Former Trillium, Tired Hands, Cisco Employee to Open New Brewery

Veteran New England brewer Adam Goodwin is set to open a new 15 BBL brewery in Charleston, South Carolina this fall. Charles Towne Fermentory, as it will be known, will focus on fermentation-driven, hop-forward beers and the utilization of local ingredients, down to the yeast. For all the details, see the release below:

July 25, 2016 (Charleston, SC): Charles Towne Fermentory will soon house a 15BBL brew system in the old Lyerly's Dry Cleaning building at 809 Savannah Highway. The location will include a tasting room and a kitchen prep-space that will allow for a rotation of options from various food trucks, chefs, and other local food businesses.​

Founder and Head Brewer, Adam Goodwin, will draw on his experience from his time at Trillium Brewing Co (Boston, MA), Tired Hands Brewing Co (Philadelphia, PA), and Cisco Brewers (Nantucket, MA) to bring a range of hop-forward and fermentation-driven beers to Charleston.​

Finding the perfect location to set up shop was not easy. However, after over a year of searching , Goodwin signed a lease in November of 2015 in the Avondale neighborhood of West Ashley, just a short ride from downtown Charleston.​

“The focus will be on fermentation. From the beers to the food, we want to really connect people with what they consume right down to the microscopic level,” Goodwin says of the business. He plans to eventually source local yeast via open fermentation and utilize local ingredients. The end result will be uniquely-Charleston beers and traditionally-prepared fermented products such as kombucha, bread, meats, sauerkraut, vinegars, and kimchi.​

Initially, beer will only be available on draft at the taproom, to-go in growlers, and on draft at a limited number of accounts. The Fermentory plans to distribute bottles soon after opening.​

Goodwin says that by keeping the production small and limiting distribution, a stronger emphasis can be put on the quality of the beer and the experience of consuming it.

“We believe that a brewery holds an important role in a neighborhood. Traditionally, breweries were where people went after work to socialize with friends, have a couple of beers, then fill up their growlers to takeHOME  beer right from the source. As fresh as possible. This is what we want The Fermentory to be.”​

With projects like this, putting a hard date on an opening can be difficult, but Goodwin says an early fall opening is likely. Tanks are scheduled to arrive in early August with the brewhouse in place a couple weeks later. Federal and State brewing licenses have already been approved.

Editor's Note: Goodwin reached out to clarify that he was a brewer at Trillium, but held other titles at Cisco Brewers/Tired Hands.