2019 Breweries in Development

If things go well, we should see at least 4, maybe 5 or 6, new breweries begin selling beer in 2019. The West Virginia brewing scene seems on track to a better place. Here are the projects soon to come your way.

Several of last year’s projects that had hoped to begin selling beer in 2018 did not. Now, all these are expected to open in the first quarter of 2019. They include Freefolk, Bavarian Brothers, Old Spruce, and High Ground. Possibly opening by summer is Rippon Brewing near Charles Town. And, there is a chance Golden Spike in St. Marys might join them late in the year.

In 2018, three new breweries were licensed, but only two of them — Walton Mountain and Rambling Root — began selling beer in 2018. Also in 2018, the state lost three breweries to going-out-of-business and one to a merger/consolidation. That gave us 25 operating breweries at year end. It will be fun to see where we end 2019.

There could be more projects out there that we just don’t know about. If anyone knows of early-stage WV brewery planning projects, please let us know so we can add them to the queue and follow them.

Freefolk Brewery

While Freefolk actually received its state license and began brewing at the end of 2018 but did not sell any beer in 2018. Its taproom should open to the public by spring 2019. Freefolk Brewery is the second brewery licensed in Fayetteville. Co-owned by Jamie Lester and Jeff Edwards, it will produce its beer on a 3.5-barrel brewhouse and sell it through its taproom along highway WV 16 just about a mile south of downtown Fayetteville. They will also self-distribute beer to a few bars and restaurants.

Inside their taproom, expect some nice murals and other art work by Jamie Lester, who is the artist that designed the West Virginia state quarter. Jeff Edwards leads the brewing side of the operation. Initially, the brewery plans to make a pale ale, a brown ale, and a blonde. Expect many more styles as time goes by.

1690 S. Court Street
Fayetteville, WV 25840
Brewery website

Old Spruce Brewing

This project is being developed by Lawrence Walkup who operates the Old Spruce Tavern and Draft House at Snowshoe Mountain Resort. It is a whole separate project from the tavern and is located on the Silver Creek side of the mountain. It will be the first brewery in Pocahontas County.

January 1 Update – Brewing equipment installed in late 2018. Brewing may now be underway. Still need to obtain state brewery license. Expected opening by late winter 2019.

Snowshoe Mountain Resort
10 Snowshoe Drive
Snowshoe, WV
Old Spruce Tavern Website
Brewery Facebook Page

Bavarian Brothers Brewing

Brewery grand opening expected in January 2019. Bavarian Brothers Brewing at the Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown will be a welcomed addition to this beautiful property situated overlooking the Potomac River. The brewpub addition will feature seasonal beers and food by Executive Chef Alyson Zimmerman.

The wooden A-frame brewpub building sits where the original garden patio used to be and is already open as a regular bar. An outdoor beer garden is located just outside the pub in the new outdoor garden patio. The stainless steel brewing tanks and equipment are be visible in the pub, which has a modern industrial design that the Inn folks call stunning.

While the Inn’s heritage comes from the Bavarian region of Germany, the beer will be a blend of cultures. They say want it to reflect their European roots and also embrace their West Virginia location. Initial plans are for an IPA, English Stout, German-style Pils, Hefeweizen, a fruited Summer Sour, and an English-style Porter. Other seasonal brews are expected. Brewery web page link

164 Shepherd Grade
Shepherdstown, WV
Bavarian Inn website

High Ground Brewing Company

High Ground Brewing is in development in Terra Alta, WV. It is situated in eastern Preston County midway between Kingwood and Oakland, Maryland.

Dallas J. Wolfe is High Ground’s founder, owner and brewer. He says he’s been a craft beer fanatic for at least five years, but it was a few years back, when he took up homebrewing that he really caught the bug. He’s an Army veteran currently serving in the WV National Guard.

The brewery will locate in an existing 2,400 square foot warehouse that Wolfe owns and is converting into the brewery. About 800 sq. ft. of that space will be dedicated to his taproom. Inside his brewery building, Wolfe will install a 10-barrel brewhouse, three 10-barrel fermenters and one 20-barrel fermentor. His brewhouse will be similar to the one at Short Story Brewing. He will start out kegging his beer, but hopes to add a small-batch canning system later.

The first beers to market are expected to be: 
• Mandatory Fun IPA, 
• Caddel Mountain Pale Ale, 
• Coal Train Baltic Porter, 
• Biff German Pilsner, and 
• Socked In: Mosaic Hazy IPA.

When it opens, High Ground Brewery will have a full taproom with pints, flights, growlers, and kegs for sale. He also plans to self-distribute some beer around the north central section of the state.

Status Update: January 2019 – Construction at the brewery site is complete. Test batches should begin soon. Opening expected in Spring 2019.

High Ground Brewing
102 Railroad St.
Terra Alta, WV
Brewery Facebook page

Rippon Brewing Company

Rippon Brewing Company has been in the incubator for a long time. Jesse Morgan filed the incorporation paperwork back in November 2010. While it has experienced periods of activity and dormancy, Morgan says the project is still active. He sees a 2019 opening date as a distinct possibility.

The really cool thing about Rippon Brewing is what else Jesse Morgan is up to. You see, he is the state’s only true commercial maltster. On the farm where the brewery is being built, Morgan raises malting barley. He currently malts that barley and sells it to distilleries and breweries in the region. When he gets the brewery open, he would supply most, if not all, his own malt. That would be a first in West Virginia and a most welcomed addition to the state’s brewery scene.

Morgan’s plans include a small brewpub serving pints, flights, food, and filling growlers. He would begin with a 2.5 barrel brewhouse and 7.5 barrels of fermentation space. Initially, all his beer would be kegged. At first, he would not plan to distribute his products outside the brewpub.

Morgan has his federal basic permit and has applied for the state resident brewer permits. The brewery addition to the farm is estimated to have a cost of around $200,000.

Rippon Brewing Company
2153 Berryville Pike (Hwy. U.S. 340)
Rippon, WV 25441

Golden Spike Brewing Company

Golden Spike Brewing Company plans to produce its beer in Saint Marys, with an opening target of Fall 2019. The brewery will operate from a 2,800 sq. ft. repurposed building in the heart of downtown Saint Marys. The project is led by owner Paden Morris, who will also handle the brewing. 

Morris has been home brewing for about five years and has had success in several homebrew competitions. Last year, his beer entry was selected in the Pies and Pints White Elephant IPA competition, so he got to brew his recipe with Big Timber Brewing in Elkins, WV. “That experience is really what propelled me to take the idea of brewing professionally and work to make it a reality,” he said. 

About his White Elephant recipe, Big Timber head brewer, Matt Kwasniewski told me at the time, “We really like the way the combination of hops and the slight funkiness from the Belgian White yeast combine to create a complex yet crisp taste.”

Golden Spike will offer a full taproom for pints and growler sales and will encourage customers to bring in their own food from local restaurants. Morris said his primary focus will not only be providing good craft beer, but also continuing to develop and build up the community around them.  

Morris said he subscribes to the belief that “there is no better vessel to bring friends, families, communities, and even strangers together than a locally made quality craft beer.”

“We want to be a place that brings our community together through social gatherings, community support events, and collaborative community opportunities. Currently, we have a set upon location and are working with lenders and financing programs to get the required funds to bring everything into motion.” 

The initial beer line up is expected to include Golden Spike Blonde Ale, Conductor’s Common Ale (a historic Kentucky Common Ale), Livelong Day New England IPA, and Promontory Porter. Beyond the taproom, some product will also be self-distributed to select other retail accounts. 

The brewery will open with a 3.5 barrel brewing system and 21 barrels of fermentation space. Total investment will be in the neighborhood of $150,000. The brewery expects to hire two full-time employees and one part-time employee at opening.

Golden Spike Facebook

Big Draft Brewing Company

Greenbrier County will see its second brewery with the development of Big Draft Brewing Company in White Sulphur Springs. Owner David Bostic reports that, while the project is in its early stages, he plans to open a full-service brewpub not far from The Greenbrier Resort. The location could sure prove to be a beneficial one, as resort guest are always looking for things to do in the area. That connection could be further helped along by Bostic’s business connections with The Greenbrier.

Bostic plans to install a 7-barrel brewhouse with ample fermentation space to keep the taps full, as well as do some canning. Beyond selling through the taproom, Bostic reports that he will self-distribute beer to other retailers. A head brewer has not yet been named. 

The 6,000 sq. ft. building on Main Street East will house a spacious taproom offering a full service restaurant. Bostic also hopes to recruit food trucks to park outside. The investment for the brewery is expected to be at least $200,000. Target opening date is May 2020.

701 Main St. East
White Sulphur Springs, WV
No website yet

Possible other projects

A number of businesses with Brewing or Brewery in their official name have active, current business registrations with the state. Brilliant Stream sends out a Brewery in Planning survey form to these kinds of businesses in an attempt to ascertain whether or not they are really beer breweries in planning. It is an interesting list, but we don’t know yet if any of the projects will end up being operating breweries.

If you have any information to add on any of the businesses listed below or others, please contact us or leave a comment below.

304 Brewing Company
Morgantown, WV
Contact: August Tino Tampoya

ARH Brewing
Shepherdstown, WV
Contact: Archibald Hoxton IV 

Blackwaters Brewery
New Cumberland, WV
Contact Patrick Arneault

Clarksburg Brewing Company
Clarksburg, WV
Contact: Douglas Dorrer

Coal River Brewing Company
St. Albans, WV
Contact: Dan Blevins

Gad Dam Brewing Company
Canvas, WV
Contact: John Anderson

Capitol Brewing Company
Charleston, WV
Contact: Keith Pritchard

Huntington Brewing Company
Huntington, WV
Travis King

Patrick Brewing Company
Scott Depot, WV 
Contact: Jeff Patrick

Steel River Brewing Company
Weirton, WV
Contact: Korey Coulter

The Nine One and Two Brewery
Morgantown, WV
Contact: Silver Haas