Home brewer/biochemist plans Chelsea microbrewery

Wednesday, September 29, 2010 | Source: Concentrate

Chris Martinson dreams of beer, but unlike most guys, consumption is secondary to brewing. That's part of the reason why he is holding an informational meeting for investors for the Chelsea Alehouse project in late October.

The Grass Lake resident is a biochemist by day and a home brewer with years of experience otherwise. He wants to turn brewing into his full-time job by opening a microbrewery in downtown Chelsea within the next year.

"I have spent more and more time in Chelsea," says Martinson, whose wife is director of the Chelsea Center for the Arts. "I was really surprised to that there wasn't a brewery there."

He says the new microbrewery will be similar to the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti. It will have a small, deli-style kitchen and a tap room focusing on a full lineup of ales ranging from IPAs to wheat ales. "There will be a line of bottle beers but the focus will be on the tasting room," Martinson says. "I want to make beers that appeal to a wide variety of beer drinkers."

Martinson has already lined up some seed funding but hopes to raise another $350,000 from the informational meeting. He has tried getting loans from traditional sources, such as banks, to no avail. He hopes to find a combination of primary investors and community investors to close the funding gap. Afterwards, Martinson expects it will take about eight months to get the right permits and finish build out of the space.

The informational meeting will take place at 10 a.m. on Oct. 23. Each person attending will receive a free bottle of Profit Share Pale Ale. For information on how to get on the guest list, send an email to info@chelseaalehouse.com.

Source: Chris Martinson, owner of the Chelsea Alehouse
Writer: Jon Zemke