mansfield will open Irish Mafia in a 5,000-square-foot space that onced housed a restaurant. Mansfield bought the building and 6.5 acres it sits on earlier this year.

He started demolition and remodeling last December. He officially closed on the purchase of the property in May. The space will include a kitchen which will serve "elevated" pub food featuring burgers and food with an Irish twist, Mansfield said. Chef Courtney Dolan, who has experience at the New York Wine and Culinary Center, will run the kitchen.

"She's only been with me for a few months, but I don't think I could've come this far without her," Mansfield said.

His short-terms plans for Irish Mafia are fairly modest. The long-term goals are extremely lofty. Mansfield took me on a tour of the property at this point in the interview. He told me to squint and imagine his vision taking shape in the next three years or so.

About 100 feet north of the current building, Mansfield said he wants to construct a massive 35-barrel brewery (similar to what already exists at War Horse). It will be connected to the current building. He'd like to construct the cold room of the brewery in the next 18 months.

After that, he wants to build a 30-room hotel with a lodge-like feeling. Mansfield wants it to fit the character of the area. Between the two projects, he wants to open the first Irish Mafia Brewing brewpub. The brewpub will be a sports bar. And then he wants to put one in Boston, another in Philadelphia, a third in Chicago, and then who knows where.

Maybe. The entire property is a blank canvas.

"You know how Dave's place started," Mansfield said. "He started off with a 15-by-15 shed and turned it into Disney. I want to do the same thing, only just a little different.

"Ten years from now, I'm hoping to be up and down the East Coast. This is the beginning, I hope."

At this point, a car full of retirees pulls in the parking lot.

"This happens all the time," Mansfield said.

One of the passengers asks, "Are you open yet?"

"Not yet," Mansfield replies. "But the first beer will be on me. Look for me."

07 September, 2017