The lease has been signed, and keys handed over. Looks like Queen Creek officially is getting its first craft brewery – Old Ellsworth Brewing.
The brew pub will take over The Manhattan Vine, a recently closed pizzeria and wine bar (see story) on the southeast corner of Ellsworth and Ocotillo roads.
Old Ellsworth is the brainchild of Brian McKean (pictured above in middle); his wife, Chris; and her brother, Ryan Bostrom. All live in Chandler. Brian and Ryan are longtime home brewers.
Brian McKean says they’ve been working on a business plan for five years. Locations throughout the Valley were considered, ‘‘but we like the demographics of Queen Creek,’’ he says.
(Queen Creek has a population of approximately 35,000. It’s only nearby brewery – tiny Owls Orchard, which Marty Gerhart ran out of his home garage on a county island – recently closed. See story)
When The Manhattan Vine closed in May after just seven months in business, the McKeans and Bostrom knew they’d found their space.
The space, the beers & the food
The 5,800-square-foot building will seat about 140 inside and another 50 on the patio. Most importantly, it has a full kitchen – what would otherwise be an expensive build-out.
The trio originally chose the name Rittenhouse Brewing, but switched it to Old Ellsworth because they thought better connected to the community.
Brian McKean says Old Ellsworth will have a 7-barrel brewing system and rely primarily on kegging. There will be 12 taps. ‘‘We’d like to have our beers on six of those,’’ he says.
Bostrom, who will oversee the brewing, says, ‘‘We’re not gonna stick to any one style.’’
Their flagship beer is expected to be a Vienna lager or Helles lager. Other early offerings will include a Belgian quad and an IPA.
When will Old Ellsworth open?
What Brian McKean calls ‘‘a chef with a proven track record†has been hired to create a menu ranging from small bites to full entrees. He declined to identify him.
The McKeans and Bostrom also are hesitant to announce an opening date yet, citing social media’s negative reaction to other local breweries that have missed their target dates.
They will say they thought the opening would be in June, but – so far – things have moved faster than expected and it could come as early as February.
“It’s done the opposite of what it usually does,‘‘ Chris McKean says. ‘‘It’s moved up.’’
