Watching their 9- and 11-year-old boys glide across the concrete floor on bikes and scooters, Madison residents Eric and Tatum Crigger occasionally take a few minutes to slow down and savor the moment.

The couple, in partnership with John and Lynn Troy of Troy 7, Inc. in Huntsville, has been running at full-speed over the last year to transform a 10,000-square-foot industrial facility into Rocket Republic Brewing's first brick-and-mortar space near the Interstate 565 interchange at County Line Road in Madison.

For Tatum, a yoga and ballet teacher, and Eric, an IT professional, seeing their "baby" evolve from infancy to adulthood has been a surreal experience.

"Sometimes, we just sit here, the two of us, and look around, and we're like, 'Can you believe it?'" Tatum said Tuesday morning from the taproom.

'Evolving over time'

The 289 Production Ave. facility, near FedEx and Turf Doctor in Putman Industrial Park, is gearing up for its grand opening at 5 p.m. March 17 -- St. Patrick's Day. Eric, who developed an interest in beer making more than 10 years ago after receiving a Mr. Beer home brewing kit, said the event falling on St. Patrick's Day, when many revelers will celebrate with alcohol, was purely coincidental.

The business partners had hoped to be open by late 2014, but several construction and inspection delays, unexpected expenses and weather events pushed the launch back. The brewery finally received its certificate of occupancy in late February.

Rocket Republic entered the local craft beer market in September 2013 as a contract brewer with Blue Pants Brewery in Madison. Using Rocket Republic's equipment and recipes, Blue Pants brewed the beer, allowing Rocket Republic to then sell and distribute the products to bars, restaurants and stores throughout the area.

Not having a facility of its own has stopped Rocket Republic from expanding its reach and product line, entering other markets in Alabama and beyond, and exploring new packaging options. By the end of the year, Eric expects to make strides in all of those areas.

"I can see this place evolving over time as we figure out what our identity will actually become," he said. "We know what we want to be."

The facility, which represents a $500,000 investment, will be open Fridays and Saturdays initially, with more hours and dates to be added over time.

With stress comes great reward

The theme of the brewery and taproom is "steampunk," Tatum said.

"That is a very vintage meets sci-fi futuristic theme in itself," she said. "I think that's a very appropriate way to describe us. We've got a lot of that old world feel to us, but we still have our foot firmly planted in the future."

Tatum said Rocket Republic has always done things a little differently, from trying "crazy things" with the beer to raising nearly $10,000 through crowdfunding on Indiegogo. Although Rocket Republic wasn't dependent on donations to fund the buildout of the brewery, Tatum said it was a unique way for fans to buy in to the small business.

When Old Black Bear Brewing finishes its facility in downtown Madison, there will be three breweries operating within the city. In west Huntsville, construction is underway on Yellowhammer Brewing's new brewhouse at Stone Middle, which will also serve Straight to Ale and a home brew supply shop.

Although Rocket Republic is only two years old, the Criggers said the brewery itself was an idea 10 years in the making.

"It's been incredibly stressful, but with the stress has come great reward," Tatum said. "This is like having a baby to an extent. You grow it, you nurture it, you try and provide. You see it grow and expand and become something."