Revelation to open Georgetown brewery Sept. 7
The question Revelation Craft Brewing Company has received often for nearly five years can finally be answered: The Georgetown brewery will open Thursday, Sept. 7.
“I actually wonder if people will struggle to think of something to talk to me about,” co-owner Patrick Staggs joked during a recent interview.
Fellow co-owner Kyle Shaffer added, “It brings a smile to my face knowing that we can finally talk to our amazing customers about beer and not the question of century, ‘What's up with Georgetown?’”
Staggs and all the staff and ownership team, including Kyle and Darren Shaffer, Brian Nelson and Harry Metcalfe, have had to answer the Georgetown question since Revelation purchased the former 16 Mile brewery in late 2018.
Since then, it’s been a long process of getting the brewery ready. Staggs said the reasons for the delays were multiple, including rebuilding the brewhouse almost literally from the ground up. Half of the old brewery was knocked down and rebuilt, with new floors installed, and renewed and refurbished brewing equipment added. A new canning line was installed, and the bar was completely rebuilt, with garage doors allowing access to the outside. A pavilion with a canopy was built outside to allow patrons to enjoy themselves while covered from the elements.
“The harder part was the accumulation of gaps and delays all along the way,” Staggs said. “Throw COVID right in the middle of all that, and kaboom.”
All that work has paid off with an operation that is greatly expanded from Revelation’s flagship location on Central Street in Rehoboth Beach, which will operate concurrently with the Georgetown brewery. The Georgetown location is four times larger, with the brewing system upgraded from 4.5 barrels to 15 barrels, along with a lab that will allow for experimentation.
Guests will also see the difference in scale. Besides a larger bar and outdoor space, customers can also expect food from the DaNizza wood-fired pizza truck. Staggs said the Georgetown brewery will eventually have a full-kitchen food truck called DaNizza Cucina.
Kyle Shaffer said, “We have so much more space to accommodate large events, such as companies’ parties, fundraisers, baby showers, bachelorette and bachelor parties, and the list of possible events is endless. We have many more upgrades that we plan to do in the future to make this space a fun destination for the whole family to enjoy, including their pets.”
Shaffer said the first few events have already been booked. Besides the grand opening Sept. 7, Revelation is planning to have Oktoberfest celebrations Friday, Sept. 29 at all three of its locations – Georgetown, Rehoboth and the Beer Garden at Hudson Fields. Shaffer said the event will feature a giveaway of Oktoberfest pint glasses to the first 50 customers who purchase Revelation’s Oktoberfest beer. The next event will be the Rev Your Engines for Our First Responders Car Show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 8.
The event will include cars, fire trucks, mounted police, bounce houses, food trucks and more. Admission will cost $10 per person, with children 10 and under getting in for free. Fifty percent of the proceeds will be donated to first responders. Cars can be registered at www.moddedfamilia.com.
For Staggs and Shaffer, the opening of the Georgetown brewery is almost a surreal experience.
Staggs said, “I can’t describe it yet because I still can’t believe it. Revelation has been brewing for over seven years in Rehoboth. [It’s] crazy that half of that time we have been working on getting Georgetown open. Ask me after I serve that first pint on opening day. I think the look on my face will tell you everything!”
Revelation Georgetown will hold its grand opening from 4 to 10 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 7. Following the grand opening, the brewery will be open noon to 9 p.m., Monday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday.
