By Moses Leos III
A series of redesigns, ranging from electrical, mechanical and architectural changes, have delayed the opening of a potential Buda brewery to the beginning of the year.
Despite changes to the Two Wheel Brewing Company, owner Marc Woffenden believes the alterations will help the business establish a “nice atmosphere” that attracts business to the area.
“We want to create that atmosphere that is there already in downtown (Buda) with other restaurants, but not with a brewery itself,” Woffenden said. “We hope that the community will be proud of locally brewed beers and support us.”
According to Woffenden, the majority of changes were made to the business’ original design.
Two Wheel Brewing Company, located at 535 South Loop 4, originally called for a 5,000 square foot facility. Within those plans, 3,800 square feet would be dedicated for a microbrewery, while the remaining 1,200 square feet was dedicated to a separate taproom.
Woffenden said a primary redesign would allow the taproom to be part of the brewery, instead of separated from it.
That redesign meant he and his architects had to remove some windows and adjust other elements to accommodate the new plan. According to Woffenden, the changes have altered the company’s original plan to open in October.
But for Woffenden, the goal was to create an “experience of being part of a brewery.”
While there are slight changes, he said the overall building costs “went down a little bit.”
That move, Woffenden said, helped them put more capital into additional equipment. He said it could allow for the company to add two more fermenters to increase capacity.
It would increase production from 2,000 barrels to 3,000 to 3,500 barrels per year.
Two Wheel could also receive support from the Buda Economic Development Corporation (EDC) in the form of incentives that could go up to $13,000.
Ann Miller, executive director of the Buda EDC, said the amount would go toward permitting, impact and tap fees.
“It would be wonderful,” Woffenden said of the possibility of obtaining incentives. “That would cover all permitting and impact fees.”
Miller said the EDC has started the process. The EDC is expecting to formulate a performance agreement at its next meeting.
Miller added that the business is projected to add 12 new jobs, and that new taxable properties would be at least $500,000 on the low end.
For Miller, the overall goal is to help bring more people to the downtown merchant corridor.
“Everyone is really excited about it,” Miller said. “There will be tourists associated with this and more traffic brought to the greater downtown Buda area.”
Woffenden hopes the business’ location near the downtown corridor could help make Buda a “destination location”. In addition, he also would like customers to be able to buy beer directly from his business, or he could distribute his product through local bars.
“With our location close to downtown, it’s our hope that we’ll be able to start a destination-type brewery, where people would come in and enjoy the beer,” Woffenden said. “We’re hoping to establish a nice atmosphere, where people could come in and tour the brewery, get the beer from where it was brewed and hang out at the location in the afternoon.”