USA, FL: Hoppy Brewing Co. aiming to open its doors in mid-April

Jacksonville’s newest craft brewery is aiming to open its doors in mid-April, replacing a closing brewery on Main Street after a brief hiatus, The Business Journals reported on March 10.

Historically Hoppy Brewing Co. will occupy the space that housed Main & Six Brewing Co., an award-winning brewery that officially shuts down after a last hurrah during this weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day Block Party in Springfield.

Owned by two couples — Ryan and Brianna McFarland and Aaron and Natalie Leedy — Historically Hoppy is the culmination of several years of dreaming, with the owners looking for buildings in and around downtown for almost a year.

When Main & Six announced in January that it was closing, the opportunity was clear. The Historically Hoppy owners all live in the Springfield neighborhood, with both Aaron Leedy and Ryan McFarland serving on the board of the Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Council, a neighborhood advocacy group.

“We’re passionate about this neighborhood and passionate about the direction it’s heading,” Leedy said.

And the neighborhood has responded, McFarland said. “The amount of support that we’ve gotten from people in the neighborhood is insane,” he said.

The new brewery officially takes over the space March 14, with the owners in the process of transferring the alcohol-related licenses held by Main & Six.

They will be leasing the brewery space, which is owned by Normandy Stratton LLC, an entity associated with TSG Realty. The real estate firm purchased the property for $920,000 from CLL Real Estate Holdings in January, according to county records.

While the regulatory paperwork is being finalized, changes — mainly cosmetic — will be made to the taproom, and production will be ramped up for a grand opening.

Earlier this week, the new owners were hard at work getting the first batches of beer ready.

Leedy has been home brewing for about 12 years and McFarland about four, giving the two time to nail down their recipes.

The brewers are also working on collaborations with other breweries — a natural outgrowth of the help they’ve received from others in the industry.

“The brewery scene has been very supportive and helpful,” Leedy said. “Some even reached out to us: How can we help you? Can we collaborate with you?”

As for their own beers, the new brewery owners hope to have six to eight brews on tap. A blonde ale and an imperial English brown ale are already in the making, as are several IPAs — which, in a nod to their neighborhood roots, are each named after areas of Springfield.

11 March, 2022