The last time Creative Loafing was at Green Bench Brewing Co. in St. Petersburg, the space was naked (save for a few piles of debris). It was February, partners Nathan Stonecipher and Steven Duffy, and head brewer Khris Johnson, had their work cut out for them.
Just five months after we last spoke, the Green Bench folks have turned the 1926 mechanic garage into an almost-complete brewery. Thursday, July 18, the crew woke up early to unload their 15-barrel brewhouse system.
"This is one of the last pieces," Stonecipher said Thursday. "They'll be putting together the brewhouse for the next two weeks. And then the fermentation system comes in August."
The tasting room is almost complete, sporting exposed lightbulbs and a long, low concrete bar facing large windows that look out toward Central Avenue. Outside there's a 6,000 square-foot beer garden complete with a paved patio/stage area, and a massive fire pit. There is even dedicated parking on the west side of the building.
Tasting room manager Lindsay Bentley said Green Bench will offer five or more menus from local restaurants that deliver and, "we are open to people bringing in their own food too." Bentley also said Green Bench plans to have food trucks on site, and growlers will be filled on-site as well.
Head brewer Johnson took a pause from brewhouse construction to talk about his upcoming brews.
"The sky is the limit for me right now," Johnson said. "I've been working on a several collaborations with the folks at Saint Somewhere, Cigar City Brewing, 7venth Sun, Tampa Bay Brewing Company, and Cask & Larder."
Johnson said getting to work with other brewers in the area has been "a dream." He and Bob Sylvester at Saint Somewhere are working on a farm house saison that is low on alcohol content but "still rustic and funky."
"I'm making the beers with the people that do each style so well," Johnson said. "I'm learning so much from them. Really, I just want to make beer that we love to drink."
Johnson said he hopes to have 15 taps by the time they open. After the fermentation system is installed, Johnson will be able to start brewing on site by mid-August.
Stonecipher said Green Bench hopes to produce 1,200-1,500 during the first year.
"We want to make good beer," Stonecipher said. "Not a lot of beer."
Green Bench Brewing Co. is slated to open in mid-September.
