USA, MA: Courthouse Brew Co. already open in Worcester

Worcester's newest brewery opened this month in a former mill complex off Brussels Street, a dream cofounders Mark Gawlak and Daniel Whalen have been working on since they entered the craft beer world while working at Brew City Grill, one of Worcester's original beer meccas, the Patch reported on July 13.

Courthouse Brew Co. has been open for about two weeks with limited hours to start. It's taken Whalen and Gawlak almost four years to get to this point — in part due to their day jobs as lawyers, and the coronavirus pandemic.

Courthouse Brew Co. is the first standalone brewery to open in Worcester since the pandemic. (Double Down Brewing opened in September 2021 inside Peppercorn's, the same restaurant where WormTown was born.) It will fill a void left by two Worcester brewers that closed during the pandemic: 3Cross Fermentation Coop, and Flying Dreams, which is still open in Marlborough.

The pair met decades ago while working at the former Spag's grocery store in Shrewsbury, and eventually wound up attending Worcester State University together. They later worked as servers and bartenders at Brew City, jobs that allowed them to sample plenty in the exploding world of craft beer.

Their experience serving beer inspired Whalen and Gawlak to open their own brewery. They got started brewing with a class at Deja Brew in Shrewsbury, and then began making their own brews at Whalen's mother's house.

In 2019, they discovered the Whittall Mill buildings off Brussels Street. The space, with its exposed beams, extra tall ceilings and exposed brick offered just the type of environment they wanted. It was also located near local colleges and off a highway exit.

"I was in love," Whalen said when he saw the space for the first time.

"Rotman's, Holy Cross. Boom," Gawlak added about the location near two Worcester institutions.

But when the pandemic began shutting down bars and restaurants in 2020, the pair knew they would have to wait. It would take about 1-1/2 years from spring 2020 before they signed a lease.

The building they're in has become somewhat of a brewing hub: Acoustic Java has had its roastery there for years — along with a coffee shop — and KrafTea Kombucha moved its brewery there from the Sprinkler Factory recently.

The long process of opening had its benefits. Gawlak and Whalen were able to do a lot of research into what types of beers they wanted to offer. They wanted to offer different types of beer, but also ones that drinkers new to craft beer would enjoy.

During the opening weeks, Courthouse Brew Co. is offering four core beers: a red ale that's the brewery's flagship; two single-hop beers using El Dorado and Centennial hops; and an IPA brewed with fresh pineapple and cinnamon — an ode to a meal Whalen had at the Brazilian steakhouse Pampas Churrascaria along Shrewsbury Street.

There are more beers coming, including more in the single-hop series, double and triple IPAs, and possibly a pumpkin or Oktoberfest when fall rolls around.

Visitors will notice a distinct legal theme. Whalen works as an attorney in state government, and Gawlak in patent law, jobs they will both keep alongside the brewery. Each beer name draws from legal terminology, and the walls are painted in navy blue, a nod to a popular suit color among lawyers. In one corner, a neon sign glows with the phrase, "You've been served."

As Courthouse gets started, the brewery is open Thursday and Friday 4:30 to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 10 p.m. Whalen and Gawlak are the two core employees, but do have a bartender to help, plus family and friends. A grand opening will likely come in August with expanded hours, they said.

"Good beer and good hospitality," Whalen said of the brewery's mission.

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