Meeting a demand for consumers who enjoy a microbrew close to home, local couple John and Michele Bleichert recently started Water Street Brewing Co., Binghamton's first brew pub.
The pub is located opposite Boscov's, at 168 Water Street, in a building that was once a burlesque theater and most recently a day care and dance studio. It has since been transformed into a sleek urban brewery, with exposed brick and stainless steel.
And since it's the only brewery within a 90-minute radius of the city, it is already a huge hit, despite having only been open for a little over a month.
The owners were able to secure a $70,000 loan from the Binghamton Local Development Corporation to help with employee hiring and other major start-up costs such as the matching set of huge brew tanks that were brought in from California – and carefully installed via a front window to avoid damaging the historic building's ironwork facade.
Following their motto “Fresh. Local. Uncomplicated”, Water Street beer is all brewed on site and currently includes American Bitter, an American version of the traditional British bitter; Thousand Year Porter, “a comtemplative after-dinner brew”; an IPA; a U.S. Pale Ale “with caramel and sourdough notes”; and a Hefeweizen Bavarian wheat ale.
There is also a selection of wines, including ones from Cayuga Lake and Chenango Forks. The brew pub serves food, from spiedies to vegetarian meatloaf to PBJs – so there's something on the menu for everyone. The owners are even planning to sell growlers for take-out beer.
Despite the long hours and challenges of opening a new business, John and Michele Bleichert both say they don't regret a single day – although Michele does note that at the beginning of the project she warned her parents “we may be showing up on their doorstep with the pooch, the cats, and our luggage.”
Here's to the continued success of the Water Street Brewing Co.!
Water Street Brewing Co. is open Tuesday through Sunday. Check out their site at www.waterstreetbrewingco.com
