From the outside, it doesn’t look like much. The red cinder block building off Clinton Street in Brockport offers no indication of the activity inside, other than some construction scraps left outside. Walk through the main garage door, and you’ll see why head brewer Jeffrey “Oz” Osborne is grinning ear to ear. Tanks are being positioned on a pristine floor coated in gray polyurethane. The bright white walls reflect off the polished stainless steel fixtures, almost like a glittering city rising up from the horizon… Almost like the Land of Oz?

I was fortunate to get an invite to tour the new Stoneyard brewery the other day and get a full walk-through led by Oz himself. My friends and I used to joke about taking the “brewery tour” at the original Stoneyard location at No. 1 Main Street where the original two barrel system was housed in an unused elevator shaft in the basement. I thought back to those humble beginnings as Oz led us through the maze of tanks that make up the 30-barrel system currently under construction. Stoneyard beers are so popular, local fans get frustrated when they run out because of production constraints. In just a few weeks, that won’t be a problem…

The plan to build out a production brewery has been a few years in the making. I asked Oz if he was excited. “Yes, definitely excited,” he assured me, “and also a little bit terrified.” Stoneyard Brewing first came on the scene in 2014 and just two years later expanded to include the Stoneyard American Craft beer Hall in Penfield/Webster and the Stoneyard Breakfast Company in Brockport. Another building was acquired for future development into a hotel and inn, and yet another for the establishment of a production brewery. That kind of growth in such a short time would be staggering for anyone to cope with, but clearly Oz is ready if his recent beer releases are any indication.

Stoneyard owner Jay Nichols is as anxious as anyone else to get the new brewery up and running. He pointed to a corner of the room explaining where a small tasting room and merch center will be set up to open during weekends to start with. “We definitely want people to come here and taste beer and tour the brewery,” he said, “but we want them to take a walk along the canal up to the pub where they can hang out and enjoy a good meal, too.” The entire month of April will be dedicated to getting everything connected and tested, with the goal of brewing their first batches by May. It’s an ambitious goal, one that everyone is working hard to meet.

The craft beer scene has seen dramatic increases not only around Rochester but across the state in the last four years. You can’t help but be impressed with the steady growth and measured success that has helped Stoneyard Brewing Company keep pace. We can’t wait for the Great and Powerful Oz to open the floodgates and release great beers to flow out across the land.

Visit Stoneyard Brewing Company at 48 Merchant Street in Brockport, and find them on Facebook.