E-Malt.com News article: USA, WI: One Barrel Brewing overwhelmed by demand

Madison's smallest brewery, One Barrel Brewing, opened on July, 6 and after being open for two weeks, the nanobrewery is creating a macro-buzz on the east side. So much so, in fact, that owner Peter Gentry ran out of his own beers after just nine days, The Daily Page reported on July, 17.

Business has been so good that repeat visitors are beginning to wonder if the name "One Barrel" was such a good idea, as demand seems to have overwhelmed Gentry. "I've been selling more beer in a day than I thought I'd sell in a week," he says. On opening night, Gentry filled over 1,000 pints of beer.

His initial line-up included: a crisp Kölsch-style session ale called The Commuter; #2, a Strong Ale; and, Summer Ale, a light-bodied pale ale that proved so popular it didn't make it past the first weekend.

To help meet demand, Gentry has turned to Mark Duchow, owner and brewmaster at Sweet Mullets brew pub in Oconomowoc. Even so, Gentry doesn't expect to have a collaborative batch of The Commuter and #2 ready until the middle of next week, around July 25.

Gentry's first completely "in-house" beer will be an American Pale Ale, which he's hoping to tap by July 30.

Gentry makes up for having run out of his beer by expanding an impressive number of guest taps featuring other local breweries like Ale Asylum, Great Dane, House of Brews, New Glarus, Sweet Mullets, and Vintage Brewing. When business settles down, Gentry's ultimate goal is to regularly offer six to eight of his beers on tap for most visits.


20 July, 2012