Tony Kiss

For months now, there's been a buzz about the 13 Stripes brewery that's coming to Greenville. And the founders are ready to reveal some details.

It plans to open by fall, possibly on the west side of town, though the location is not nailed down. The brewery will bring more bang to to the fast-growing Upstate beer scene that already has six players, with more on the way.

The brewmaster is Michael Robinson, currently serving in the Navy in Augusta. He's teaming with co-founder and local businessman Kenworth Reeves Jr., head brewer Jeremy Bailey and assistant brewer and operations manager Aaron Robinson.

They'll start with a pale ale, an English style porter and an American wheat, made on a 15-barrel system. The brewery also will have food and an outdoor area offering live music. 13 Stripes also will sell beer in 16-ounce cans with distribution around the area.

Reeves believes that the Upstate is primed for more breweries. He's so right. This will be a remarkable beer year. Upstate Craft Beer Co. is opening at the historic Claussen Bakery building at 400 Augusta St. in Greenville. Blue Ridge Brewing plans an expansion in Greer.

Carolina Bauernhaus Ales will debut in Anderson this spring. And Ciclops Cyderi and brewery is on tap for Spartanburg, hopefully this summer. These projects will energize craft beer around here.

Asheville brew news

Pisgah Brewing, 150 Eastside Drive in Black Mountain, celebrates its eighth annual Stouthog Day on Feb. 1, a showcase of stouts. Pisgah will serve 17 stouts or robust dark brews, seven of them their own, including the first of its 10th anniversary beers, Cosmos (draft and bottles) and draft Chocolatized, which took gold at the Great American Beer Festival in 2014. This is an event is well worth the drive.

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