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Manchester Brewing opens with a splash

Jason Cooper stands in front of the “Founders’ Wall” with the old pizza-wheel equipment from the bakery featured at the new taqueria/brewery. Photo by Marsha Chartrand.

by Marsha Chartrand

It been a long road for Jason Cooper and his new taqueria/brewery on Main Street.

The tiny building located at 122 E Main St between Edward Jones and LaRock Dental (that used to hold Roller Jewelry, The 18th Century Shoppe, and, most recently, All Thingz Green) seemed like an unlikely place to put a restaurant and home-brew pub. But years of planning and hard work made it a reality. Manchester Brewing opened with only a little fanfare on February 27 and has been going strong ever since.

First, Jason separated off the front of the building next door (most popularly known as “the bakery”) for Colleen Newton Edward Jones office, but he had considerably more work ahead. Basically, he had to deconstruct the interior and then figure out what would go where. This took a bit of juggling, but at least he had the kitchen at the back of the building. That needed to be updated and renovated, but he had a starting point. The ring gear from the pizza oven was given a place of honor on the wall in the dining room. Jason has tried to keep certain historic components as a reminder of the old bakery history. He had Ray Berg  research the building and learned that it was once a three-story building; it was also an alley similar to the one across the street. The brick building was unique in many other ways; it had windows and doorways, some of which led to something else and some of which did not!

Today, you walk in the front door and find yourself in a small “hall” with high-top tables and a limited amount of other seating; a few steps — or a ramp — take you to the bar area directly behind. Order your food and drink selections and choose your seat. A “lounge” area to your left has additional family-style tables. The staff quickly prepares your drinks and the kitchen gets your food order, and you’re on your way to some interesting beer flavors and delicious food and snacks. There are also non-alcoholic drink selections. The walls of the lounge are decorated with murals by Alexa Daluz, and a Founders’ Wall is ready to begin adding names for those who wish to make a donation to this project.

Why did he decide on a brewery/taqueria? Jason says he has always “home-brewed” and finds it enjoyable. They make up to six different beers each week, using their special drinking water (also made in house), hops (grown in Monroe), malt, and yeast. And he also  wanted to provide a variety of food styles to Manchester. “Someone wants a burger, they’ll go to the Tap,” he says. “Plus, if they don’t like beer, they can try the Distillery. Someone wants pizza, we’ve got Frank and Over the Edge. This just provides another option for locals and visitors alike.” It true. Residents don’t have to leave town for specialty foods; those who come to Manchester to enjoy our growing array of shops and services now have more and better choices than ever before.

Come on down to Manchester Brewery at 122 E Main, and see for yourself. Don’t wait too long to see what on the menu this month — both food and drink selections will change seasonally, and we all know spring is just around the corner! The brewery is open Thursday–Sunday each week and is planning an open house in April. Check their Facebook page for details.

As you enter the front door, you can see all the way through the small dining area and the bar to the back door of the building. Photo by Marsha Chartrand.

The pass-through window between the bar and lounge provides another point of interest. Photo by Marsha Chartrand.

by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.