Stock House Brewing Co. wants to pull up a bar stool in Tosa

Mark Henry Mahoney grew up watching the television show "Cheers" with his dad and has a nostalgia for old-school Milwaukee pub environment.

He said every bar owner dreams of having a regular like the character "Norm," only one who actually pays the tab.

Mahoney and business partner Paul Hepp have teamed up to bring a new kind of brewery experience to Tosa. Stock House Brewing Co. has its sights set on moving a nano-brewery into 7208 W. North Ave. in the former home of Evenement Planning by Memorial Day weekend.

The business already has a chalkboard set up on the wall where people can buy their neighbors a beer.

"If Phil walks in and sees his name on the board, his first beer is free," he said.

Mahoney, a resident of Wauwatosa, was drawn to North Avenue and has seen the transformation of the North over the past 11 years. He said the stretch is continuing to grow and becoming a nightlife destination, which is hot and trendy.

For about 10 years, Mahoney has been brewing beer, but has been in the industry doing marketing and sales for seven years. Hepp is a teacher at Nicolet High School and owns a business called Fun Beer Tours Milwaukee.

"My story is not a heck of a lot different than anyone else. I think I could do it better than the other guy," Mahoney said.

In his opinion, some folks go into the business looking to be millionaires, but it isn't going to happen.

"The growth for the industry is on the micro-neighborhood level," Mahoney said.

Mahoney has seen a huge trend of small nano-breweries making an impact in the neighborhood; he feels he can do that in Wauwatosa. He said his operation will be quite small having only a one-barrel-of-beer system. Most breweries have anywhere from a five-to-30-barrel brewing system.

"My plan and goal are to make it a neighborhood feel; anytime someone comes in, there will be new beers on tap for them. I hope to supply some of my beer to the awesome bars and work with the local restaurants," Mahoney said.

Classic throwback

Mahoney's plans include paying homage to classic styles a patron might have seen at another well-established brewery.

"I might do an amber beer, but with one degree of separation of it by making it a bit more hoppy, malty, and putting my own twist on it," he said.

Mahoney will start off with six taps, which will be fairly approachable for thirsty patrons.

With a chuckle, he teased he might offer one or two mad-scientist type of beers.

A trend in the industry with big imperial stouts is a trend called pastry stouts, he said. Mahoney described it as throwing in all the dessert items you can think of. He recently brewed a batch that has coffee, chocolate, vanilla, rum and blackberry.

"It is fun crazy stuff that I like and enjoy," he said.

The building will have an indoor tap room, which seats about 15 patrons and a semi-private outdoor beer garden behind the building. Picnic tables will be set out and outdoor games will be offered in the summer.

The nano brewery won't be like typical bars that stay open till 2 a.m.

Mahoney said he and his business partner plan on being responsible neighbors and will close down around 10 or 11 p.m.

The proposed nano brewery will go to the Plan Commission in March. For updates visit their website or Facebook page.