WESTBOROUGH — For the previous two years, a standard apply for a lot of Chilly Harbor Brewing Co. regulars has been to deliver a seat to park in a nook outdoors the Milk Road Brewery. They are going to come and carry camp chairs even within the coldest months and arrange store with the identical ease and familiarity as they’d in their very own yard. They usually choose to get pleasure from their beer outdoors relatively than packing into Chilly Harbor’s 400-square-foot eating room, nonetheless one of many smallest within the state.
Within the spring of 2023, nevertheless, regulars can go away their chairs at house, as 7-year-old Chilly Harbor strikes right into a model new brewery, restaurant and bar at 66 Otis St. With roughly 8,000 sq. ft of house. taproom house and one other 2,500 sq. ft for outside seating, they need to don’t have any downside discovering room to unfold out contained in the elegant glass and stone brasserie, which was designed by architects at Austin Design, recognized within the craft beer group for designing such eye-catching breweries as Tree Home Brewing Co. in Charlton and Lawson’s Most interesting Liquids in Waitsfield, Vermont.
Chilly Harbor managing companion Will Oliveira greeted me on the new location one afternoon final week with a can of his Kolsch to sip as we walked across the development web site. Not too way back, Oliveira’s massive concept for the Chilly Harbor growth was to slowly reclaim its present constructing at 108 Milk St., however as a result of zoning restrictions, he needed to change his plans. He nonetheless hoped to maintain Chilly Harbor in Westborough and develop in a approach that would not change Chilly Harbor’s ethos. He turned to Sam Hendler, co-founder of Jack’s Abby, for recommendation on his subsequent transfer.
“Sam was form sufficient to come back and spend a couple of hours with me,” Oliveira informed me. “The Hendlers have all the time been nice. I informed him the place I used to be wanting and he summed it up fairly shortly: “If you wish to be a distributor and get into the beer distribution enterprise, search for $6 or $9 a sq. foot in Lowell or Marlborough; your sq. footage right here will likely be a lot smaller, so hold the brewery as small as attainable. As a result of I had all the time felt the brewery grew organically, including seating and a catering perform all the time made sense. So right here we’re.”
Chilly Harbor’s growth doesn’t name for turning into a retail brewery. Following Hendler’s knowledge, Oliveira was adamant that in his new brewery, the eating room and restaurant take up more room than the brewhouse. He was happy with the brewery’s progress in bringing its beer to a wider viewers, first by self-distribution and now by partnering with wholesaler Craft Massachusetts, previously Craft Brewers Guild. However he nonetheless believes {that a} taproom setting will all the time current the most effective format for presenting Chilly Harbor.
The brand new brewery, relatively than organising Chilly Harbor to change into a brewing and canning workhorse, enhances that taproom expertise, he mentioned, with a brand new bar and restaurant providing pizza. and freshly made burgers, amongst different pub fare, open seven days every week. for lunch and dinner.
That is to not say the brewing operation will not enhance in yield and effectivity. Presently producing roughly 1,500 barrels per 12 months, Chilly Harbor will double its manufacturing when it strikes into the 4,500 sq. foot brewhouse, with the capability to brew as much as 6,000 barrels per 12 months. And the brewhouse comes with a canning line, so Chilly Harbor will not must depend on a third-party canning firm anymore.
This growth introduced infinite pleasure to move brewer Jeremy Spearin, whom I met on the Chilly Harbor bar at 66 Milk St. throughout a brief break after a busy day of brewing. Spearin, whereas assured in his means to deal with the brewery’s growth, will not must deal with it alone.
Over the summer season, Chilly Harbor employed Mike “Lashes” Gleason, former head brewer at Jack’s Abby, as manufacturing supervisor. Gleason, Jack’s first worker, is effectively outfitted to assist lead Chilly Harbor by this era of development, having presided over manufacturing at Massachusetts’ largest brewery outdoors of Boston whereas serving to it navigate a number of expansions. Gleason left Jack’s Abby in March on good phrases, eager to spend extra time together with his household.
“I used to reach on the brewery at 4 a.m., so I might by no means see my youngsters within the morning,” he informed me. “It was time for me to go and let the youthful guys do that and take over.”
Gleason, who lives in Northborough, had been a daily at Chilly Harbor; stopping twice every week on his commute from Framingham, he and Spearin bonded methods of the commerce. When Oliveira requested him if he needed to hitch Chilly Harbor, Gleason noticed the supply as a possibility to pursue his brewing profession on his phrases and in a approach that would not tax his life again house.
“It is the proper transition, the place I will be with my household, work regular hours and nonetheless have time with my household,” he mentioned.
Spearin appreciated having Gleason on board as a sounding board to brainstorm concepts. “Even earlier than he began working right here, we talked about beer on a regular basis,” Spearin mentioned. “Now that he is right here, we now have pow-wows, we talk about beers collectively; it’s fully pure.
They see the growth as an enormous void simply ready to be stuffed with new beer. Requested what new kinds brewers will discover, Gleason responded instantly. “Lager, child,” he mentioned. “I am ready for us to take up house within the tank. We will supply multiple selection. Sure, hoppy beers would be the driving pressure, however we’ll have extra choices for folks to select from if they are not a fan of hoppy beers or high-alcohol beers.
Chilly Harbor plans to open the brand new brewery subsequent spring. Till then, the brewery will stay open on Milk Road brewing and pouring till its lease expires. Waves of individuals are more likely to uncover Chilly Harbor by its good Otis Road Brewery. However I am most excited for these regulars who carry camp chairs that help Chilly Harbor each week and have carried it for a lot of lean months. This brewery will likely be a wonderful reward for his or her loyalty.
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