A Birmingham brewmaster and a real estate agent are converting a century-old building that has been empty since the mid-1980s into Avondale's first brewery.

Craig Shaw, who has been brewing his own beers for 15 years, and Coby Lake of Keller Williams Realtors have had contractors gut a 4,000-square-foot building at 201 41st St. South that is being transformed into Avondale Brewing Co.

The brewery is on track to open by late December or early January, said Lake, whose friend courted him for two years before convincing him to partner in the new venture. Avondale Brewing will be the second brewery to open in Birmingham this year. Jason Malone, who opened Good People Brewing Co. in a Five Points South basement two years ago, earlier this year began renovating a 25,000-square-foot former warehouse at 114 14th St. South into its new production facility.

Shaw, a 33-year-old home improvements contractor, is a member of Free the Hops, a beer advocacy group that successfully lobbied to get higher alcohol craft beers to Alabama. He credits its success with making his longtime dreams of opening a brewery possible.

"We wouldn't even be at this point if not for Free the Hops," said Shaw, a member of Birmingham Brewmasters who recently completed an apprenticeship under brewmaster James Ray of Montgomery Brewing Co.

Neighborhood buzz

Lake, 30, said they have received an outpouring of support since beginning conversion of the historic 41st Street South building into a brewery. A Facebook page, Avondale Brewing Co., set up by his wife, Cindy, on Monday had 535 members as of Wednesday afternoon.

Lake's brother Hunter is also involved in the brewery. Both of them are partners in Turnkey Homes, which buys, rehabs and sells distressed properties.

Lake said they targeted the 41st Street South property, located a block from his Keller Williams office, because he sees Avondale as a community on the verge of revitalization.

"It's been amazing the reaction we've received," Lake said. "I had people look us up on Facebook and drive by the site. Some even offered to help with construction for free. It shows the passion for home-brewed beer and this neighborhood."

A nod to history

Lake and Shaw did research on the building and found it dates back to 1885 and has been a bank and a fire station. It most recently was Long Branch Saloon, a popular gathering place before closing in the late 1980s, Lake said.

Shaw and Lake wouldn't say how much they have invested, but acknowledged it is a substantial amount. After buying the building, they are putting it through a major restoration that includes a new floor, roof replacement, new plumbing and wiring.

Shaw said he is buying specially-designed equipment from Germany capable of making 17 barrels of beer at a time. A barrel is 31 gallons, or two kegs.

"Our goal for the first year is to produce 757 barrels," Shaw said. "This system will be capable of producing 10,000 barrels a year so we have plenty of room to grow."

One of the beers Shaw plans to brew is called Long Branch Lager, a German-style beer named in tribute to the building's past as a saloon.

Shaw also is going to make Avondale Pale Ale, a darker, more potent beer. Merillee Challis, who owns the nearby Bottle Tree Cafe at 3719 Third Ave. South, has also asked Shaw to brew a special beer he calls Bottle Tree IPA, which she will sell at her restaurant.

"If I am going to drink a beer, it's India Pale Ale," said Challis, who lives a block from the planned brewery. "I see Avondale Brewery as huge for Avondale. It can be an anchor as we slowly revitalize 41st Street."

Outdated laws

Shaw said he is in talks with other local pubs and distributors about brewing beer for them as well. Though the partners are confident Avondale Brewery will be a success, they said brewers are hampered by Alabama's outdated laws and red tape that stymie the industry statewide.

Free The Hops is pushing the Brewery Modernization Act, which Shaw says got strong support but failed to make it to a full vote of the Alabama legislature after lawmakers got bogged down in bingo legislation.

Jason Malone, owner of Good People Brewery, said laws more fair to brewers and brew pubs would help take the industry to the next level in Alabama. His brewery is expected to open in its new location in two weeks, and Malone said there is strong movement for local beers in Birmingham.

"I'm excited about where the market is headed in Alabama as people get more tuned into how much better craft beer is," Malone said. "We've come a long way and I think this trend is here to stay."

Shaw said it is unfair that beer brewers can't operate pubs at the same location, while wineries can make and sell their product in the same building.

"Alabama law will not allow us to even charge $5 for a tour followed by free beer tastings like they can at wineries," Shaw said. "Why are we treated differently?"

If state lawmakers pass the Beer Modernization Act next year, Lake said it will open opportunities for Avondale Brewery to hire more employees, generate more tax revenue for Birmingham and open a pub, which they hope to call Long Branch Pub.

This version CORRECTS origin of brewing equipment to Germany from Belgium.

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