Great Awakening BrewingCompany co-founders Andy Grenier and Mark Netzer stand amid some of the equipment used to brew their products. (MARC ST. ONGE/THE WESTFIELD NEWS)
WESTFIELD – Great Awakening Brewing officially opened its doors last weekend with crowds hopping at the chance to get in.
The brewery, at 77 Mill St., began selling cans last spring and opened for indoor dining Oct. 24 after several months of COVID related delays. Co-owners Mark Netzer and Andy Grenier said they were thrilled with the support from the community.
“Opening went great,” said Grenier, “we had 170 guests in a five-hour window.”
Inside, guests will find a modern industrial atmosphere in an inviting, family-friendly, inclusive environment. The taproom is spacious and the seven-barrel brewhouse is a great backdrop for lunch, dinner or appetizers.
Maddie Prinz serves up some tasty libations to guests at Saturday’s grand opening of the Great Awakening Brewing Company. (MARC ST. ONGE/THE WESTFIELD NEWS)
The friends and business partners said the opening was a long time coming and exceeded their expectations.
“Opening our doors to the public was surreal,” said Grenier, who is the company business lead. “We put years of planning and execution into preparing our spacious taproom and we’re so excited to finally be able to welcome the public inside.”
The menu of beer and food includes fresh, seasonal offerings that change often.
“Both our food and beer offerings are frequently changing, so guests can expect something new every time they join us,” said Netzer, head brewer for Great Awakenings. “We have 16 of our beers on tap, including Fruited Sours, Farmhouse Saisons, New England IPAs, Double IPAs, Brown Ales, and Imperial Stouts. Our food menu compliments the beer selection, and currently includes tacos del chorizo, charcuterie, black bean hummus, and creme brulee infused with one of our stouts.”
Everyone at Great Awakenings follows strict COVID guidelines to ensure the safety of customers.
Great Awakening co-founder Andy Grenier chats with guests during Saturday’s opening. (MARC ST. ONGE/THE WESTFIELD NEWS)
“To open safely during COVID, we strive to meet or exceed the established guidelines, including 12-foot table spacing, sanitizing tables and chairs between each guest, sanitizing high touch points several times throughout the night, and requiring proper mask usage for all team members,” Grenier said. “We plan to continue our curbside pickup offering to accommodate guest preferences and any safety concerns. There’s a significant aluminum can shortage, but after looking near and far, we just received 40,000 cans that will enable us to continue our curbside service through Spring 2021.”
Currently there is no takeout food option, but cans to-go are available during curbside and taproom hours. Curbside beer hours this week are Friday 3-5 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Reservations are recommended.
“Follow us on social media for updates, including a special election day can release next week,” said Netzer.
Taproom dining hours are Friday, 3-9 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. For more information, visit www.greatawakeningbrewing.com.
