USA, NC: Mills River Brewery to hold ground-breaking ceremony on October 28

Mills River Brewery will turn the first bit of earth at the location of its new home Sunday, October 28, marking a new chapter for the young brewery that’s moving back to its roots in its namesake town, BlueRidgeNow.com reported on October 25.

Owners Patrick McCarthy and Joey Soukup announced on October 24 that a groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 28, featuring bottles of a commemorative beer brewed just for the occasion, Groundbreaker Autumn Ale, which will be given out while supplies last.

The town of Mills River rezoned the property in July, paving the way for the site at 331 Banner Farm Road in Mills River to transform from hayfield to a brewery and taproom. The brewery currently operates at the shops on Rockwood in Arden, which is “busting at the seams,” McCarthy says in the release.

“We started this brewery with the intent of having it in Mills River,” says Soukup, also head brewer, in the release. “I grew up in Mills River and although I love Asheville and the great breweries there, I wanted to build something in Mills River for the residents to enjoy closer to home.”

Their beers also pay homage to those roots, with flagship brews named for local trails he grew up exploring.

And plans are big for the new homesite. Plans call for an 8,500-square-foot taproom and brewery with a 10-barrel brew system, on-site food truck, wooded hiking trails and an outdoor recreation area with room for the whole family.

The new site can not only hold more people than the current 50-seat, 2,100-square-foot space in Arden, but will more than triple their beer output, moving from a three-barrel to a 10-barrel system with a canning line.

“This will allow us to not only produce more beer but also get our beer packaged and placed in local grocery and convenience stores,” Soukup said.

25 October, 2018