Something is brewing at Dublin’s own Lucky Vines Vineyard and Winery. A lot of somethings actually.
The local community is invited out to Lucky Vines this weekend for the grand opening of Lucky Brewing Company in a celebration with live music, food and some brand new refreshments. (Hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and noon to 9 p.m. Saturday.)
Ryan Hoffman, the Head Brewer at Lucky Brewing Co. is proud of all the inventions that will be on tap, but he is most proud of the cherry limeade hard seltzer using Dublin Bottling Works Cherry Limeade.
“I think the seltzer’s what I’m most proud of because it incorporates more than just us,” said Hoffman. “It involves the community and that’s what we’re about. We definitely want it to be community things. We want the neighborhood to come out and support us and we want to support them.”
The seltzer was on tap this past weekend for a soft opening at Lucky Brewing Company’s patio built around an old oak tree. Lucky’ six-tap brew trailer was serving many curious neighbors eager to try flavors like Irish Red Dragonfly (a traditional brew whose name is a nod to a red dragonfly that has been sighted at the Brewing Company’s koi pond), “Luck in” Bock, Helles Yeah, Emerald Isle IPA, Bunnyfoot Blonde and Lucky Light.
Hoffman also reported plans are to unveil a Key Lime Pie sour and a peach cobbler wheat ale.
Lucky’s brewer assures that all of the flavors are unique.
“We’re not trying to be anyone else,” Hoffman said. “We want something that Dublin and Stephenville and Erath County can be proud of.”
Hoffman has a lot brewing in his mind as well as the barrels and said that new flavors will be unveiled consistently for a while.
It’s been a whirlwind of activity for Lucky Brewing and Hoffman, who just returned to the area in May.
Hoffman started home brewing ten years ago and got a position at Granbury’s Revolver after a year-and-a half of that. He was bumped up to brewer after three months with Revolver and ran night shift operations for around five years.
After that, he moved to Fort Worth and took a position with Wild Acre, helping them open their Camp Bowie location and fix issues with their equipment.
It was two weeks after he moved back to Erath that a friend of his met Lucky Vines’ owners Jeff and Kimberly Hutchins at a mixer.
Hoffman’s friend asked Jeff if they were interested in brewing and he said yes. Hoffman and Jeff talked that night .
“As soon as he said let’s do it, we hit the ground running right then and there,” Hoffman said.
Lucky Brewing is only producing 14 gallons at a time currently according to Hoffman, but they’ll be putting out 30 times the volume once all their equipment is officially in place.
He also reported that they’re looking at about a nine-month window before distribution starts and some local flavor starts hitting tables outside the area. Until then, people can visit the new Lucky Brewing Co. at Lucky Vines for some unique Dublin flavor.
For more information, visit luckybrewingdublin. com or call 335-0099.