USA, VA: Farmhouse Brewing Co. delays opening till March 2018

Creating an oasis in the middle of suburbia is not easy.

That's what Eddie Hewitt and his partners are learning more than a year into turning an old farmhouse in Kempsville – and the land surrounding it – into a destination for craft beer lovers, the Virginian-Pilot reported on October 25.

The new timeline will open Farmhouse Brewing Co. in March, Hewitt said. The original plan was to have it finished by January 2017, but more work had to be done.

The house itself, built in 1912, didn't need a lot of work – just some structural changes and updates to bring it up to modern-day commercial-use standards. But the rest of the 8.6-acre property is virtually unrecognizable at the moment. The site is scattered with backhoes and other construction equipment; dirt and rocks instead of plush green grass.

Hewitt is confident that soon it will again look like a pocket of rural nostalgia.

"A farmhouse is simple, so we're keeping it simple," he said.

But keeping it simple is more work than he imagined.

The remaining portion of undeveloped land is the last piece of what was once a 500-acre farm that belonged to the Wood family – Hewitt's wife's family.

Some of it will take on its original use and the rest will have a new purpose.

Nearly two acres will grow crops year-round, all ingredients to be used in beer making. In the spring, a thousand strawberries will emerge from the ground, Hewitt said.

He's working with John Wilson, the former owner of New Earth Farm, to get the biology of the soil just right. They have used cover crops to get it ready.

Pumpkins, blueberries, figs, cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers are all expected to grow right on the property.

It will be ripe for learning opportunities too, Hewitt said. They hope to teach the public about farming. A farmer's market is another possibility.

Another acre, just next to the house, will become a beer garden. Josh Canada, another partner, said it will be the biggest in Hampton Roads, with outdoor games like corn hole and bocce.

What's surprised Hewitt and Canada since they revealed their plans last year is the high demand for private events. They've already penciled in reservations for after the opening. There's plenty of room for a tent, a barn and space for guests to roam.

Some trees had to be cleared, but their lumber won't go to waste. It will be used for one of the bars inside the farmhouse, to make tables and benches for outside, and other uses around the property.

The goal is to recycle a lot of what's already there, Hewitt said.

The brewery will also feature a 1959 Ford truck that was once used to deliver Twinkies. It will become a solar-powered beer truck.

Updates to the house included pulling off the siding to expose the original clapboard slats and replacing the 80-year-old windows. The insulation is being brought up to 2017 standards as well.

Hewitt is trying to restore the original character inside the house by removing drop ceilings and emphasizing the fireplaces.

One staircase is gone and a few bathrooms are being added, along with the elements that will make it a tasting room for the brewery: 12 taps behind a cedar-top bar.

"We're trying to keep as many original elements as possible," he said.

The long, winding road that will lead to the house needs to be wide enough for two cars to pass. It will be flanked with trees. On the side of the house closer to where the crops will grow, extensive utility work needed to be done.

Off in another area is a 1,500-square-foot hanger, where the beer will be made on a 15-barrel system. Back Bay Brewing Co., which is also co-owned by Hewitt now, will do its brewing there too, instead of contracting with St. George Brewing. Canada kept specifics of the actual brewing operation close to the vest, but promised more details later in the year.

Next to that is a site where a restaurant will be built in the next few years. While it's far off, the prep work for it is being done now.

"We definitely want to be different than everyone else," Canada said.

"It's a place to go, not just a place to drink beer."

26 October, 2017