WV Breweries in Development 2020
Brilliant Stream is tracking the following new brewery projects in West Virginia. We will update each as additional information becomes available.
Cacapon Mountain Brewing Company
NOW OPEN. West Virginia brewery license issued Nov. 2020 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. With the COVID pandemic a few other complications, the brewery has delayed its grand opening until November 2020.
282 Williams St.
Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
Cacapon Mountain Brewing Facebook Page
North Branch Brew Pub
Slowed by COVID. Taking shape in Keyser, this brewpub will start small and hopes to grow. Developed by Terry Stephens, it will begin as a one-barrel operation supporting its own pub. Pub will feature a nice menu of sandwiches and pub grub.
Feature article explains the details.
Homaide Brewing Company
PROJECT CANCELLED. HOMAIDE IS INSTEAD BUILDING ITS BREWERY IN MARYLAND.
One more local brewery desert in West Virginia would bit the dust if Homaide Brewing Company had opened in Martinsburg. The brewery was to 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 last year that he hoped to 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 planned to self-distribute his product. The existing Pedalin Pints pub would have served as the brewery’s taproom.
While the HOMAIDE brewery would likely have produced a wide variety of beer styles, Perez, who is a brewer, is partial to Belgian styles and enjoys using fruits, spices, and barrel aging. He expected the brewery would create two full-time and two part-time jobs. The project was announced as an investment estimated at $225,000.
Perez is an experienced homebrewer from Westernport, MD, who has been very active in the Maryland/Baltimore/D.C. area beer scene for several years.
In the summer of 2019, 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 was to take up 2,100 sq. ft. of space inside the 10,000 sq. ft. building.
Perez said at the time that the target opening date for Homaide Brewing to open was 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
Big Draft Brewing Company
SLOWED BY Pandemic. 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 guestS 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 2019, so it appears to still be active.
Big Draft Brewing
White Sulphur Springs, WV
Peddler Number 2
A new production brewery (yet unnamed) focused on distribution could be opened in Huntington in the next two years. It would become the state’s first solar powered brewery. The project is being developed by Drew Hetzer, who also owns The Peddler brewpub in downtown Huntington.
Hetzer reportedly owns the building and has already installed solar panels on the roof. This project was confirmed by The Peddler’s head brewer Jay Fox.
Early Stage Projects
Additional new projects are in development in Charleston and Huntington. A Charleston project is in planning near Capitol Market in the downtown district. Reportedly, it would be a small brewery with taproom. In Huntington, a potential project is targeted for the new redevelopment at the former ACF Industries property east of Marshall University and another potentially for the 14th St. West area.
Then, 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.
Vulpine Brewing Company
Morgantown, WV
Contact:
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
Amani Brewing Co.
Martinsburg, WV
Angry Iguana Brewing
Berkeley Springs, WV
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.]