E-Malt.com News article: USA, MI: Unruly Brewing Co. to launch 'community brewery'

Unruly Brewing company is set to open a microbrewery in the Russell Block Market at downtown Muskegon by the Christmas holiday, Mlive.com reported on August, 20.

Unruly Brewing Co. was announced in February as two home brewers and business partners Jeff Jacobson and Mark Gongalski began looking for a location and secure investors.

“We are extremely excited to be having this building after a six- or seven-month search,” Gongalski said. “We were looking for a location to provide us a beer garden atmosphere and at an economical rate. It was tough to find but this is awesome news. We are glad to be going downtown.”

As a “community brewery,” Unruly Brewing Co. will open with a four-barrel brewing system and a taproom for tasting, the owners said. Another business partner is Eric Hoffman, who will be Unruly’s head brewer, they said.

To create the “beer-garden” atmosphere, Unruly Brewing will have an outside seating area. The company hopes to have its liquor license good for the entire building and outdoor beer garden, the owners said.

The concept of a community-based beer-making business is to cater to the large home-brewing movement in the Muskegon-area, Gongalski said. Unruly will offer up to eight taps for different kinds of beers. Of those, three or four will be Unruly house brands that will always be available, while the brewing company will have specialty beers that rotate.

Also being offered will be beers created by home brewers on the Unruly equipment. Gongalski said that Unruly will announce the community aspects of its business as its opening date approaches.

“The sky’s the limit on what we are going to be able to offer from this location,” Gongalski said.

Jacobson said the business will be licensed as a microbrewery, which will allow production up to 30,000 barrels of beer a year. However, Unruly will begin at a much more modest level of production, he said.

The brewing company will sell its beers on site by the pint and in “growlers” – half gallon containers to go. The company hopes to bottle its most popular brews for sale in six-packs in the Muskegon area, Gongalski said.

Jacobson and Gongalski said talk of other brewing businesses in the Muskegon area is exciting.

“The more microbrewers we can have in Muskegon the better. That would be awesome,” Gongalski said. “The craft beer industry is a big community. It’s like a family.”


22 August, 2012