The Bradenton City Council approved Motorworks Brewing today. The $2.5 million, 23,000-square-foot production brewery at 1014 9th St. W. plans to open in two stages, according to a news release.
A 4,300-square-foot tap room and patio (tree-shaded with a stage for live music) is scheduled to open in the spring, according to the release. The 30-barrel brewery (meaning they will have the capacity to brew 30 barrels of beer at once) will open in the fall.
Owners Denise and Frank Tschida want to brew 5,000 barrels within the first 12 months. A barrel is equal to two full-size kegs of beer (31 gallons) and is the standard measure breweries use. That's a pretty ambitious goal for a starting brewery. Many start out producing a lot less and slowly grow. Motorworks plans to bottle and keg their beer. If that's not ambitious enough, they plan to brew 24 hours a day with an eventual goal of 65,000 barrels a year, which would put them in the Top 30 of craft brewers nationwide.
“We can’t wait to see our new 35-foot grain silo installed, lit and visible from 9th Street West, evidence of the exciting changes under way at the building,” Denise Tschida said in the release.
The brewery would eventually employ about 30 people. A separate news release from the City of Bradenton notes that Manatee County has approved giving Motorworks $30,000 in incentives.
The owners haven't revealed the name of the head brewer, but Frank Tschida says in the release that they are "bringing in an award winning and extremely exciting, experienced head brewer because he possesses all the qualities needed to build a great brewery."
Another tidbit from the release: They plan to release a new beer monthly and have a launch party for each one. They will also offer tours and sell merchandise and wine.
The question now becomes: Who will be the first production brewery in Bradenton? Little Giant, Michael Wagner's long-delayed brewery, hopes to open in April. We'll see who opens first. Little Giant would be a much smaller operation than Motorworks.
Here's the complete Motorworks news release, for those who like to read them:
Bradenton, FL – Wednesday, Bradenton’s City Council voted their approval for what is set to become not only the city’s largest, full production craft beer brewery, but also the largest in Manatee, Sarasota and Pinellas counties.
Motorworks Brewing is located at 1014 9th Street West in the heart of Bradenton’s evolving 14th Street CRA and mid-way between the downtown Riverwalk and the recently renovated McKechnie Field. The $2.5 million dollar brewery will occupy approximately 23,200 square feet of the 2-story, 1928 brick and concrete building. The 30-barrel, full-production brewery, complete with bottling and keg lines and refrigerated storage, is slated for a Fall 2013 opening. The Tschida’s plan is to brew 5,000 barrels within the first 12 months of operation. “We can’t wait to see our new 35’ grain silo installed, lit and visible from 9th Street W., evidence of the exciting changes underway at the building,” said Denise Tschida, President/Owner.
Slated for opening this Spring is the brewery’s 4,300 square foot taproom and outdoor patio. A large, oak-tree-shaded beer garden on the North side of the taproom will feature a stage for live music and will be the perfect space for evening musical events and monthly launch parties for each new craft beer offering.
“We’re starting off with a first-class, capacity brewery, and bringing in an award winning and extremely exciting, experienced head brewer because he possesses all the qualities needed to build a great brewery,” added Frank Tschida, Vice President/Operations, and founder. Regular brewery tours, a big draw for tourists, are planned and the taproom will feature the brewery’s unique craft beer offerings, wine and brewery merchandise.
“The estimated economic impact of the brewery in Bradenton over the next five years is expected to hit $1.8 million – contributing significantly to the 14th Street CRA,” said David Gustafson, Executive Director of Bradenton’s Downtown Development Authority.
“As the brewery moves into full operation, 30 new brewery job openings are planned,” added Lauren Kratsch, Director of Project Management with Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation.
“Today’s City Council vote was confirmation that the brewery fits in with the City’s exciting vision for the area,” noted Ann Altman, Vice President/Marketing for the brewery.
