USA, NH: Omnium Brewing coming to Somersworth

Omnium Brewing is coming to Somersworth, the next chapter for the space that formerly housed Bad Lab Brew Co., the Fosters Daily Democrat reported on September 28.

The 6,500-square-foot space at 460 High St. has been vacant since Bad Lab closed quietly in February. At the time, it was unclear what would take its place.

Viren Patel, owner of Omnium Brewing, has big plans for his new brew pub, which he hopes to open by the end of November.

Patel has hired Bryan Hadler as the head brewer, and has tapped a local chef to run the kitchen and curate a menu.

Patel was on vacation in Mexico when he received a call from his broker about the Bad Lab property. It fit the bill for what he needed, and it was nearly turn-key ready. Without hesitation, he was all in after seeing the property.

“This was a great opportunity for us because it’s a beautiful brewery, a great build-out with its stainless steel, open format,” Patel said. “Omnium means ‘for all.’ It doesn't matter who you are, how much you love beer, or how much you can spend, there’s something for everyone here.”

This is Patel’s first business. He comes to the Seacoast from the Boston banking and finance world. After he was laid off during the pandemic, he sought to own his own business. He’s now in the midst of moving to Portsmouth.

“When I was laid off, I just thought about how do I make sure that I'm not put in a position like this ever again?” Patel said. “I had a career path set to become a district executive and lost that overnight. I decided I wanted to build a brand, a business, from scratch. Something that I can be proud of calling my own.”

Patel said he’s excited to open Omnium Brewing, and he has felt "welcomed with open arms" in the community.

“And we extend that right back to the community when we open our doors,” Patel said. “We want to be a gathering place where — whether you're coming in with your family or friends for dinner and drinks, for a special occasion or date night — Omnium Brewing can feel like a place to come together.”

Omnium will offer freshly brewed beer, as well as a curated selection of liquor, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks, according to the owner. Patel hopes Omnium can become known as a premier bourbon bar, too. For those who like to try a little bit of everything, Omnium will offer flights.

“We want to have very unique beers as well as the classical beers that we know our community loves,” Patel said. “We want to push limits with our beers and try funky different sours and unique different blends like that.”

Omnium will brew for the restaurant and for distribution. There will be a cooler to purchase signature brews in its store, it will supply other stores and, eventually, other restaurants, direct-to-consumer shipping to certain states and a monthly beer club, according to Patel.

Hadler, the head brewer, has created more than two dozen recipes to date, ranging from IPA varieties to brown ales, porters, stouts, lagers and fruity beers.

Hadler started experimenting with home brew kits as a college student, studying marine science, with a focus in water chemistry. As he mastered the brewing craft, he said, he worked to refine taste based on science and water chemistry.

Hadler said having started as a homebrewer tweaking recipes, it’s rewarding to be able to “build your own recipe from the ground up.” The creative freedom to curate and brew Omnium’s signature taps is what Hadler looks forward to the most in his new role.

“I've always been someone that's just chasing the best quality beer possible,” Hadler said. “From a technical aspect, it’s about what flavors each ingredient can add, adjusting the water minerals and diving into the really nitty gritty science of it.”

Hadler said to create authentic regional taste, he can strip the minerals out of the water and control what’s added back in to mimic the water mineral profile for a specific beer. For example, he can recreate the water of say Munich, Germany for a Munich-style helles, all by adding and subtracting minerals.

“Everything you’ll see on tap will be my creation, which is what I really look forward to,” Hadler said. “I get to see what people respond to and decide on our flagship brew.”

Hadler said he previously brewed for Bellport Brewing Company in New York, Granite Roots Brewing in Troy, New Hampshire and Hidden Cove Brewing Co. in Wells, Maine.

Patel said he’s learned from his near-retirement age parents, who own a family business in Massachusetts, that “if you work hard enough there’s nothing you can’t do.”

There are plans to open a second location in Nashua. That has been in the works for some time, but the opening has been delayed, Patel said. He said it will open late summer 2023 in a 27,000 square-foot facility with restaurant and event space, brewing space, and an axe-throwing area.

“I want to push the limits in everything we do — whether it’s what we brew, our food, the experience we can offer or ways we can get involved within our community,” Patel said.

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