KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) - Nick Davidson likes to recycle old buildings.
And it just so happens that his most recent reclamation project will soon lead to the opening of Tin Man Brewing Company in downtown Kokomo’s historic train depot.
Davidson, Tin Man’s owner, president and brewing technical director, sat inside the train depot earlier this month, surrounded by décor that calls on both local history and the company’s familiar steampunk aesthetic, and discussed constructing a company around existing landmarks.
Similar to Tin Man’s Evansville location, which Davidson said is based in a roughly 120-year-old building, the company’s location choice in Kokomo was centered on one major philosophy - reutilization.
“My wife and I, we do our part for the environment,” said Davidson. “We try to recycle everything possible. And when I opened up my own business and brewery, I wanted to do the same there. If you’re doing it in your personal life and not your business, then you’re not really doing it.”
Inside the depot itself, which the company is hoping will entice local customers, Davidson said that old flooring ripped up to allow for brewing equipment was repurposed to create tables, wall portions and more.
“We try to recycle everything we can. So instead of building a new warehouse or a new location, my view is to take something old that’s not being used anymore and reuse it,” noted Davidson. “We’re not just trying to use less water and natural gas and stuff like that; we’re also reusing old buildings.”
After falling slightly behind schedule, Davidson said Tin Man’s Kokomo taproom is expected to open by the end of the year. The company’s brewing operations will follow in March or April, he said, once the company obtains the necessary permits.
Until that time, Tin Man will ship beer from Evansville.
The company will also begin brewing its Kokomo-centric beer - a honey blonde ale that will utilize locally-sourced honey - in Evansville for a limited-supply offering during the Kokomo opening.
As Davidson explained, the Kokomo taproom - a concept he said is more familiar in “big beer meccas” like Oregon - will serve only Tin Man beers as an alcoholic option, although they may at times offer guest taps of other Indiana breweries.
That means no liquor or light beers, as the establishment is not a bar, said Davidson. The all-ages establishment will, however, have draft soda and cold-brew coffee.
The Tin Man-only alcohol menu is something Davidson called a “hurdle.” But that doesn’t mean customers won’t be able to find what they already like best about American beer.
“It doesn’t get any more domestic than: it’s made right there,” he said, referring to the northern end of the depot, where brewing equipment was being installed. “That is our domestic beer, the stuff we make.”
Notably, the taproom will not serve food, but it will allow customers to bring in food, and menus will be supplied from area establishments like Oscar’s Pizza, 3 Amigos and more.
The Kokomo option should serve, said Davidson, as an opportunity for the Kokomo market to become more familiar with craft beer and what Tin Man is trying to bring to the Midwest.
“We really like the aspect of craft beer where we are teaching people about it and educating them about different styles,” he said. “We really like that part of craft beer; I think that’s a fun part.
“I think it’s going to be similar in this market as it was in Evansville, where we are kind of educating people about craft beer who are new to it.”
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Source: Kokomo Tribune, https://bit.ly/2ibGoGH
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Information from: Kokomo Tribune, https://www.ktonline.com
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