With a mural up on the walls and a NBA Jam arcade cabinet procured, Full Tilt Brewing is just about ready to launch its new brewery at 5604 York Road.
One of the brewery’s co-founders, Nick Fertig, said they are hoping to open the doors on Dec. 14.
“I’ll be happy if it’s just before the end of the year,” he said.
First announced in March, the new space will have a taproom and outdoor patio, and Fertig said there will be “Star Wars” pinball, air hockey, shuffleboard and other games joining the arcade classic NBA Jam. Once it’s up and running, Full Tilt will offer limited-run one-off brews that can’t be bought in stores. First on tap: a kolsch, a fruited sour, a porter and a double rye IPA featuring the brewery’s unofficial mascot, Hops the Cat.
Many of their biggest brews, such as the Baltimore Pale Ale, will still be contract brewed at Peabody Heights Brewery in Abell to produce enough volume.
When Full Tilt will be able to brew in-house depends on the outcome of a Baltimore City Liquor Board hearing on Nov. 29.
Initially, Full Tilt was going to apply for a Class D tavern license that would allow them to stay open seven days a week, said Fertig, but they realized they were too close to a school–it would take the passage of a state law to get an exemption.
Now they’re trying for a Class B restaurant license. They will add a small kitchen offering sandwiches and light fare to go with the original plan of serving food from the neighboring B-More Kitchen and Accelerator Space. Fertig says the brewery has received written support from Councilman Bill Henry, whose district includes the future home of Full Tilt, and state Sen.-elect Mary Washington.
Should they be denied in this first hearing, Fertig says the company will still have its use-and-occupancy permit, and they’ll hope to open their doors next month and serve the beer being contract-brewed at Peabody Heights on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays after securing one-day liquor licenses.
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Once it’s all sorted out, Fertig said he and co-owner Dam Baumiller are excited about joining the neighborhood and adding to the food and drink scene further up York Road.
“Belvedere Square and all those restaurants have really started the momentum,” said Fertig. “We’re trying to build on that.”
