Southern Brewing and Winemaking Opens

What's a couple of last-minute hold ups when you've had to overcome a litany of government red tape and neighborhood naysayers?

The retail store portion of Southern Brewing and Winemaking's new location at 4500 N. Nebraska Ave. opened Jan. 6. Originally set to open in mid-December, the store's launch was held up until sidewalk and landscaping could be installed, said business co-owner Kelly Fenstermacher.

For the first week, the store has been "super busy," said Fenstermacher. "We've actually held our second weekend of three different brewing classes. We've had a lot of people stop in say just absolutely wonderful things to us about how they're glad we're here."

It was voices such as those that ultimately drowned out those opposed to Kelly and husband Brian Fenstermacher's concept of a combination wine and beer making supply store, microbrewery, pub and beer garden. Over several months and Tampa City Council hearings in 2011, some in the neighborhood voiced concerns about the business becoming a nuisance-prone nightclub or liquor package store.

Working with local neighborhood associations and city council, the Fenstermachers agreed to restrictions to alay those fears, including not selling liquor to go, or after 11 p.m., and forbidding outdoor amplified music.

City council gave final approval for liquor sales on Dec. 8.

There's still much construction going on inside and outside of the 7,000-square-foot former boat showroom. An indoor pub, tentatively dubbed Fenstermacher's Brew House, won't start taking shape until June, said Kelly. A temporary bar will open in its stead sometime next week. The beer garden should also open by then, according to Kelly.

She also said the microbrewery should be up and running by the end of the year.

In the meantime, Southern Brewing and Winemaking is offering introductory beer brewing classes on Saturdays at 10 a.m., and advanced beer brewing classes Sundays at 10 a.m. Cost is $25, and reservations are required by calling 813-374-2174.

Kelly added that an open house "for Seminole Heights residents" will be announced for sometime in February. The wares of local microbreweries and restaurants will be provided free, along with free wine. A grand opening for the store will be announced soon, said Kelly.

The Fenstermachers started Southern Brewing and Winemaking in June 2008, which evolved from Brian's Southern Brewing Supply, a wholesale distributor of brewing ingredients in operation for the previous nine years. Before that, Brian worked as a brewmaster at Atlanta Brewing Co. and Ybor City Brewing Co. Kelly was a 15-year veteran of Wachovia, now Wells Fargo bank, before joining her husband at Southern Brewing and Winemaking. The business was first located in a business warehouse park on East Busch Boulevard.