E-Malt.com News article: USA, MS: Chandeleur Brewing Co. opens in Gulfport

Cain and Cam Roberds opened Chandeleur Brewing Co. in Gulfport, MS with the goal of making locally brewed fresh beer. In doing so, they have become the third and newest Coast microbrewery in the lower Coast counties, after Lazy Magnolia and Crooked Letter Brewing Co, SunHerald.com reported on January 22.

January 22 marked a milestone in reaching that goal -- the grand opening of the brewery was from 3 to 8 p.m. It was the first opportunity for Coast residents to tour the brewery and taste the four beers Chandeleur Brewing Co. offers.

The Roberds brothers, contractors by profession, helped build the Fairhope Brewing Co. in Fairhope, Ala., and after doing so decided to start their own brewery.

In December 2013, they purchased an 8,000-square-foot building in downtown Gulfport, and after little more than a year, the brewery is producing four keg-only beers, with a canning line in works for the future.

The tasting room, which occupies 1,900 square feet of the building, is decked out with many high top tables and a wooden bar fashioned with the stern of a ship at its center. Nautical and fish-themed art lines the walls. The remaining 7,100 square feet are mostly dedicated to the brewing equipment, and a small office space.

"We're currently on a 30-barrel system, with five fermenters right now and two carbonation tanks, a kettle and a mash tun," said Dave Reese, Chandeleur head brewer. "So right now we're kegging, but we hope to be canning by the middle of this year."

Chandeleur also plans to offer a rotating line-up of seasonal brews, and an additional one-off offering to be available on tours only.

"Looking forward, the No. 1 right now is tours," said Brandon Lewis, general manager. "When you come in here, the way you can try our beer is to try the tour. Right now we give out six 6 oz. samples per tour purchase."

The four beers Chandeleur offers are the Surfside Wheat, named after the eastern or surf side of the brewery's namesake Chandeleur Islands; Free Mason unfiltered golden ale, named after Free Mason Island, a shell island in the Gulf near the Chandeleur Islands; Curlew's Coconut porter, also named for an island; and the Lil' Smack India Pale Ale - named for a cut through the Chandeleur Islands.

"Curlew's Island has actual coconuts that have washed ashore from currents in the Gulf," Lewis said.

"We wanted to start with some easy-drinking styles, and that's kind of where we're beginning, and we're going to venture out into bigger styles," Reese said. "I want to utilize local honey, so look for a double IPA with honey soon ... we'll probably do a bock ... the sky's the limit."


23 January, 2015