Grapevine Craft Brewery is one step closer to a brew house after raising more than $56,000 in crowdfunding. With two days left in its Fundable — similar to Kickstarter — the brewery met its goal of $50,000. Supporters tacked on 13 percent more than the asking price and enabled the brewery to go full steam ahead with finalizing construction in Grapevine.
“It feels good to finally get past the goal,” says founder and CEO Gary Humble. “These fundraisers, they pack a big punch at the beginning. Then you get a long lull, and then it ticks up towards the end. It’s been great to see the support of the community and for craft beer and local businesses.”
Founder Gary Humble says that according to the Brewers Association, it’s the largest crowdfunding for a craft brewery in America.
Humble says that according to the Brewers Association, it’s the largest crowdfunding for a craft brewery in America. The previous record was $55,000.
Grapevine Craft Brewery is still several months from a planned November launch. Right now, the focus is on building the brewing house in Canada. Humble believes the building will go up in Grapevine in mid-July.
Humble says he decided to go for a full-on brewing house complete with a two-level tasting area instead of a large warehouse, because so much of Grapevine’s industrial area is controlled by DFW Airport, and he was determined to be in Grapevine.
So he bought a piece of property a block off Main Street and began the process of getting permits.
“What we’re building is something for the community,” Humble says. “We love Grapevine and the people here. We wanted to make beer and a place that will make our community proud.”
In that vein, Grapevine Craft Brewery will donate 5 percent of every quarter’s profits to local charities. For the campaign, the brewery partnered with GRACE, an organization that provides assistance to families in crisis.
The brewery also got three local companies to each pledge $500 to GRACE. So far, the coffers are up to $4,300. Humble says the money will be spread around to other area nonprofits each quarter.
As for the beer, Humble believes the kegs will be rolling by December. The flagship beer, Lakefire, is a rye pale ale that Humble says has earned “the ravest of reviews” from drinkers. He also has plans for a brown ale, Sir Williams, and an oatmeal stout, Nightwatch, for the winter season. A fourth beer, Monarch, is an American unfiltered wheat designed for the spring.
Grapevine Craft Brewery reached its crowdfunding goal and plans to be brewing by November 2013.
