INTERACTIVE PHOTOS: Second Petersburg brewery the toast of the town

PETERSBURG — After years of planning, the day had finally come. Dozens of people sat around tables or at the bar, sipping beer, and more than a few raising a glass to the newly opened Ammo Brewing in Old Towne Petersburg.

After a brief delay from a planned opening earlier this month, Ammo Brewing finally held its grand opening to the public Saturday with round after round of Ammo Brewing’s beer served to the public.

For owner and operator Terry Ammons, this day has been a long time coming, and he says Ammo Brewing is only getting started.

INTERACTIVE PHOTOS: Click and drag your mouse to change the angle of view. Click the arrow to navigate to a different photo. Ammo Brewing Co. marks its grand opening on Market Street in Petersburg on Saturday, July 16, 2016. (Photograph by Scott P. Yates/The Progress-Index)

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“The next step will be opening what we call the shooting gallery, which will be changing exhibit space, and getting our back tasting rooms and biergarten ready,” said Ammons. “We’re hoping to expand soon, which is good for the brewery and we’re hoping good for Petersburg too.”

The Petersburg Chamber of Commerce certainly has faith that it is. Ammo Brewing received a portion of the $60,000 Virginia Community Business Launch grant money given to Petersburg, which Ammons says has gone a long way towards getting picnic tables and chairs, new lighting for the tasting room, upgrading electrical and furnishings, and taking care of some landscaping. Ammons says that they hope to have the biergarten open later this summer.

Ammo Brewing is one of Petersburg’s first two breweries to open in the city in 80 years. Trapezium Brewing Company opened on 3rd Street last month.

Ammons and his crew spend most of the afternoon busy on tap, serving up glasses of Ammo Brewings’ beer to a growing crowd of customers.

“We’re tired and excited, and ready to keep rolling,” said Ammons. “Everyone is happy, everyone likes the beer, and that’s how we want to keep them. The place is comfortably full, and if it stays that way, we’ll be comfortably happy.”

If Saturday’s crowd is any indication, Ammo Brewing is well on its way there, maintaining a buzzing crowd throughout the afternoon. Many, like area resident Doug Davis, had nothing but praise for both the beer and the brewery.

“I just came from Trapezium, I’m drinking Ammo’s IPA now, which is very malty, which I like,” said Davis. “I’ve been to a lot of the craft breweries in Richmond, and the two in Petersburg are already very different, much more spacious, they serve up some distinctive beer, and I hope they can help create a bigger local beer scene.”

That’s a sentiment that is certainly shared by Ammons, who has high hopes for craft breweries here in Petersburg. He has nothing but praise for Trapezium, which this weekend is the only brewery from Petersburg and the Tri-Cities brewery to participate in this weekend's National Beer Expo in Richmond. Ammons expresses high hopes that someday Petersburg may cultivate a sizable craft brewing industry of its own.

“We’re trying to be a bit different from other breweries here at Ammo, we’re integrated downtown, and being able to walk to restaurants is a big selling point,” said Ammons. “Within 30 miles of here, there are half a million people, so there’s a pretty big market that’s very underserved, so we’re not worried about struggling for business.”

•Sean CW Korsgaard may be reached at skorsgaard@progress-index.com or at 804-722-5172.