First Look: Earthbound Beer on Cherokee Street

At long last, Earthbound Beer’s new home is ready to welcome customers. The brewery and tasting room at 2724 Cherokee St., opens Saturday, Sept. 23.

The massive 2,500-square foot tasting room has been a project two years in the making. As The Scoop reported in September 2015, co-owners and brewers Stuart Keating, Rebecca Schranz and Jeff Siddons announced they were moving from their flagship location down the street at 2710 Cherokee St. The space was less than 1,000 square feet and only allowed the brewers to make one beer at a time.

Eight old Earthbounds could fit into the new space that once housed part of Cherokee Street Brewing in the late 1800s. The tasting room seats around 80 on the first level and mezzanine, a feature designed by architecture and general contractor Nathan Dirnberger. The mezzanine appears to float above the tasting room thanks to railings made of tension wire and heavy-duty chains suspended from the 17-foot barrel ceilings.

Behind the bar, 16 taps will pour Earthbound brews and a few guest taps, with another two nitro taps available. A small selection of spirits will be available (still no mixers or ice, the owners noted) with the potential for batch cocktails in the future. Earthbound patrons can now enjoy wine, too, with two reds, two whites and a rosé available by the glass.

Below the tasting room, a 7-barrel system will increase Earthbound’s production tenfold. The space also houses a canning line that will crank out 16-ounce four-packs of staple brews. Caves underneath neighbor 2720 Cherokee St. will allow for a barrel-aging program in the future.

As The Scoop reported in August, Vista Ramen chef-owner Chris Bork will helm the food program at Earthbound. The menu will feature smoked meats, sausages and sandwiches, though food won’t be available until November at the earliest.

Earthbound’s new location means new hours, too. It will be open Tuesday to Friday from 4 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from noon to midnight and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. Here’s a first look at Earthbound Beer’s new home.

Catherine Klene is managing editor, digital at Sauce Magazine.