USA, MA: Purgatory Beer Co. licensed for brewing in Linwood Mill

Massachusetts has 180 breweries in production, or soon to be in production, Kevin Mulvehill, co-owner of Purgatory Beer Co. told selectmen on May 22. “And we are yours,” he said. “We’re the Blackstone Valley’s brewing company.”

Selectmen voted unanimously to approve Purgatory Beer Co.’s applications for a farmer series pouring permit and a common victualler license, the Worcester Telegram reports.

Mr. Mulvehill and his business partner, Brian DiStefano, said the brewery’s 2,400-square-foot indoor space and 367-square-foot outdoor patio, located in the Linwood Mill complex at 670 Linwood Ave., Building C, will house brewing facilities and retail customer serving areas for ale and fresh beer.

As a nano-brewery, the beer is brewed in batches of 100 gallons or less, which the owners anticipate won’t last more than two weeks. And because the business has a state farm brewer license, it has to use some ingredients from within Massachusetts.

Mr. Mulvehill and Mr. DiStefano said they were talking to local restaurateurs at Maison de Manger, also at the Linwood Mill, and UxLocale, on Hartford Avenue West in Uxbridge, to bring in locally made snacks, such as Bavarian pretzels.

The brewery can sell growlers and kegs for off-site consumption, but Mr. Mulvehill said they were seeking the pouring permit and common victualler license to encourage people to stay a while.

“It oozes potential. It’s quintessential Blackstone Valley,” Mr. Mulvehill said of the restored former mill building.

“We started in Northbridge because it’s a business-friendly community,” Mr. DiStefano said.

Purgatory Beer Co. will be open Thursday and Friday evenings and on weekends, he said. A soft opening is planned for late June, with a formal kickoff at the end of July.

22 May, 2017