Last fall, The Glass Jug Beer Lab announced their planned expansion into a new facility in the Greenwood Commons shopping center. Despite some delays, the move is now complete and The Glass Jug is brewing beer.
The new facility is only a few doors down from the space The Glass Jug occupied for the last three and a half years, but when you walk in, you immediately notice the advantages the expansion offers.
While the atmosphere carries the same laid back feel patrons came to love at the original location, the new space greets you with a large vaulted ceiling, letting in ample natural lighting that reflects off the new stainless steel brewing equipment visible through the many glass walls.
“We are excited to finally get the doors open,” said Chris Creech, who, along with his wife, Katy, own and operate The Glass Jug Beer Lab. “It’s been a long process, but we are very pleased with the result and are looking forward to making the most of what the new facility has to offer.”
The new facility has more to offer customers than just more seating (which has increased to add an additional 28 seats inside, plus seating for 30+ outside). With this expansion, The Glass Jug Beer Lab has added an outdoor beer garden complete with large picnic tables situated under hanging market lights and sun shades, in addition to a small event space customers can rent out for private parties.
The biggest change that comes with this move is the new microbrewery.
“We’ve already begun brewing. All of our fermentors are full, along with a few small pilot batches that are bubbling away,” added Creech. “Our first beer, a Dry Irish Stout, will be released on St. Patrick’s Day. Then, we’ll be releasing several other beers at our Grand Opening Party.”
The Grand Opening Party is slated as an all-day event on Saturday, March 31st. There will be live music, a food truck, and the opportunity to drink the first beers from The Glass Jug Beer Lab.
After the grand opening, The Glass Jug hopes to maintain a rotating selection of four of their own beers on draft, complementing the existing lineup of 18 other draft beers on tap, an expanded wine selection, nitro cold brewed coffee, and kombucha.
“Our small size allows us a great opportunity to experiment and brew one-off batches of new and exciting beer styles,” said Creech, who will be managing all of the brewery operations. “We’re already perfecting our New England-style IPA recipes, since that is one of the newest beer styles to emerge. We’ve procured a few barrels to begin a barrel-aging program right off the bat, and we’re excited to partner with local farmers here at the South Durham Farmers’ Market to create beers that highlight fresh local ingredients. Our spent grain is also going to local farms to feed cows and pigs.”
While there are no plans for mass distribution just yet, Creech noted that The Glass Jug will begin selling pre-filled crowlers (32 ounce aluminum cans) of their beer exclusively at The Glass Jug in the coming months.
You will also be able to find Glass Jug beer at many of the local festivals and events, including the upcoming Pints for Paws event on April 10th, the Wild Card Brew Off on May 5th at The Frontier in RTP, and at the Triangle Craft Beer Festival on May 12th at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. Tickets for these events are all now on sale.
About The Glass Jug Beer Lab
The Glass Jug Beer Lab is microbrewery and a premiere craft beer and wine destination. Located in Durham near Southpoint Mall, Research Triangle Park, and RDU International Airport, The Glass Jug provides customers with a wide selection of packaged craft beverages, in addition to a 24-tap draft beer bar, in a friendly, inviting atmosphere where they brew small one-off batches of beer.
http://glass-jug.com
Twitter: @glassjug
Instagram: @glassjug
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassjugbeerlab/
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