Tamarack to add craft beer sales

Tamarack, the premier outlet for West Virginia artisans, will add craft beer to its already impressive line up of arts, crafts, food, and wine, Brilliant Stream has learned.

A new beer and wine sales area reportedly will be established in prime space next to the facility’s popular restaurant. The Tamarack restaurant has consistently been a big draw for travelers. Being located next door to it should prove a boon for both beer and wine sales.

Tamarack will initially add a variety of packaged selections from three WV breweries. They include Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company (Lewisburg), Bridge Brew Works (Fayetteville), and Mountain State Brewing Company (Thomas).

The exact timeline for beer’s introduction is uncertain at this time.

New manager brings change

While beer sales had been considered in the past, Jim Browder, Tamarack’s new general manager, greatly expedited the process after starting work last October. Phil Kabler reported in the Charleston Gazette back on Nov. 9, 2014 that the new Tamarack GM wanted changes.

After discovering some art and craft items had been on the shelf for nine years, Browder said one area he would definitely address was the aging of inventory. That issue will be especially important for success in selling perishable craft beer.

Popular WV craft beers to be sold

When craft beer comes to Tamarack, it should include many of West Virginia’s most popular brews.

Bridge Brew Works’ selections will likely include both its 22 oz. glass bottles and its classy 16 oz. aluminum bottles with the likes of Peregrine Porter, Hellbender Black IPA, Momma Rye IPA, and ‘The Blunt’, an English ale aged on Spanish cedar.

Greenbrier Valley Brewing should have sixers of its ultra-cool monster series 12 oz. cans—Mothman Black IPA and Wild Trail Pale Ale—along with its new Wild & Wonderful split-personality series in 22 oz. bottles offered for sale.

Mountain State Brewing will likely have selections of its popular 12 oz. bottled products, such as Miner’s Daughter Oatmeal Stout, Senaca India Pale Ale, Almost Heaven Amber Ale, and Cold Trail Ale.

Since opening in the mid-1990s, Tamarack has been a huge draw for travelers on I-77 & I-64. Considered the best art and craft marketplace of its type in the country, Tamarack is the recipient of numerous awards.

Located at Beckley, WV, it logged its 7 millionth visitor last year. With that kind of traffic, craft beer will surely find a warm welcome. Tamarack does not sell beer or wine in its restaurant. Beer sales, like wine, will be restricted to packaged products for consumption off the premises.

Tamarack has long been a top-tier outlet for local wineries. For many WV wineries it is their single highest sales volume store in the state. With the current boom in craft beer, WV breweries will likely find Tamarack a high-powered outlet for them as well.

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