Breweries in Development 2026
For 2026, Brilliant Stream is tracking the following new brewery projects in West Virginia, which have been rumored or announced. We will update each as additional information becomes available.
2026 Brewery Project List
- Ursus Brew Works, Charleston
- Halleck Brewing, Morgantown
- New State Brewing, Parkersburg
- Clarksburg Area Breweries, Clarksburg
- Brewery by the Ballpark, Huntington
- 14th Street West, Huntington
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Ursus Brew Works
According to brewery developer, Jason Martin, his brewery will be located in the old Strand Building located at 207-211 Hale St., Charleston, WV. He purchased the building in early summer 2024 and worked with an architect to get floor plans drawn up. Build-out is now underway.
Martin is an Air Force veteran who has a Masters Degree in Biology. A few years after graduate school, Martin was hired as a brewer at a small brewery in Crofton, MD. He brewed there professionally for 2 years and decided he would like to start his own operation. He had home-brewed for 8 years before getting hired as a pro brewer.
His family is from the Charleston, WV area, and he says he has wanted to move there for about 10 years. Martin has moved to Charleston and is leading the development of his brewery.
Projected Opening: Ursus is brewing and now open, March 2026
New State Brewing
A new brewery project has been rumored for Parkersburg, which appears to have some steam behind it. New State Brewing Company, LLC., led by Joseph Marshall, has a connection to Parkersburg Brewing Co., with a couple of co-owners. The organizers say their brewery will honor Appalachian heritage with clean, approachable beer. It’s rumored to expect a start-up in 2026.
New State Brewing has a basic Facebook page up.
Projected Opening: Summer 2026
Halleck Brewing
A new brewery facility is under construction in Morgantown that will be the new home for Halleck Brewing Co. The project is led by Morgantown businessman, Doug Warden, who is best known as a residential property developer. Warden purchased the former Chestnut Brew Works last summer and now operates it under the Halleck Brewing name. He will relocate all brewing operations to his new building once it is completed.
Projected Opening: likely May or June, 2026
Clarksburg Area Breweries
Business development officials in Harrison County are following two or three possible brewery projects that could be under development in the Clarksburg area.
One project was announced as Empire National Brewing and is being planned for the ground floor of the Empire 1907 building (400 W. Main Street) in downtown Clarksburg. It is being led by Geremey Engle and his associates, who are redeveloping the entire building and the brewery-restaurant would appear to be an anchor for the first floor. Much of the rest of the building is targeted for residential development. No recent project updates have been seen. See this Brilliant Stream article about the project from 2024. The Empire 1907 website has some additional info: Empire National
A second project rumored would be at the historic Waldo Hotel Building on Pike Street. A brewery could appear on the list of businesses participating in that project. No additional info is yet available.
A third brewery project had been pitched for the FBI biometrics building at the corner of 4th Street and Main Street. Chris Lane appeared before a Clarksburg City Council meeting in March 2023 to propose the idea, but there’s been no further word on the project.
Huntington (by the ballpark) Brewery
A yet to be named brewery venture is proposed for property in Huntington adjacent to Marshall University’s baseball stadium. First info on the project came out in late 2024. Corporation leading the project appears to be Brew Brothers LLC. Reports say the brewery was proposed to be located in the Huntington Brownfield Innovation Zone, on part of the property that was formerly the site of ACF Industries. No current update info has been seen, which may mean the project idea is on hold or off the table.
Projected Opening: Unknown
West Huntington Brewery
This early-stage project has gone through changes since it was first rumored. The original concept, which was led by John Garcia the owner of Lookout Brewing in Black Mountain, North Carolina, appears to be off the board for good. In late 2023, other parties with brewery development interests visited the property and considered purchasing a parcel on which to build out a brewery and taproom. Those interests, too, have waned.
The West Huntington property along 14th St. West is still being actively marketed for brewery development by the Huntington Area Development Council
Projected Opening: Not anytime soon
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