E-Malt.com News article: USA, NC: Pig Pounder Brewery launched in Greensboro

The name “Pig Pounder” comes from a beer formerly licensed by Darryl's restaurants that featured a pig in the logo and was served up in 16 oz. (16 ounces in a pound) glasses. Regulars began calling it the Pig Pounder, Triad Business Journal reported on May 2.

And pretty soon, Darryl's customers, along with those at the soon-to-open Marshall Free House and Burger Warfare eateries in Greensboro, will be able to drink a Pig Pounder again.

The Pig Pounder Brewery is being launched by developer and restaurateur Marty Kotis to provide a unique brew for his restaurants. It began brewing its first batches last week en route to a June 5 opening of its tasting room.

"This is really an amenity for all of our restaurant operations or the standalone tasting room," Kotis said. "The point is to provide something special to our customers in our restaurants."

At its start, Pig Pounder is brewing an English-style bitter, an extra special bitter, a mild, a brown ale, a stout and a saison.

A specialty going forward will be doing cask ales, so-called "real ales" that are stored in smaller casks, tend to have a maltier flavor palate and are traditionally served at warmer temperatures with less carbonation.

"Once you get a taste for it, it's amazing how much you like to drink beer like that," said Sam Rose, brewmaster.

The brewery, located in a 3,700-square-foot building at 1107 Grecade St. off of Battleground Ave., is a $1.5 million investment by Kotis that he notes was made without government incentives.

The brewery will start off at an annual brewing pace of about 700 barrels before ramping up to 1,200 to 1,500 later this year. For comparison's sake, local brewery Red Oak brews about 25,000 barrels annually and Natty Greene's cranks out about 20,000.

As owner of the neighboring 8,000-square-foot CarQuest location, Kotis said there's room to expand, both the tasting room and brewing operations, in the future, as needed.

Kotis has also begun talks with the brewing degree program at Rockingham Community College that's based in Eden and is one of the few accredited degree programs for brewing in the Southeast.

Kotis is looking to redevelop the Kingsway Plaza shopping center he owns in Eden and is talking with the college about establishing a teaching brewery there that would give students in the program experience while also increasing Pig Pounder's capacity.

"Everybody's been extremely receptive" to the idea, Kotis said.


07 May, 2014