WV Breweries in Development 2019
Brilliant Stream is tracking the following new brewery projects in West Virginia. We will update each as additional information becomes available.
Homaide Brewing Company
One more local brewery desert in West Virginia will bite the dust when Homaide Brewing Company opens in Martinsburg next year. The brewery will be located in the building that also houses the Eastern Panhandle Bicycle Shop and the Pedalin Pints pub.
Brewery project organizer Stephen Perez informed Brilliant Stream that he will install and operate a brewery that includes a 5-barrel brew house and 20 barrels of fermentation space, along with kegging and canning equipment. He plans to self-distribute his product. The existing Pedalin Pints pub will serve as the brewery’s taproom.
While the new brewery will likely produce a wide variety of beer styles, Perez, who will lead the brewing, is partial to Belgian styles and enjoys using fruits, spices, and barrel aging. He expects the brewery will create two full-time and two part-time jobs. The project represents an investment estimated at $225,000.
Perez is an experienced homebrewer who has been very active in the Maryland/Baltimore/D.C. area beer scene for several years.
Last summer, building owner Brian Weber told Brilliant Stream that he was seeking a brewery tenant for part of his building at 805 East Moler Avenue. In September, he explained that the proposal he received from Perez impressed him, so he agreed to lease the space to him. The brewery will take up 2,100 sq. ft. of space inside the 10,000 sq. ft. building.
Perez says the target opening date for Homaide Brewing is April, 2020. Martinsburg has not had a brewery since Mountaineer Brewing Company shut down in 2011. The Martinsburg/Berkeley County metro has approximately 120,000 people. It is currently by far the largest county in West Virginia without a local brewery.
805 East Moler Avenue
Martinsburg, WV
Facebook Page
Cacapon Mountain Brewing Company
Developers say they will open a brewery and taproom offering hoppy ales, naturally carbonated lagers, barrel fermented Belgian-style ales, and spirit barrel strong ales.
A large, older brick building is currently being refurbished for the brewery. A new concrete floor is being put in along with new windows, plumbing, electrical, and many other repairs. The building was formerly used as an antique mall, and before that a factory, and needs a good bit of renovation for use as a brewery and taproom. PHOTOS AND ARTICLE
Their building is located one block off N. Washington St. (U.S. 522, the main drag) near the former train depot. The originally announced target date for opening was late 2019.
282 Williams St.
Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
Cacapon Mountain Brewing Facebook Page
Old Spruce Brewing
NOW OPEN. This new brewery will serve the skiers and vacationers on Snowshoe Mountain and become the first brewery in Pocahontas County. The project is led by Lawrence Walkup who also operates the Old Spruce Tavern and Old Spruce Draft House at Snowshoe Mountain Resort.
Expect the house beers to include a range of other popular styles. The brewery will also supply beer to Old Spruce Draft House and Old Spruce Cafe & Tavern, once a brewery license is secured.
Status Update: – LICENSE APPROVED 8/22/19. Brewery construction is complete. Brewing is underway. Beer is being served.
Snowshoe Mountain Resort
10 Snowshoe Drive
Snowshoe, WV
Old Spruce Tavern Website
Brewery Facebook Page
Bavarian Brothers Brewing
NOW OPEN — 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 will be located just outside the pub, where they have built the new outdoor garden patio. The stainless steel brewing tanks and equipment will be visible in the pub with a modern industrial design that the Inn folks say will be 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.
Status Update: OPEN — State brewpub license issued on 2/21/2019. PHOTOS & ARTICLE
164 Shepherd Grade
Shepherdstown, WV
Bavarian Inn website
High Ground Brewing Company
NOW OPEN – 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. He will start out kegging his beer, but hopes to add a small-batch canning system later.
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: May 2019 – OPEN. Taproom and beer garden now open. WV brewery license issued on Jan. 31, 2019. Taproom opened in May. PHOTOS & ARTICLE
High Ground Brewing
102 Railroad St.
Terra Alta, WV
Brewery Facebook page
Golden Spike Brewing Company
PROJECT INACTIVE — olden Spike Brewing Company plans to produce its beer in Saint Marys, originally with a target opening 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.
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.
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.
UPDATE – July 5, 2019: POSTPONED. This project ran into some difficulties and is currently on hold. Facebook page is down.
Golden Spike Brewing
419 2nd Street Street
Saint Marys, WV
Golden Spike Facebook
Rippon Brewing Company
LICENSE ISSUED – 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.
Status Update: Oct. 2019. The brewery received its final state permits on Aug. 14, 2019. Beer is being brewed and distributed to several local bars. Brewery taproom opening is planned for summer 2020.
Rippon Brewing Company
2153 Berryville Pike (Hwy. U.S. 340)
Rippon, WV 25441
The 912 Brew Pub
CLOSED – Tucker County, WV promises to once again have three operating breweries when a newly announced Davis brewery and restaurant project gets open. Called The 912 Brew Pub, it takes over the space formerly occupied by Blackwater Brewing Company and the Barrels Brewhouse restaurant. The name “The 912” comes from the business’ street address of 912 William Avenue in Davis. It will begin as a full-service restaurant and bar, with the in-house brewery to open later.
Status Update: Oct. 2019. The restaurant and bar have closed. This project appears to be dead.
The 912 Brew Pub
912 Williams Avenue
Davis, WV
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.
A 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.
STATUS UPDATE: This project has been very quiet since its original announcement. Big Draft Brewing corporation paperwork was filed back in the summer, so it appears to still be active.
Big Draft Brewing
700 Main St. East
White Sulphur Springs, WV
Early Stage Projects
The following list of projects are much less certain and, if any of them actually are brewery development projects, they are in early-stage development. These companies have active state corporate-business filings for the current fiscal year. Should more information become available, Brilliant Stream will update their status.
304 Brewing Company
Morgantown, WV
Contact: August Tino Tampoya
Clarksburg Brewing Company
Clarksburg, WV
Contact: Douglas Dorrer
Gad Dam Brewing Company
Canvas, WV
Contact: John Anderson
Capitol Brewing Company
Charleston, WV
Contact: Keith Pritchard
Coal River Brewing Company
St. Albans, WV
Contact: Dan M. Blevins
[Currently operate Lil’ Bit of Heaven Cupcakes on Olde Main Plaza]
Huntington Brewing Company
Huntington, WV
Travis King
Patrick Brewing Company
Scott Depot, WV
Contact: Jeff Patrick
Lemaster Brewing Co.
Martinsburg, WV
Contact: Kent Lemaster
Falling Waters Brewery
Falling Waters, WV
Contact: Robert Daniels
Steel River Brewing, L.L.C.
Weirton, WV
Contact: Korey Coulter
The following business had active filings last year but is not shown as having yet made their 2019 corporate business filings with the Secretary of State, as of 07/28/19. They may have gone inactive.
Bullskin Beer L.L.C.
Charles Town, WV
Contact: John Burns III
[Project at the Bullskin Hops farm, which is likely still the largest hopyard in the state.]