Irondequoit's first craft brewery is now a reality.

The Irondequoit Beer Co. opens this week at 765 Titus Ave. as part of the I-Square development. The brewery is housed in a renovated and refurbished barn from the early 1900s on the former Vercruysse Farm property.

And much like the rest of the I-Square project, the brewery wants to be a part of the community fabric. It wants to be a gathering space.

"It's a dream come true," head brewer Nate Kester said. "It's very cliché, it's really kind of corny, but what can I say, it's the truth. This place is beautiful. So many people worked long hours, put so much love into this place. And it's a reality, here we are."

A bigger grand opening party is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 26.

In both the beers served and the food offered, the IBC hopes to offer something for everyone. Kester and assistant brewer Bobby Baker crafted 10 distinct offerings, including an India Pale Ale, a saison, a gold lager, a hazelnut porter, and a double IPA.

I was super impressed with the yeast-driven saison, the crispy Dortmunder-style golden lager, and American IPA. Each were expertly crafted and finished dry, leaving you craving another sip. I really appreciated the variety and how Kester and Baker want the menu to offer a beer that will appeal to any drinker.

The food mirrors the beers. It is reliant on pub classics with a focus on local vendors and shareable offerings.

The IBC space is gorgeous. It starts with the roughly 600-square-foot barn from the early 1900s that once housed Betsy the horse. (Betsy's stall even has a placard in her honor.) The stall will serve as the barrel-aging space. IBC has already developed a relationship with Fairport's Iron Smoke Distilling. The second half of the barn's first floor serves as the main dining area.

The second-floor of the barn was completely renovated and restored. It now features comfortable lounge-style seating and will offer a private event space. A beautiful chandelier from local artisan John Grieco stands as the focal point of the room. There is even a cool opening in the lounge that overlooks the brewery expansion.

More:From barn to brewery: Irondequoit’s first craft brewery to be 'great addition to I-Square'

More:First Irondequoit brewery coming to I-Square

A 2,000-square-foot expansion off the back of the barn. It maintains the character of the original structure and adds some industrial accents. It houses the brewhouse, kitchen, bathrooms, communal seating and tasting room bar.

The goal was to maintain the character and beauty of the original barn. The bricks were cleaned, the wood was stripped and refinished, and the original barn doors were expertly restored.

Property owner Mike Nolan said it'll have a comfortable capacity of 80 to 100 people.

IBC's 5-barrel brewhouse offers a fair amount of capacity and flexibility. There are four 5-barrel fermenters, two 10-barrel fermenters and two Brite tanks (for clarification and conditioning). Kester said IBC will have 10 beers on tap when it opens.

Kester, an English teacher at Early College International High School in the Rochester City School District, moved to Irondequoit about 10 years ago with his wife, Kelly. He lives within walking distance of the brewery. His daughter, Claire, often served as his homebrewing assistant.

He wants IBC to be a welcoming place for families. And he wants beer lovers to be able to experiment and expand their horizons.

Nolan, who owns the business with his wife, said the brewery is an ideal addition to I-Square.

"It truly does fill the vision of what we're doing here," Nolan said in a previous interview. "Places that bring the community together, that has always been I-Square's vision. This is just one more piece in that puzzle."

Mike and Wendy Nolan started the I-Square development in 2011. The first building, designed as a community hub, opened in 2013 and features a diverse food court, cozy bar, office space, an outdoor amphitheater, and rooftop garden.

The second building, the Imaginarium, opened in late 2017 as an art and science space focusing on sustainable energy.

The brewery is part of the third phase of development. This phase will also include senior housing.

WCLEVELAND@Gannett.com