Switchyard Brewing Hosts Grand Opening May 28, 2018
“Switchyard started as a Bloomington garage startup”, says Kurtis Cummings, Founder of Switchyard Brewing. “We believe that business can, and should be a catalyst for positive change within our community. We feel we are doing our part as a downtown business by helping to advance Bloomington’s entrepreneurial, tech, and creative communities by designing our taproom around this idea.” With an open floor plan, ample table space, whiteboards, a conference room, and gigabit internet service – Switchyard truly was built for business.
“We like to think of Switchyard as a blend of your favorite coffee shop and a production brewery”, says Co-Founder, Jeff Hall. “The taproom has this cozy, rustic-industrial feel to it. After we demolished the entire space, we found that the 1940’s building had great bones, so we just added natural elements such as reclaimed barnwood and rough cut Indiana limestone to make the cold-industrial feeling disappear.”
“When you walk into Switchyard during the day, you are stepping into something that is much bigger than a brewery, or a taproom.” Cummings continues, “Our guests will be stepping into a space that is designed to be part of the Bloomington community. We want the brewery to be a place where people go to not only drink, but to meet each other, to work, to collaborate and to innovate.”
“We are so excited to see another group of committed entrepreneurs making their dreams come true at the eve of the Switchyard grand opening. Entrepreneurs do best when learning from other entrepreneurs who have been there, tried, failed and kept on going. The Switchyard team’s added co-working space will be a wonderful way to serve present and future small business owners who meet over fine crafted, Hoosier-made products to plan for their future business pursuits.”, said Steve Bryant from the Ivy Tech Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship and South Central Small Business Development Center.
Switchyard Head Brewer and Indiana University graduate Jake Gee is excited to be back in Southern-Indiana. “As with all Indiana University graduates, Bloomington holds a special place in my heart, and I have always hoped to have an opportunity to return and call it home.” says Gee. Working as a brewer in North Carolina, Gee worked his way through the ranks, starting as an Assistant Brewer, continuing to be Head Brewer of a brewery in Hickory, NC, to brewing at Sierra Nevada’s East coast production facility. “Switchyard will open with four beers on tap and we’ll will ramp up production to feature twelve to fourteen of our own beers on tap, with guest taps including a gluten free beer and a cider.”
Joined by the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, Switchyard will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, May 29 at 4:00 PM with live music to follow.
Switchyard Brewing Company will be open seven days a week, featuring their own blend of locally roasted Hopscotch Coffee, will be an all-ages venue and will be pet friendly.
