New Milwaukee brewery Supermoon Beer Company to open in Bay View

Supermoon Beer Firm has been serving brews to Bay View and past from the porch of its shuttered storefront for almost two years. By mid-July, the brewery will open its taproom to the general public.

“Our path into existence hasn’t actually been a straight line or conventional,” stated proprietor Rob Brennan. 

The longtime at-home brewer labored in gross sales for Penrose Brewery in Geneva, Unwell., for 5 years. Earlier than that, he gained an appreciation for brewing from recurrently attending Lakefront Brewery excursions whereas going to high school at Marquette College. 

Brennan and his spouse did not have plans to instantly begin a brewery as soon as they moved again to Milwaukee in 2018, though that’s once they bought the 120-year-old grocery retailer constructing that can now home Supermoon.  

The house at 3145 S. Howell Ave. had a tenant within the first flooring business house, and the couple moved into the residences above. 

The day the couple closed on the constructing the business tenant unexpectedly put in discover to maneuver out to increase her enterprise. With the storefront vacant, the couple regarded for the subsequent alternative.  

“We began wanting into the paperwork and located that it was zoned for a brewery,” Brennan stated.  “I all the time advised myself that if I had an opportunity to in life, I’d open an old-world Belgian and French conventional brewery. We had a few conversations and the ball was rolling there.”

He settled on the title Supermoon impressed by pellicle, which is a dusty biofilm that’s fashioned by wild yeast, which Brennan makes use of for his beer. It resembles the moon’s floor.  

Supermoon can be a descriptor for a kind of moon solely seen only some instances a 12 months, as is a few of the beer that Brennan creates. 

“My beer is rustic, funky, barrel-fermented farmhouse fashion beer, and that fashion of beer takes an exceptionally very long time to ferment,” Brennan stated. 

Some batches take as much as 18 months. 

As soon as Brennan received the right permits in place, he started brewing his first batch. A 12 months later the COVID-19 pandemic had hit. In November 2020 beer was prepared for patrons, however due to the pandemic, his small taproom was not. 

“We spent all this time prepping, but it surely didn’t make sense for us to open a taproom once we couldn’t have anybody contained in the constructing,” he stated. 

So, Brennan determined to only promote beer on-line for patrons to select up on weekends. 

“We took the direct-to-consumer preorder on-line mannequin, and each different month we might e-mail our checklist of individuals saying that beer is prepared,” Brennan stated. “That mannequin has gotten us so far, and we are able to take a look at our profitable idea and an unimaginable group of shoppers regionally and afar.”

Lots of his creations have conventional European inspiration like Belgian farmhouse ales, French Saison and German lagers. He additionally has extra experimental fermented drinks like Piquettes. 

A taproom with a homey really feel

Regardless of launching a brand new brewery throughout the pandemic and never having a bodily house, Brennan nonetheless discovered clients. Most batches promote out after they go stay for preorder. 

“I really feel like that is one thing we solely may have pulled off in Milwaukee. To be so supported as a brewery, it is a very Milwaukee factor and that’s not misplaced on me,” Brennan stated. “There are lots of people within the beer. It has been a humbling response.”

The long-awaited taproom will pull inspiration from Brennan’s residence, as he and his spouse used to stay above the brewery.

“This was our residence and we wish individuals to really feel like they’re in somebody’s residence and we’re nonetheless a neighborhood brewery. We stay simply up the road now,” Brennan stated. 

The bar can have seating for a couple of dozen clients on the bar, indoor and outside cafe tables, and can have a wood-burning fire to “type of create that homey really feel,” Brennan stated. 

Brennan plans to maintain the taproom stocked with lagers and ales, whereas seasonal aged brews will rotate in. 

The brewery can have snacks and Brennan is working to associate with meals vehicles to serve meals for the taproom. 

“We love Bay View and Milwaukee and the scene that we’re in,” Brennan stated. “We’re not attempting to take over the world, we simply need to deal with what appears to be our distinctive providing within the brewery scene.”  

For extra data on Supermoon Beer Firm go to www.supermoonbeer.com. 

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Jordyn Noennig covers Wisconsin tradition and life-style.  Comply with her on Instagram @JordynTaylor_n. Discover her on Twitter @JordynTNoennig. Name her at 262-446-6601 or e-mail Jordyn.Noennig@jrn.com.