Blue Earl Brewing to open Saturday

It was only a year ago when Ron Price's primary brewing spot was his basement and garage. He had barrels set up across the floor and a couple mini-kegerators that acted as his taps.

"I was a little obsessed with brewing beer," Price said. "I think I still am."

What a difference a year makes.

Now, Price, owner of Smyrna's Blue Earl Brewing, has a 11,535-square-foot facility to call his own. The facility has 12 taps, 20 barrels, only 6 available Saturday, and vast space. His dream of opening his own brewery is finally complete. The brewery has its soft opening Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

On Saturday, the brewery will open its doors to the public for the first time. There will be food on offer by Delaware's own Wandering Chef food truck and live music from acoustic performer Greg Ellingsworth.

Price said he's planning on having six different beers of his on tap. In total, he plans to offer 12 different beers on tap at any given time.

Ask him how long it has taken to get to this point and Price, a musician, responds with an endless amount of musical references.

"It's like the old line from Jerry Garcia," he said. "What a long, strange, trip it has been."

Just a year ago, Price, who was working a corporate gig upstate, was still skeptical whether or not his plans for a microbrew, then named Warlock Brewing, would ever get off the ground. The town of Smyrna, which now embraces the brewery, was skeptical at first and blocked his plan at a crucial planning juncture.

With that resolved, the way look set for Delaware's seventh microbrewery. But then came the name dispute, and then the inevitable name change from Warlock, to Blue Earl.

"It's come full circle," Price said.

The name now is a reflection of himself, Price has said, but Blue Earl Brewing, is a throwback to a nickname of his, and the logo, a hop guitar, references one of his many loves: music.

Music is something that's a mainstay across the brewery. There is a whole wall that will have different instruments hanging from it, and a nook carved out specifically for frequent live music guests, Price said.

Even the beer has a musical theme. The six beers on tap Saturday have their roots in jazz and rock n'roll standards.

There's Little Wing, a Belgian-style Witbier, named for the Jimi Hendrix tune, and Shake Your Money Maker, an American IPA, named for the Elmore James song.

"I think that music really supports and balances," he said. "Beer makes you feel good, and so does music, and when you put the two together you double your pleasure."

He said the brewery's slogan is, 'Brew for your soul.'

"I guess you could call me Dr. Feelgood," he said, joking.

The brewery will see a staggered opening until it is eventually open Wednesday through Sundays.

Contact Jon Offredo at (302) 678-4271, on Twitter @JonOffredo or joffredo@delawareonline.com





Beers on tap Saturday

•Give Me Back My Wig - American ale

•Summertime - American cream ale

•Mojo Hand - Breakfast stout

•Voodoo Chile - American Belgian

•Little Wing - Belgian Whitbier

•Shake Your Moneymaker - American IPA