Sophisticated Hound boosts Princeton

Sophisticated Hound Brewing Company opened its beautiful new taproom last Saturday. The business will absolutely give downtown Princeton, WV, a welcomed economic boost. 

Owner Matt Barnett’s taproom becomes the latest business investment in the city’s Mercer Street Grassroots District. The district is part of the Princeton Renaissance Project, which is an effort to emphasize the city’s authentic Appalachian heritage in developing the area as destination for a variety of cultural, business, and entertainment activity. The city bills the district as a place where “craft, culture and commerce come to thrive.”

A packed house greeted Barnett on his opening Saturday night. If this is any sign of things to come, his business should definitely be a major driver for the long-term success of the Grassroots District.

The Sophisticated Hound taproom opened at 4:00 PM on Saturday with live entertainment, food (panini and pizza) and, of course, beer.

“We were packed all night long,” said Barnett. “We did a little over 12 kegs of beer. I know for a fact that we sold 172 pints of Tail Chaser (Blonde Ale) alone.”

The opening beer selection included five flagship beers. Pricing is very competitive, with $4.50 to $5.50 pints, $6 flights of four, and $18 for 64-oz growler refills.

Beautiful renovation work a highlight

Barnett’s interior renovation work is outstanding. The family friendly space is tastefully and colorfully decorated. Lots of wood and unique artful features. The exposed brick walls are a real nice touch.

Barnett leased a vacant late-1800s-vintage building and invested over $100,000 in renovating the space and getting it ready for brewery production. In the next few weeks Barnett will complete the process of moving his brewery equipment from its present location across town and setting it up in the new space.

“What you see now is about a 10-month project,” Barnett said of the renovation.

The brewery space comprises 980 sq. ft. and the taproom/restaurant fills about 1,400 sq. ft. Soon to be added is an outdoor patio where Barnett will have tables and a hop trellis.

With Barnett, his wife, and two employees providing the labor, Sophisticated Hound will initially be open weekends, but will expand days and hours once the brewery gets back into full production. Food service includes a menu with three appetizers, seven Panini options, and four different 9-inch Pizzas.

More beer coming soon

When his 10-barrel brewing system is up and running, Barnett will expand his line of beer. Initially five flagship beers are being produced.

• Racer 8 American Stout – roasted malt flavors with a hint of coffee
• 1863 Pale Ale – American pale ale with citrus finish
• RYEbellion – American brown ale with rye and honey
• Tail Chaser – American blonde ale
• Mahaffey’s Irish Red – sweet caramel malt flavor, toffee notes. Named after his grandmother’s family name.

Soon, you will see other beers added to the regular line-up. These include:

• Longwall Lager
• Backwoods Bourbon Stout
• Black IPA

Then, expect the brewery to continue adding one-off and seasonal beers. One project he has in mind is brewing a Chocolate Stout with raw chocolate sourced from a candy company down the street. He also plans to begin sourcing his honey for RYEbellion from Blue Ridge Bee Company, a local bee products company.

The taproom has 12 taps, which Barnett hopes to fill with his own brews. He has his work cut out for him, since earlier this year, he signed on with a distributor to also offer his beer to retailers across the state. He will have to keep that 10-barrel brewhouse cooking in order to supply the demand he is going to see.

It was heartening seeing the social media comments collected from the opening night. These examples are taken from the brewery’s Facebook page.

A fantastic and much needed addition to the revitalisation of Princeton’s downtown. The beer, food and service were excellent. The place has a great atmosphere and with a stage and the upcoming patio, this promises to be a highlight of the town. — Sean Robertson

Great atmosphere, the wait staff did a killer job for the grand opening and checked on us often. Really enjoyed the Racer 8 stout. I can’t wait to come back! — Cece Thompson

… by far best setup for restaurant and bars in area . Wonderful staff definitely top quality worth every second of waiting for the food. — Alaina Damewood

Brewery Facebook page