USA, NY: Gem Creek Brewing Co. looking to open its doors sometime in September

Years ago, Guy Mosher started out making wine. More recently, his son-in-law, Zach Reynolds, was all about bourbon and whiskey and dreamed of distilling his own.

Well, forget that, at least for now. After transitioning to brewing beer, their IPAs, pilsners, lagers and stouts will soon make a splash when their Gem Creek Brewing Co. opens sometime in September just outside of the Roseland Waterpark property and as close as you can get to the wake park without getting wet.

The Waterloo, Seneca County, duo switched to beer slowly, at first because they developed a mutual taste for Tree House Brewing IPAs, then began appreciating products closer to home like Rising Storm, Mortalis and the Other Half. Acting on the conversations that sipping a beer or two tend to lead to, namely, they thought, why not make their own?

Just before the pandemic, Reynolds, who married Mosher's daughter Amber five years ago, was able to convince his father-in-law they should try.

“Finally, he said, ‘If you make something and it’s drinkable, then we’ll look into it,” Reynolds said.

Mosher’s initial thought when presented with Reynolds’ beer?

“Geez, this is drinkable,” Mosher said. “That was the spark that lit the candlewick.”

Nowadays, they don’t just brew beer. They’re obsessed with the process and making the end result just a little bit tastier than before.

Mosher works in the IT field in the medical industry. Reynolds is a machinist.

Both carry over the exacting natures of their respective jobs to the craft of beermaking. One of their hazy IPAs went through 150 iterations before it got to the point where they were comfortable canning it.

“We’re kind of obsessed with perfection,” Mosher said. "We’re fixated on styles and expressions and experimenting. Being a winemaker for 20-plus years, it’s all about consistency and trying different things."

Reynolds enjoys “nerding out” over the chemistry aspect of brewing.

That, and sharing beers with others in the craft beer industry and picking their brains, getting feedback, making adjustments, and documenting every step of the way.

“That’s why we brewed the same beer, over and over and over, just tweaking and tweaking so we know,” Reynolds said. “We’re just trying to be better than we were the last time.”

The opening day lineup at Gem Creek is to be determined.

Expect to see hazy IPAs on tap behind the huge bar inside their space, which looks out over the Roseland Wake Park — talk about instant entertainment.

“We wanted to have a wow factor and bring back the bar,” Mosher said. “We’re trying to think a little differently and have a different vibe.”

They are licensed as a microbrewery and New York farm brewery, and their five-barrel system will also produce pilsners, lagers and a stout, made solely with New York ingredients. Most of the gear they’re using is from the system once used at Prison City Brewing in Auburn, Cayuga County.

“They made some award-winning beers on that so hopefully we can continue that tradition,” Mosher said.

As for food, all natural, gourmet-style pizza for sure will be on the menu.

“We’re pretty fanatical about our food,” Mosher said.

Their hope was to open in July, but unexpected challenges pushed the goal to sometime in September — worst-case scenario, the end of the month.

“I like to say, with anything good in life, there are challenges and adversity to overcome,” Mosher said.

Even coming up with a name was difficult, but soon enough, they hit on the Gem Creek theme. They couldn't help it.

Gem Creek runs through their native Waterloo, and they passed by the sign announcing it to visitors daily on their travels. That’s why all their beers will carry the names of gems, such as onyx, jade, emerald and sapphire.

Will Gem Creek reach diamond status?

“I have passion. Zach has passion. We hope people will be able to taste the passion. I know it sounds corny — can you taste passion?” Mosher said. “We like to think we put a little of ourselves into it. We’re hoping to catch some lightning in a bottle.”

05 September, 2025