Cooper River Brewing Company opens its doors in Charleston
January 6, 2016
CHARLESTON, SC – Cooper River Brewing Company announced its recent arrival to Charleston’s craft brewing scene with a complete renovation of a 7,500 square-foot warehouse in the thriving neighborhood of Wagener Terrace. Known fondly under the “Great Brew Heron” label, the company combines 20+ years of brewing expertise to deliver time-honored, seasonal flavors.
“Our approach is to brew unique ales in traditional styles. In other words, each beer will be distinctive and flavorful, but follow a traditional brewing process,” said Mark Fesche. “Our initial lineup of beers features a Golden Ale, an IPA, and a Stout. We plan on having a large selection in our taproom and will let consumer demand dictate which beers we may release in bottles later this year.”
The idea for Cooper River Brewing Company developed over a decade ago, along with the friendships of its three co-founders Jamie Martin, Michael Gates and Dustin Pait. They met while playing golf at Snee Farm Country Club in Mount Pleasant, where they enjoyed beers after their rounds. Through the years, backyard family cookouts provided time to sit on back porches and dream about owning their own brewery.
Jamie’s travels had allowed him to visit craft breweries around the country, while Michael was an avid home brewer and Dustin had a nose for an excellent IPA. After realizing the potential, they decided to make their dream a reality with head brewer Mark Fesche, a Seibel Institute graduate with extensive brewmaster experience around the country in brewhouses ranging for 7 to 50 barrels.
A large tasting room fills about a third of the space at Cooper River, with the rest of the building dedicated to the brewery. They operate a 15bbl brew house and cellar, with room to expand as demand grows. The partners insisted on having an American-made brewing system, so they contracted with SMT Brewing Solutions in Virginia for premium equipment. In addition, a large courtyard will provide a year-round outdoor seating area.
About Cooper River Brewing Company
Founded in 2015, Cooper River Brewing Company is a fine craft brewery nestled in Charleston’s up-and coming Wagener Terrace neighborhood. With a combined 20+ years of experience with some of America’s leading breweries, Cooper River Brewing Company prides itself in using a time-honored process to deliver consistent, bold and dynamic flavors. To learn more, please visit www.cooperriverbrewing.com, or visit follow Cooper River Brewing Company’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
