What’s brewing on the Sanford beer scene

Sanford’s thriving craft beer community will get a turbo boost.

Sanford Brewing Co. (website | Facebook), which will be located at 400 S. Sanford Ave., has restarted construction after a two-month delay following the unexpected death of the general contractor. Currently parts of the floor are torn out, but concrete will be poured soon.

 Most  of the company’s brewing and fermenting equipment has arrived (you can see it in the far back of the room pictured above), as well. Sanford Brewing owners Robyn and Chris Esser, Bo Hallows and Allan Jackson estimate the brewery will open in 10 weeks.

A couple of blocks north of SBC, work is finally beginning at the site of Inner Compass Brewing Co. (website | Facebook). 

All of the old concrete has been removed in front of the building, new concrete walkways have been pored and the ground has been prepped for decorative pavers.

Unfortunately, the old shuffleboard courts discovered under the decades-old asphalt could not be saved. Inner Compass owner Dylan Bashore said the terrazzo court tops were only 1/8th-inch thick and began to crack when excavation work started adjacent to the 67-year-old courts.

Bashore said he hopes to acknowledge the courts existence when the brewery opens in late fall.

Meanwhile, over at Sanford’s first brewery, Wops Hops Brewing Co. (website | Facebook), customers will soon enjoy some extra elbow room.

The brewery is expanding into the north side of its current building after the space was vacated with the closing of Shantell’s Cafe. Wops Hops’ co-owner Greg Piecora the space should open in about two weeks.

The expansion will eventionally include a full-service restaurant. Piecora has received his restaurant license and is waiting for equipment to arrive. While it may be a few more weeks before the restaurant opens, customers will soon be able to sip tasty beers in the new space.

TEASER: Will Celery City Craft (website | Facebook) eventually double the number of draft beers it offers from 51 to 102? Possibly, but where would they put all that extra beer?

Keep up with The Bokey to find out.