John Flaherty isn’t wandering anymore.
The software engineer turned homebrewer signed a lease to open Wanderment Brewing at 800 E. 64th Ave. in Adams County last week.
The 2,400-square-f00t space will mostly be the brewing operation with a small “cozy” taproom in the front. Flaherty said he hopes to open in the spring.
“It’ll be a very personal thing and as small as possible until it makes sense to expand,” Flaherty said. “You’re going to know who’s making the beer, which I think is a big draw.”
He said the industrial-style space was most recently a winery, and needs minimal work like fresh paint and the installation of a bar.
“There’s something appealing about DIY, smaller, niche industrial space – it’s like what made RiNo possible,” Flaherty said.
Broker Rodolfo Canon with Roche & Company represented Flaherty in the deal.
Flaherty started homebrewing in his native Florida in 2009, when it was “the true hipster thing to do,” and has been searching for real estate to open Wanderment Brewing since January.
“Once I realized I could make as good or better beer, I got really hooked on it,” Flaherty said.
After moving to Denver in 2014, Flaherty met his co-founder Sam Odom. The duo started wandering to local spots to guest brew – hence the name Wanderment – before committing to their own space.
They launched a Kickstarter this year and raised over $10,000 for rent. Flaherty noted he got a good deal at under $10 a square foot, which he said is “unheard of these days.”
The brewery, which Odom, Flaherty and his wife Melanie will run, will specialize in “rustic ales” with ingredients like lemongrass and lavender.
“Some of the offerings I think are going to be more unique than neighborhood breweries that make every style under the sun,” Flaherty said.
In addition to the eight taps, he said Wanderment will bottle and sell in house. Flaherty said the brewhouse is set up to produce four barrels at a time and he hopes to produce at least 100 in the first year.
And while Denver has no shortage of craft breweries, he said he believes there’s still room for new guys like himself as the industry becomes more refined.
“In the glory days I remember seeing lines out of breweries; that’s not going to be as common,” Flaherty said. “But that’s healthy. You can’t keep going up forever and I think it’s making people rethink things. You’re going to have more passionate people doing it.”
John Flaherty isn’t wandering anymore.
The software engineer turned homebrewer signed a lease to open Wanderment Brewing at 800 E. 64th Ave. in Adams County last week.
The 2,400-square-f00t space will mostly be the brewing operation with a small “cozy” taproom in the front. Flaherty said he hopes to open in the spring.
“It’ll be a very personal thing and as small as possible until it makes sense to expand,” Flaherty said. “You’re going to know who’s making the beer, which I think is a big draw.”
He said the industrial-style space was most recently a winery, and needs minimal work like fresh paint and the installation of a bar.
“There’s something appealing about DIY, smaller, niche industrial space – it’s like what made RiNo possible,” Flaherty said.
Broker Rodolfo Canon with Roche & Company represented Flaherty in the deal.
Flaherty started homebrewing in his native Florida in 2009, when it was “the true hipster thing to do,” and has been searching for real estate to open Wanderment Brewing since January.
“Once I realized I could make as good or better beer, I got really hooked on it,” Flaherty said.
After moving to Denver in 2014, Flaherty met his co-founder Sam Odom. The duo started wandering to local spots to guest brew – hence the name Wanderment – before committing to their own space.
They launched a Kickstarter this year and raised over $10,000 for rent. Flaherty noted he got a good deal at under $10 a square foot, which he said is “unheard of these days.”
The brewery, which Odom, Flaherty and his wife Melanie will run, will specialize in “rustic ales” with ingredients like lemongrass and lavender.
“Some of the offerings I think are going to be more unique than neighborhood breweries that make every style under the sun,” Flaherty said.
In addition to the eight taps, he said Wanderment will bottle and sell in house. Flaherty said the brewhouse is set up to produce four barrels at a time and he hopes to produce at least 100 in the first year.
And while Denver has no shortage of craft breweries, he said he believes there’s still room for new guys like himself as the industry becomes more refined.
“In the glory days I remember seeing lines out of breweries; that’s not going to be as common,” Flaherty said. “But that’s healthy. You can’t keep going up forever and I think it’s making people rethink things. You’re going to have more passionate people doing it.”
