For those who appreciate good beer, a long-awaited event came to pass in downtown Wetumpka on Saturday morning.
Just in time for the River and Blues Music & Arts Festival, the Coosa River Craft House, owned by John and Paige Stewart, opened its doors at 11 a.m. on Saturday
“We’re so pleased,” said John Stewart. “This is a pretty good crowd for 11 o’clock in the morning, huh? We’ve been here 36 hours trying to get this place ready to open. It can pay its own bills now.”
With duo Chuck Lofton and Curt McKinney entertaining the crowd, the craft beer finally began to flow at 108 South Main St. in the old Carr Motor building. Among the 19 beers on tap on Saturday morning – according to Stewart, the selection will change from time to time – were 30A, Avondale’s Battlefield single IPA, Good People Snakehandler and IPA, Straight to Ale’s He Ain’t Hefe, Laughing Skull, Lagunitas, Snakehandler, Chococlate Churro, Woot Stout, Truckstop Honey, Underdog IPA and eight more selections. Approximately 12 of the selections are Alabama-brewed.
“We like to support the Alabama brewers,” Stewart said.
Stewart, who became a fan of craft beers during his 20-year career with a Birmingham tractor company, took the final steps to get Coosa River Craft House open for business for the music and arts festival on Friday, when, at a specially called meeting of the Wetumpka City Council, he was granted a city license to sell beer for on– and off–premises consumption.
“The city has been very good to us during this whole process,” Stewart said. “We couldn’t ask for any more from them.”
This isn’t Stewart’s first foray into the craft beer business. Stewart’s Autauga Creek Craft House in Prattville is the model for the Wetumpka location. The tables are handmade by family and friends of the Stewarts. Dominating one wall are American and Alabama flags made from wooden planks that, Stewart says, have become “selfie stations” in his Prattville establishment.
The Coosa River Craft House does not serve food, but encourages its customers to bring food in from other downtown establishments or – like several customers did on Saturday – order delivery from a local pizza place.
“I don’t want to compete,” Stewart said. “I want to enhance what is already here in Wetumpka. I am here to complement the businesses already downtown.
“I want Coosa River Craft House to be a place where people can come in and enjoy conversation with friends over a few beers.
Coosa River Craft House is open from 3 p.m until 10 p.m Monday through Thursday and 3 p.m. until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
