The owner of Chapman’s Brewing Company wanted his new brewery and restaurant within the bustling Electric Works district to be as creative and inventive as the campus itself.
Fortunately, he found an architectural firm in Elevatus up to the task.
The new Chapman’s Brewing Company brewery and taproom was molded from the rugged bones of Building 27, the third largest of the campus buildings where General Electric manufactured electronics for more than a century. It is now an open, inviting place for up to 260 guests to enjoy a cold beer and a good meal.
Chapman’s leadership chose to keep its 12,280 square feet as raw and vintage as possible. The soaring space is framed by the building’s original steel beams, and a row of windows allow natural light to pour in from above. The ceiling was left in its natural, aged state to further showcase the space’s history.
The new dining room and taproom is airy and industrial – as a proper brewery should be. A showcase bar rail is highlighted by a host of beer taps, and Chapman’s plans to install barrels used to age its beers in the dining room to create booths, to further connect guests to the brewing process. Every light fixture in the space was rethought and redone with the support of the Elevatus design team, to fully enhance the guest experience.
The brew space is the star of the show, of course, and Chapman’s wrapped it in windows sourced from another project on-campus so guests could watch the complete brewing process. The brewery features a 10-barrel brewing system that allows Chapman’s to offer up to 24 beers on tap – and a new beer each week.
The space includes a modern, efficient kitchen, as well as a private dining room for up to 50 people, for parties, meet-ups, or a casual get-together. Massive windows open the main dining room to the campus thoroughfare Dynamo Alley.
With the help of the Elevatus design team, the new Chapman’s Brewing Company brewery and taproom is an example of what can be when we’re dared to dream.
