Mackensy Lunsford

mlunsford@citizen-times.com

Wedge Brewing Co. opens its expansion brew house Tuesday, less than three weeks after 12 Bones opened its new location next door.

Properly known as Wedge at Foundation, this second, smaller brewery will, with 12 Bones, form a beer-and-barbecue complex at 5 Foundy St. Part of a new development known as the Foundation, it's less than a mile south on Lyman Street from where both businesses began as River Arts District pioneers nine and 12 years, respectively.

Then, the RAD was grittier. It's now undergoing a period of revitalization that will see greenways, new roadways and other infrastructure improvements sprout in former warehouse yards along the French Broad River.

The Foundation is one of the newer developments to come together in the past few years, but it's hardly spiffed up.

"There's 14 acres of graffiti back here," said Wedge owner Tim Schaller. The look and feel of the place — rough around the edges but with a sense of homespun renewal — feels similar to when the Wedge first brought life to an industrial railroad yard tucked behind a warren of art studios. "That was off the beaten path then, and this place is right now," he said.

Other businesses will soon join the Foundation property, including Chainheart Cycling Studio. There's already an outdoor skate park at the far end of the property. But many of the buildings remain vacant.

"For right now, this place is 'un-found', but it won't be for long," Schaller said. "It's hard to hide anything in Asheville."

This Wedge location is essentially an extension of the original. A 7-barrel system will offer more variety, with a few low-gravity brews forthcoming. That includes the Nitro Snug, a dry 3.8-percent ABV stout, and a similarly sessionable rye porter and nitro pub ale on the way. "We're just going to make beers we like making," said Schaller. "These guys are great at making lower-alcohol beer with great taste, and going into summer that's a great thing."

As is a courtyard the Wedge will have to itself once 12 Bones closes at the end of the day. All told, the outdoor space at this newest Wedge outpost should be larger than that of the original.

Inside, the brewery has taken over 7,500 square feet of a former tannery, 1,500 of which will be used as event space for happenings such as the eighth annual Art Affair: Urban Canvas, a March 11 gala to benefit OpenDoors of Asheville. The Wedge has also booked a number of wedding rehearsals with people looking for the "full Asheville experience," Schaller said.

Though the brewery is opening this week, grand opening celebrations won't be until March 17. That's Saint Patrick's Day, and the Wedge plans to celebrate by opening at 8 a.m., with High Five coffee and pastries. Regular hours will be more suitable for a brewery; noon to 10 p.m. daily.

Wedge is at 5 Foundy St., a location so new Google Street View still shows it as an abandoned building. The graffiti-bright building is hardly polished as it is, and it's easy to imagine some out-of-town visitors might wonder if they're in the right place, even with "Wedge" painted on the building's facade.

"That's okay," laughed Schaller. "We have people getting married at the Grove Park and doing their rehearsal dinner here. Some people like that."

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