E-Malt.com News article: USA, VA: The Big Ugly Brewing Company opens in Chesapeake

What started with a "Mr. Beer" kit has grown into Chesapeake's first microbrewery, the Big Ugly Brewing Company, complete with a 220-gallon or 14-keg capacity, tasting room and retail area, hamptonroads.com reported on March 1.

Michele Lantry got the ball - or keg - rolling when she purchased a home brewing kit for her husband Jim about 12 years ago.

That piqued Jim's interest. Before long he began to delve into the craft beer process, upgraded his equipment, and dedicated an entire room in his Carriage House Commons home to his hobby.

Brewing their own beer quickly became a favorite Lantry pastime, and they enjoyed sharing it most with their neighbors and friends of 10 years, Aaron and Shawn Childers. The couples would often gather in the Lantry garage to make - and drink - beer.

"We kept brewing and making better beer," said Jim Lantry, 53, a retired Navy commander who keeps his homebrew beer recipe journal virtually under lock and key. "We also made a lot of bad beers, but we kept working on the process, tweaked the system, read, studied and asked questions."

"We tasted a lot and called it research and development," said Shawn Childers, 41.

They won a few local contests and, according to Aaron Childers, realized their beer was pretty good.

Last year, the four decided to go into business together.

"It was definitely a fun conversation after a few beers," said Aaron Childers, 41. "And the time was right."

With the four Lantry children, Elisa, Evan, Emilia and Ethan, grown, and the Childers' two, Kade and Mykel older, it seemed like the ideal time to make the Big Ugly Brewing Company a reality.

Now the brewery partners have five solid beers on tap - all with big, bold flavors - and several more in the experimental stages.

The available brews are: Split Window Saison, Sunbeam Blonde, Rockers IPA, The Ape Hanger Stout and The Magic Bus Berlinerweisse.

While they all have day jobs - Shawn is in sales, Jim is a nurse practitioner, Aaron is a clinical social worker, and Michele is a registered nurse - they are pouring their hearts and souls into the business that opened its doors Feb. 6.

Located in the Berkshire Shoppes at 1296 S. Battlefield Blvd., it was important to the couples to position their brewery in the Hickory/Great Bridge area.

"We wanted to be in our neighborhood and we wanted to give Chesapeake something of their own," Aaron Childers said, noting Norfolk and Virginia Beach already have breweries.

Cynthia and Harry Finley of River Walk are delighted the Big Ugly Brewing Company is in Chesapeake.

"It's got a neat vibe with a homey feel," Cynthia Finley said.

Named for a 1955 Chevy panel truck which Shawn Childers bought and Jim Lantry deemed a "big ugly truck," the business has a working brew house complete with fermentation and brite tanks situated so customers can see the entire process.

"We wanted them to know they were in a brewery," said Michele Lantry, 51. "And to feel a part of this place."

They've also incorporated some nostalgic fun into it. There is the Lantrys' 1979 Volkswagen bus, which seats five and has a working television inside, a 1954 pay phone, several motorcycles as seating, a large collection of beer bottle caps decorating the bar and more.

The next step is to move into distribution this spring, and they already have several bars and restaurants interested in carrying the Big Ugly label.

While some may celebrate success with a bottle of champagne, this crew instead cracked open some special beers that first night - Big Ugly ones.


04 March, 2015