USA, MA: Castle Island Brewing officially open in Norwood

After more than four years of planning, capital raising, test-batching and building, Castle Island Brewing is officially open for business, Brewbound.com reported on December 11.

The Norwood, Massachusetts-based beer company on December 11 announced the launch of its first three beers: Candlepin, a hoppy session ale; Keeper, an American IPA; and TBD, a hoppy American Stout. All three beers are available to purchase, for the first time, as from Friday, Dec. 11.

“I’m really excited for folks in the Boston area to finally experience our beer,” said Adam Romanow, the founder of Castle Island Brewing. “We’ve been talking about – and working on — this project for a long time and, after years of sampling and soliciting feedback on our beer, it feels great to finally to share a finished product with New England drinkers.”

Castle Island Brewing was first born in 2011, at the time operating under the moniker “Critical Mass Brewing.” But when a California winery making a product by the same name issued a cease-and-desist, the company opted to rebrand. “We went back to the drawing board and ultimately decided that Castle Island Brewing would be the best representation of our brand and our vision,” said Romanow. “I live in South Boston, a block away from Castle Island, and it holds a special place in my heart,” he added. “This brewery was a special challenge I wanted to undertake and, to me, Castle Island is the perfect way to represent my new challenge: making amazing beer for the honest, no-bullshit, passionate people of New England.”

Castle Island, which is currently operating out of a 20,000 sq. ft. production facility and brewing on a 30-barrel system, will initially only sell cans out of its retail storefront. The company has, however, signed an agreement with Massachusetts Beverage Alliance (MBA) for broader coverage throughout the Bay State, though distribution will be limited to the Boston-area early on. “We’re very concerned about freshness and making sure that we’ve got a consistent supply of product for our earliest retail partners,” said Romanow. “Keeping distribution limited to Boston and the surrounding suburbs will enable us to ‘walk before we run’ and help ensure that local drinkers have access to our beer.”

16 December, 2015