With new owners...

Olde Hickory Brewery plans to expand output

New owners of Hickory's microbrewery-The Olde Hickory Brewery-have big plans for the future.
Currently turning out 300 barrels of beer a year, brewer Steven Lyerly and partner Jason Yates plan to jack up that output up to 3,000 barrels over the next three years. With 31 gallons of beer to the barrel, that's a lot of brew.
For Steven, the brewery business began as a hobby three years ago, doing a little homebrewing. For the past year, however, he has worked actively at the trade. He now turns out four standards, a wheat, an India pale, and an imperial stout. Seasonal beers are also offered up monthly.
For Christmas, the micro brewery is offering an ale flavored with honey, cinnamon, orange, and ginger. He says the output won't last through Christmas, having sold 150 gallons over the past two weeks.
The brewmaster dreams up his own recipes. He says it's much like cooking; you start out with the idea of a flavor you'd like to create.
Depending on the particular beer, it takes from two weeks to two months. While the micro brewery now brews weekly, there are plans to eventually go daily.
The process is not that involved, says Steven. Grains are cooked in a mash tun and that produces a sweet run off that goes into the kettle where hops are added to it. It gets boiled about 1-11/2 hours. Next it goes into the fermenter and yeast is added and is allowed to ferment. Then it goes to the storage tanks where carbon dioxide is forced into it. Then, it is ready to be served.
The brewery is striving to attain a pub-like atmosphere, and it's working, say the owners. Patrons can sit, if they wish, in an old wine vat of California Redwood made in Ohio in the '30s for Waldensian Winery in Valdese. When the winery closed, the barrels were obtained, cut apart and turned into booths!
A new menu is also on the way. In addition to pizza and sandwiches they will be adding entrees such as grilled chicken, steaks, and seafood. Nightly specials will be offered; Jason points out that in keeping with the tradition of pubs, one night fish and chips are the special.
Live entertainment is offered with Mike Long and Chris Falls. Monday night is set aside for blues and jazz, choices that fit the pub-like atmosphere.

Copyright 1995, The Hickory News