SOUTH DEERFIELD — As attendants directed vehicles around orange cones laid out in the parking lot Friday afternoon, the signs at 1 Community Place marked a milestone occasion for the Franklin County beer community: Tree House Brewing is officially open for business.
The Charlton-based brewery has opened its new South Deerfield location, housed in the old Channing Bete Co. facility along Routes 5 and 10, for to-go can and bottle sales, known to Tree House Brewing fans as its “On the Fly” arm of the business.
“Hello Western Mass!” the brewery announced via its social media accounts on Twitter and Instagram Friday morning. “It’s no secret we have taken up shop in Western Mass. along a bucolic stretch of road on 50 acres in South Deerfield and we could not be more excited about it. We are open today for cans to-go only from 12-6 p.m. with ordering starting at 11:30 a.m.
“The long-term vision for Tree House Western Mass. is to curate a gathering space for friends, families and groups to celebrate life, the arts and each other,” the posts continued. “We will build extraordinary spaces, curate exceptional art, curate exceptional food and drink, and do whatever we have to to make Tree House Western Mass. a cultural destination worthy of the region in which it resides.”
According to its website, Tree House Brewing will be open Wednesdays through Sundays for to-go sales as it continues to move toward an on-site facility. All purchases must be made online in advance (minimum orders of $65) on the company’s website (treehousebrew.com). Don Dubendorf, an attorney representing the brewing company, told the Deerfield Zoning Board of Appeals earlier this month that it is operating on a three-phased plan, with the “On the Fly” portion part of the initial phase.
This week’s opening included the release of several new beers, including the Hello Western Mass., an introductory IPA in celebration of opening the facility in South Deerfield. The beer is brewed with citra and simcoe hops and “tastes of Hawaiian punch, orange gummies and sweet guava in a highly drinkable package,” according to the description.
The brewery announced on its website that so far it has 14 employees, including a taproom manager and assistant taproom manager, and expects to hire over 30 more to “fulfill (its) vision.”
“We carry a great deal of pride to bring well-paying jobs to the Deerfield community now and in the future as we grow and evolve,” the website reads.
The facility held an unannounced “soft opening” Thursday, though word of that quickly trickled throughout the Western Massachusetts community. State Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Sunderland, was one of the locals who made their way to Tree House Brewing on Thursday. She tweeted, “When I got a tip at 5:30 p.m. that @TreeHouseBrewCo in Deerfield was open for business, I did the logical thing and immediately placed an order online to pick up before closing time at 6 p.m.” Blais wound up meeting Dean Rohan, the co-owner/co-founder of Tree House Brewing, and the two posed for a picture in front of the new facility.
Reach Jeff Lajoie at jlajoie@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 260.