The Boston market saw its fair share of craft brew startups in 2011 and the trend continues into 2012 as Night Shift Brewing has been cleared for brewing by state officials.
The Everett, Mass. brewery announced via its Facebook page on Monday that the Massachusetts Alcohol Beverage Control Commission (ABCC) had officially accepted their application for a farmer-brewery license.
The project is the brainchild of three friends — and roommates — Robert Burns, Michael O’Mara and Michael Oxton. The trio plans to brew its first batch this month and will initially launch the product in 750 ml Champagne-style bottles.
“We plan to be more bottle focused in the beginning,” said Oxton. “We are trying to push our beer as a beverage that is worth being appreciated slowly, much like a wine.”
Oxton said the brewery drew inspiration from the The Bruery, a Southern California brewer that specializes in Belgian ales with an experimental twist.
“When we first started drinking craft beer, those were beers that influenced what we thought beer could be,” he said. “It really changed our concept of what could go into a beer.”
Oxton said capital of less than $250,000 from family, friends and personal investments helped get Night Shift Brewing off the ground. The company will operate on a 3 1/2 barrel system that is capable of producing up to 1000 barrels annually, although Oxton said the brewery plans to make less than 300 in its first year.
Night Shift Brewing will initially go to market with three beers, the first of which is a Belgian-style stout brewed with chicory and Taza chocolate. Oxton said they will begin offering a variety of seasonal and special releases after their initial run.
The company hopes to graduate to a larger brew system within the next three years.
“Once we establish ourselves as a presence among the New England community, we can begin branching out,” he said. “We would love to finance for a much bigger system down the road.”