WORCESTER - Since graduating college, Dave Howland has been bouncing around from various jobs, including in the tech field and making snow at a resort, but a constant hobby for the past six years has been home brewing.

Now Howland, 32, is set to open the 3Cross Brewing Company, 26 Cambridge St., Worcester, turning his hobby into what he hopes will be a successful taproom.

"We're starting off real small, at least to start off," said Howland, the owner and only employee. "We'll have�a constantly rotating draft list."

The brewery, located in a former video game arcade, may have the smallest brewing system in the state. Howland has converted his home brewing equipment into a small commercial brewery where he can brew 15 gallons of beer a time.

"In terms of the number of beers, I'm going to start with four and I hope to scale it up pretty quick," said Howland. "I definitely want to have a variety. I don't want to become a brewery known for one beer. I really want to avoid that to start."

An avid bicyclist, the brewery's name, 3Cross, comes from the patterns for the spokes on a bicycle, Howland said. The handmade bar top has several bicycle gears embedded in it.

Howland said the brewery will not have any distribution, particularly at the beginning. The beers will be available in sample size, full pints, or special 750 ml growlers to go.

The taproom has seating for 34, and it will also have drink rails on the walls so people can stand and enjoy beer. There will be no food offered, but people will be able to bring food and Howland said he hopes to work with a local food truck to set up in the parking lot in the future.

As for beers, Howland said he hopes to have four new beers available every week. At least one draft line will be reserved for one beer with brettanomyces, a wild yeast that gives beer a funky flavor.

"I definitely want to have a variety," said Howland. "Personally, I really like the pale ales, the IPAs, the saisons, but I don't want to just brew beers I like, I want to have something for anyone who comes in here."

The brewery will start with a large open space between the equipment and the tap room area. Howland said he purposely moved into a location with extra space so he could add equipment and continue to grow without having to search out a new location.

Currently, he is the brewery's one and only employee. He brews all of the beer, and with some help with friends, he also made all of the furniture and the bar.

Howland said he could open at anytime. He is waiting on his occupancy permit from the state. Howland said he is not sure exactly what hours and days he will be open, but he knows he will be open on Saturdays.

When the brewery does open, he said the first four beers will be two experimental beers brewed with brettanomyces, because he wanted to test out two different strains to pick which one he wanted to use. The other beers will be a porter and a pale ale.

As the opening of the brewery draws nears, Howland said he is filled with both fear and excitement.

"Last week, I was sitting at the bar eating my lunch and drinking a beer and it all settled in on me, 'Oh (expletive) this is happening,' " he said.

Check out the 3Cross Brewing Company Facebook page for updates on hours and opening date.

Email Norman Miller at nmiller@wickedlocal.com or call 508-626-3823. Check out the Beer Nut blog at blogs.wickedlocal.com/beernut. Follow him on Twitter at @realbeernut. Also check out "Norman Miller, The Beer Nut" on Facebook.