USA, FL: Walking Tree Brewery to open on June 23

Indian River County's third and largest brewery has put down roots, TCPalm reported on June 16.

After years of planning, Vero Beach residents Alan Dritenbas and Mike Malone are opening Walking Tree Brewery on June 23.

The brewery and tap room are in a historic building built in the early 1940s as a warehouse for the Navy during World War II.

"As soon as I walked in the space and looked up and saw the trusses, I just knew this place wanted to be a brewery," said Dritenbas, noting the size of the building and location near downtown were other selling points.

Dritenbas and Malone have 30-year leases with two five-year renewals with the city for the 24,000-square-foot building at 3209 Dodger Road and with the Vero Beach Regional Airport for the land.

The co-founders, who have the support of some local investors, have spent more than $300,000 in renovations to the building to bring it up to code.

Unlike other Treasure Coast breweries that started out small and then expanded, Walking Tree is starting with a large 20-barrel system. One batch coming through the system produces 40 half-barrel kegs or about 620 gallons.

To put the volume into perspective, Malone offers his favorite comparison: "To drink 20 barrels, someone would have to drink 20 12-ounce beers every day for a year."

Sailfish Brewing Co., the Treasure Coast's first brewery which opened in April 2013, started out with a small 1.5-barrel brewing system and expanded its capacity a couple times in the past three years. It's in the process of adding a second Fort Pierce location with a 20-barrel system.

Indian River County's two other breweries — Orchid Island Brewery in Vero Beach and Pareidolia Brewing Co. in Sebastian — opened in August 2014. Side Door Brewing Company opened in Port St. Lucie last December.

Dritenbas and Malone said they'd like to start distributing and are looking to sign with a distributor soon.

"We're starting out big as a full-scale production facility," Dritenbas said, adding there's room in the building to grow. "We want to have our beer in as many stores and restaurants as we possibly can. I'd love to be people's go-to brand when they go out."

Malone said they plan to distribute in Indian River, Martin, St. Lucie and Brevard counties and then to grow throughout Florida.

They hope to have their beer for sale in stores one day too, and Dritenbas said they're planning to do cans because "they are better for the environment and they're better for the beer."

But Dritenbas and Malone also want the tap room to be a main focus and said it will be family-friendly.

A grand opening celebration is being planned for July 16 from 2 to 8 p.m.

"It will be a giant block party," Dritenbas said. "We'll have a tent outside, music, food trucks, lots of beer stations and games."

They're also working to have food trucks at the brewery regularly and also hope to serve craft sodas like root beer, cold brew iced coffee and Kombucha, which is a fermented tea, in the near future.

From the tap room, visitors will be able to see the brewery in action and there will be brewery tours.

"This is the best way to introduce people to craft beer," Dritenbas said. "If they're out at a bar or restaurant and they see something on a list, they may not be brave enough to try something new. But if you can get them in here, show them how it's made, teach them, I really think it will pique people's interest."

20 June, 2016