CHESHIRE CRAFT BREWING – A BRIGHT FUTURE

It has been over a year since I have made an entry in the Watering Holes section of AMP. The pandemic has created a lot of havoc for brewers throughout the state. Hopefully, with more people getting vaccinated we can return to some sort of normalcy.

That being said, my wife and I recently visited the newly opened Cheshire Craft Brewing located at 125 Commerce Ct. in Cheshire, Ct. We went there on the advice of our nephew, Eric Penner, who had attended their soft opening. Upon entering, we both remarked how well designed the taproom was. Not being an extremely large space, the floor plan and ambiance fit the size well. Even though the décor was modern and sleek, it still emitted a homey feel. The brewery also had a large inviting outdoor patio able to accommodate a considerable amount of patrons.

Jenn and I sat at the bar sampling several of the brews while speaking with the four partners. This being their opening weekend, they were happy to expound on their amazing accomplishment. Frank Barretta, Scott DeMeo, Jami and Kevin Ferguson were friendly and exuded a sense of satisfaction that their dream had finally come to fruition.

Cheshire Craft Brewing offered quite a few varieties of beer. We sampled the Ancho Porter which had the perfect amount of spice with a delightful kick. The NEIPA, First Time, was also refreshing with a wonderful aura. In addition, The Shire (Chocolate Stout) and Industrious (IPA) hit the mark.

I returned to Cheshire Craft Brewing a week later to interview to the partners in order to see how this all came about and what they thought the future may bring.

AMP: How did this dream begin?

[FRANK]: It all started when Scott and I began brewing together. We decided we wanted to get feedback on our beers. We were pleased to receive good comments. Then a friend of mine at the Tipping Chair wanted a custom beer. Since we could only brew in small batches, we made a connection with Shebeen Brewing in Wolcott. Scott and I were able to do some contract brewing there. The brews did well and then we did a canning run which we tested across the state and again did well. We approached the town of Cheshire who were quite enthused to have a local brewery. We met Jami and Kevin through mutual acquaintances. They were also extremely interested in establishing a brewery in Cheshire. We eventually got together. There you go. That’s the one minute version.

AMP: Who crafts the brews?

[SCOTT]: Frank and I brew together. There is a list of beers many lines long we have comprised. We play around with recipes and then we compare notes and talk about them. It’s a collaborative effort. We get feedback from Jami and Kevin as to what they think. A lot of people have asked about certain types of beer, so we take that into consideration. That helps us to decide what to brew next.

AMP: How often do you plan to rotate your beer selection?

[FRANK]: We have a pilot system here. The reason we have that is because Scott and I like to experiment. Sometimes the beer comes out really really good and sometimes it comes out average. So we don’t want a average beer in the big system of things therefore it becomes taproom only. You sell through it and learn from your mistakes. Our rotation will be seasonally as well as experimentally. Jami and Kevin have a good pulse on the community. We use that information to rotate as needed.

[SCOTT]: Stylistically is also a consideration. Making sure we are hitting multiple styles. We try to give everyone an experience here.

AMP: Your taproom has a great ambiance. Who designed the floorplan?

[JAMI]: We worked on the floorplan together. The most important part was to highlight the brewing equipment. We played with the layout quite a bit. We realized that it should be by a window in order to give it a major focus. Then we began playing with a half wall with glass. As we were building it we would kind of stand by the pint rail (as we call it) talking to Scott and Frank as they were working. I realized that people would enjoy watching them brew.

They want to see when they are measuring stuff and doing tasting. People love to see that part of it. So we left off the glass. It also breaks up the space and works as a second bar. We felt that the equipment shouldn’t be highlighted by a plain white wall, so we threw up about 27 shades of red till we chose one. It gives the taproom a warm feel.

[FRANK]: Don’t sell yourself short. You also designed the wood on the bar and shelves. You pulled that all together. Part of the ambiance is the décor. That’s all your brainchild.

AMP: Are you planning any special events?

[Frank]: Yes. We have a number of events that people have requested and if it fits our timetable and hours of operation we will accommodate them. We are trying to stay local. Helping the community is always a plus. Regrettably we had to say no often but when we can we say yes.

[JAMI]: At the moment we want to keep things simple. As we get our bearings we can then add an entertainment factor.

AMP: Perfect timing. How do you see the brewery in terms of the Cheshire community?

[JAMI]: We wanted to be in Cheshire. We are committed to being here. Our name reflects that. We wanted to create a space were people would feel comfortable and can converse freely while having a beverage. Somewhere you can socialize in the evening. There isn’t a lot of spaces in Cheshire where you can do that.

AMP: What is the Cheshire Craft Brewing‘s ultimate vision?

[SCOTT]: From the beer perspective, we want to put out a quality product that is received well. That we have the opportunity to offer many types of brews. To have an established menu of beers while rotating our seasonal recipes. We want to keep people wanting to come back.

[KEVIN]: One of the things I love doing is finding a nice place that has a good feel. That’s our goal here. It is nice that in our short existence we’ve seen several families in here more than once. We want to be that place where you feel at home meeting friends and genuinely enjoying yourself.

AMP: What kind of reception have received so far?

[JAMI]: Really impressive. Every meeting we have we discuss if we are making too little or too much beer. We worry if the projections are off. So far so good. But the nice thing is to have people come in and say “about time. We are glad you guys are open“.

[FRANK]: What is nice to hear is when the people leave, they say “we’ll be back“. That is truly satisfying.

To learn more about Cheshire Craft Brewing, check out their Website

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