E-Malt.com News article: USA, WI: Ale Haus brewing to quadruple its capacity by 2015

The 8th Street Ale Haus hopes it will have more of its own beer on tap in the new year, postcrescent.com reported on October, 14.

The Sheboygan brewpub is in the process of building storage next door for its new brewing operations, which general manager Kurt Jensen says will quadruple its craft beer capacity in 2015. The brewery will operate during the day prior to the bar’s service hour.

The 8th Street Ale Haus has been the meeting place of the local homebrew, Sheboygan Sudzzers, since 2010 and has been making small batches of its own beers to put on tap for about a year. The popularity of those beers has been evident in how quickly they disappear from the list of available taps.

“We’ve been making 20 gallons a week and pretty much selling it as fast as we can make it,” said owner Randy Oskey.

The brewpub has been focused on four flagship beers: Kolsch-style Freshwater Surfsider, which is described as a “nice easy-drinking beer” for the summer; a brown ale; a coffee porter; and Rebel Kurt the French, a honey saison whose name is a reference to Sheboygan-based 3 Sheeps Brewery’s Rebel Kent the First amber ale.

Jensen said it’s an homage to the close relationship between 8th Street Ale Haus and 3 Sheeps, which has allowed the brewpub to borrow some grains at times for production.

Jensen said the new one-barrel brewing system is similar in size to Plymouth Brewing Co., a Plymouth brewpub, but only about a fraction of the size of 3 Sheeps Brewing.

Jensen said with the new facility they hope to start offering their brews to surrounding taverns and bars and build their operation slowly, but steadily. They don’t necessarily have the capital to expand that rapidly, adding that “each pint is a donation to the cause.”

“We’re still focusing on the restaurant and the brewpub and to make sure we’re selling great beer, really getting people involved with what their drinking, really teach people about what they’re drinking, so that this becomes the place to go for great beer,” Jensen said.


15 October, 2014