The nearest brewery to Mobile, AL is 20 miles away—across the bay. Mobile has a population of 200,000 beer-thirsty citizens and is home to the Mardi Gras festival and three universities. This city is ready to take on the craft-beer trend. We want to be the brewery for Mobile and the State of Alabama. As a production facility in Alabama’s only port city, expansion could include international distribution with a packaged product that will proudly shout, “Made in Mobile!"
The nearest brewery to Mobile, AL is 20 miles away—across the bay. Mobile has a population of 200,000 beer-thirsty citizens and is home to the Mardi Gras festival and three universities. This city is ready to take on the craft-beer trend. We want to be the brewery for Mobile and the State of Alabama. As a production facility in Alabama’s only port city, expansion could include international distribution with a packaged product that will proudly shout, “Made in Mobile!"
We envision our craft beer as one that the people of Mobile, Alabama can sit down on their front porch with and share with their friends. Haint Blue Brewing Company will be the Mobile, Alabama watering hole—a place for the community to relax, hold events, and, of course, grab a damn good ale.
Our founder Keith was stationed in Seattle, Washington where he visited some of the best beer meccas in the country. He came home to Alabama a year ago and realized that Mobile, AL (population 200,000) didn't have a single brewery. Now, he's going to change that.
We're the only craft beer that features saffron from the mountains of Afghanistan. The saffron gives the brew a tea-like quality that is perfect for sipping on the porch. Our location (the Crystal Ice House) also lends us its built-in 80 ft well where we'll draw fresh water for our brews. And because Mobile is the rainiest city in the country, the fresh water is abundant.
Made with hops from America, New Zealand and England, malt from Germany, yeast from Belgium, and saffron from the mountains of Afghanistan, this beer is unique in flavor, color, and origin. Mildly sour with a heavy fruit finish. 7%ABV
An ale that resembles a light-American lager. We believe this beer serves as a great reward to the end of a hard day of honest work. Cut the grass. Hang the flag. Pour a Haint Blue Blonde. Watch the Tide Roll. 5.5% ABV.
This is a classic American IPA with a strong hop aroma and flavor. The citrus, floral scent is a welcomed balance to a style that’s known for being bitter. You’ll want to have the best view of the front porch flag while you pour this one up. 6.6% ABV
This beer is much like our original IPA, but with A + sized list of ingredients. It’s a deliberate beer that you’ll thank us for after one pint. We’ll be happy to find you a rocking chair before you get too weak in the knees. 9+% ABV.
A smooth dark beer that pairs well with the hot Southern climate. This finishes with a nice coffee-like flavor. Spoiler alert: That isn’t coffee you’re tasting, it’s quality-roasted malt. Finish this beer, and paint the porch. 5.5% ABV.
Our building is a well-known, historic space in Mobile known as the Crystal Ice House. We'll brew our very own beer here, host tours, as well as feature a taproom where customers can taste our latest concoctions and hang out with friends.
Haint Blue Brewing Company LLC is incorporated.
Keith forms the brewery entity from Washington State.
Keith's Family Moves to Mobile
Keith, Gracie and Sammy (his two year old son) pull into Mobile, arriving at their new home in Midtown.
The First Batch
Haint Blue's first prototype batch is brewed in Keith's garage.
Testing First Machinery
Matt and Keith fly to Denver, CO to brew on a 7bbl commercial system, the same sized system we'll use in our brewery.
We Secure a Location
Haint Blue secures our production facility, the historic Crystial Ice House which is 7,000 sqft.
Research in Belgium, Beer Capital of the World
Keith and Gracie arrive in Belgium, and travel to Westvleteren Brewery at the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus.
Studies at Stanford.
Keith travels to Stanford to attend the Stanford Graduate School of Business' Ignite Program. Haint Blue is selected as a team project for the course.
Start Construction & Purchase Remaining Equipment
Haint Blue Brewing Company Open for Business!
"Keith is a military hero and a passionate entrepreneur who has invested the time and energy to make himself a better businessman. I believe that with Haint Blue, Keith is combining his passion for business and for the city of Mobile into an authentically local, community-oriented craft brewery that the city will hopefully embrace and enjoy for a long time."
- Rob Selati, Managing Director of Madison Dearborn Partners
Located near the Port of Mobile, downtown and just off Interstate-10, we will truly be Mobile's front porch. This is why we turned to crowdfunding—we wanted to give Mobilians the opportunity to join in this addition to the great city that is Mobile.
We have received tremendous support and an outpour of positivity from the community and citizens who are excited about what we are building.
It’s true that we love beer, but we’re more in love with what beer can do. It’s the official drink of human emotion. We consume it when we want to celebrate a friend’s engagement, honor a fallen comrade, or reward ourselves for an honest day’s hard work. Sometimes, we simply yearn for 5 o’ clock somewhere.
In terms of being a beer company, it’s important that we love our lot, community, and country. After spending over a decade in US Army Special Operations, I am no longer ignorant to the impact each one of us can have on the world. I intend for Haint Blue to accept the challenge of being a contributing brewery of society. We have taken on this challenge. Your investment will do more than build a brewery, it will breathe life into a century old Southern ice house that has been vacant for decades. Our beer will always be ice cold!
When you drink our beer, you will have an opportunity to fight terrorism from the sidelines. You see, we brew two beers with Saffron grown in the mountains of Afghanistan. We obtain this spice from a veteran owned company that is striving to turn opium growers into saffron farmers; an initiative that could ultimately stymie the financing of terrorist organizations.
Wefunder’s mission of “putting humanity back into capitalism” is perfectly aligned with our company’s values. Why shouldn’t anyone be able to invest in the things they care about? Funding in this way, Regulation Crowdfunding, is currently described as non-traditional and sometimes considered a waste of time by the status quo…we think they’re wrong.
Let’s build Mobile’s brewery and taproom together. After all, we each have an opportunity to become a MOBILIANAIRE - Mobile was born to celebrate! Join me on the porch for a pint, and in honor of the founder of the Crystal Ice Company-who built our facility in 1927, have an ice day!
Cheers,
Keith Sherrill, Founder
It's made with love in Mobile, Alabama! So yes, we offer domestic beers. We are Mobile's only microbrewery in a city of nearly 200,000 people. Our beers are brewed with water from an on-site well...they can't be easily replicated. Spoiler alert: we found a way to fight terrorism with beer; the secret is in the sauce.
Craft beer is all about people. It breaks down barriers, casts inhibitions to the wind, fosters new relationships, and lubricates the gears of many friendships. It gives people a break from the real world, a chance to relax, and instills a certain 'de bon aire'. It can transform a chuckle into a laugh, and a laugh into a guffaw. With all of the wonderment that craft beer provides enthusiasts and patrons, Haint Blue Brewing Company has the opportunity of being the catalyst to many of the things people enjoy most in life. Perhaps a pint of Haint Blue may even receive the distinction of being the toast to honor someone, or provide the
spark to a celebration. Who wouldn't want to be apart of that?
According to the Brewers Association, the craft beer is a $22.3 billion market. Sales of craft beer for 2015 were up 12.8% and exported craft beer sales were up 16.3% for 2015. While those are national numbers and we are focusing on our immediate market initially, there is tremendous future growth opportunity. In addition to the national statistics, Alabama is 39th in production and 47th in the Union in terms of breweries per capita. We aim to change that.
Currently, there is not a microbrewery in the City of Mobile. The closest brewery is located across the bay. By definition, Haint Blue Brewing Company with be the first microbrewery and taproom in the City of Mobile since prohibition.
The company's production facilities are located in the historic Crystal Ice House, built and ran by 4 generations of Mobile’s own- Quinlivan Family. The Quinlivans still serve the local community and stand willing to build a strong relationship with our company. The building is brimming with character and is located in the Historic Church Street East neighborhood. In addition to being in the center of a lively, quaint neighborhood, we have a connection with the city's eccentric, buried kin. Our historic Ice House / modern brewery is bordered by an 19th Century graveyard; Mobile's ultimate party guy, Joe Cain, is buried in the back yard. If the former wasn't enough to cause your hair to stand up, we are located along the route for Mobile's best celebrations: Mardi Gras and the Azalea Trail Run. But wait, there's more! We are a rock’s throw from the Historic Oakleigh neighborhood and Callaghan’s Irish Social Club.
Local certainly supports local. Small breweries create a culture. We're giving a reason for people to visit Mobile. As a region, existing breweries and new entrants don't necessarily stymie are effort. We don't simply view them as competitors, but as allies in a heavily regulated industry - we even see opportunities to collaborate!
Haint Blue Brewing Company will generate revenue through two primary sources of income. The first is through traditional distribution channels. Our second source of revenue will be through beer sales in our on-site taproom. We will of course generate revenue through other income producing efforts such as brewery tours, hosting of private events, apparel, novelty item sales, and special event ticket sales.
I've always loved beer! Honestly, the only reason I do any physical activity is so I can drink more beer. I love the people who share my passion. I spent 14 years in the US Army; a decade of which was in Special Operations as a 3/75 Ranger, Medevac UH-60A Pilot, and 16oth SOAR MH-47G Pilot. While my previous employment was a good time, I was ready to take a knee and drink beer. So, the journey began. The last twelve months has included brewing (as a student) at a Colorado brewery/tasting the finest beers in places like Asheville, Portland, Seattle, Brussels, and London. All of the knowledge gained on the former trips has been put into to practice with my head brewer and friend, Matt Wheeler. Additionally, I've managed to compliment my Special Operations experience and iron-clad stomach for risk with a real business education. I've attended Stanford GSB's Ignite Program, due to depart soon for an entrepreneurial course at Cornell, and I am a part-time student pursuing an MBA at The College of William & Mary.
Well, I'm a native of Mobile's state. I came home to be near family after serving in the military, traveling the country, and exploring the globe. I came to Mobile for a mid-tour R&R from Afghanistan in 2011... side bar-a Mobilian bought me a beer, the first I had in months, on the connection flight from Atlanta to Mobile. Once here, I remember going for a run the next morning down the streets and sidewalks of which were lined with live oak trees that were/are older than Alabama. I've been in love ever since. Seriously, I may be a bona fide Mobile tree hugger. In terms of a business decision, Mobile has zero breweries and a culture that can sustain one!
At the time of this writing, our production facility, the historic Crystal Ice House, is nothing more than a dot along the trail of the South's abandoned ice plants. We want to breathe life into this building and invite our patrons in. It's important that we are careful in up-fitting this property, careful not to erase the character of the building. With that being said, it won't be cheap. With your investment, we will make a functioning brewery of modern society that lends a nod to its history.
Our location is perfect. We locked down a century old ice house, which is something also very Southern, there's early 20th century ice plants all over the south. It's also bordered on two sides by the Church Street East Graveyard so we have our own resident spirits there, a lot of eccentric characters from the region. Joe Cain, the father of Mardi Gras, and kind of a Mobile Renaissance man, Eugene Walters, are buried there.
We've got a lot of bike traffic that comes by due to the tunnel being open on Saturday mornings. It's also on the Mardi Gras parade route, which is essentially a beer drinking holiday. The Azalea Trail Run route runs right by the brewery.
We are right in the heart of two historic districts so there's also quite a bit of foot traffic. We are on the edge of downtown so it's a dense area in terms of population. We're not far from the interstate as well but we don't have a view of the interstate, which is great!
The property itself is 7,000 square feet so initially we wanted to carve out 2,500 square feet for a tap room. We have a lot of room for organic growth. There are outdoor entertaining opportunities and areas to add additional revenue streams. e.g. whether it be music or weddings
We're very deliberate, nothing's on accident. We care about every single detail from the beer to the space, to the message to the logo. We're very much Mobile's brewery and I hope to bring something new with a nod to history, because that's what makes this place unique. I don't want to paint over everything in our building, I want to highlight its history.
My projection is that we'll produce 1,200 barrels in the first year @ 60% capacity - 50/50 taproom:distribution.
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