Bottle Rocket Brewery Blasts Off in Seward

 Written by Stephanie Croston at the Seward County Independent

http://www.sewardindependent.com/news/local_news/article_a0a9b4d8-71e8-11e5-b249-2355d16dfd09.html

 Seward’s newest business will be opening for customers Friday, Oct. 23.

 Bottle Rocket Brewery, located at 230 Fifth Street, will officially open its doors with  three beers available to try.

Belgian wit, stout and brown ale will be on tap, all brewed in house, according to brewery owners Gerald Homp and Jason Berry. Pop and water will also be served.

The two men first met in college but didn’t really become friends until their children started competing in sports at St. John Lutheran School in Seward.

After Homp’s job in Lincoln was eliminated, he went to Jonathan Jank of the Seward County Economic Development Corporation to brainstorm ideas, and a brewery came up, Homp said.

At an honor roll breakfast, Homp and Berry started talking about the idea. Berry was looking to get out of his advertising job, and it seemed to be good timing.

“I thought, if I don’t do it, I’m stupid,” Berry said.

In January 2014, the two decided to go ahead with establishing a brewery in Seward.

Their next step was finding a brewmaster. Enter Ryan Koch, also of Seward, who they met in May.

“We met with him and knew he was the guy,” Berry said.

Homp said they were looking for experience and personality, and Koch had what they wanted. Plus, he is also a member of St. John.

“We’re three German Lutheran boys making beer,” Berry said.

They spent seven months looking for a location, hoping to find something downtown. Homp and Berry were considering building a new building, but that would have pushed back their opening date by a year. Berry said licenses aren’t issued until a building is finished.

Then Diane Welsh decided to retire and sell The Flower Mill.

Not only was it a great location, it’s one of the youngest buildings in the downtown, built in 1947, Berry said. They didn’t have to do much to the building either, he said.

The Nebraska Liquor Control Commission granted permits to the business so it can open.

“They don’t approve a brewery until they’re sure the business will succeed,” Berry said. “We feel very confident with where we are.”

The basement is currently the brewing area. Once Berry and Homp have finished the addition, which will provide a space for larger events and meetings as well as a larger brewery, the basement will become the test lab.

Homp and Berry plan to incorporate as much history of Seward into the building as they can. Duff Campbell, whose family built the building as a grain mill, has already shared pictures and stories, as have other visitors who have stopped in, Homp said.