Wrightsville Beach Brewery opened its doors this past weekend, with a rush of customers anxious to check out the area’s newest brewery and restaurant.
 
“We were so busy right out of the gate that we didn’t really get the soft opening that we were hoping for,” said co-owner Jud Watkins. “So we still have a lot of kinks to work out, but I’m really proud of our staff for how they’ve handled everything so far.”
 
Watkins operates the brewery and restaurant with his wife, Amber, but the inspiration behind it was born from a passion for harvesting oysters with his late father, Bruce. It was an idea they came back to again and again, Jud Watkins said, -- could they combine their love of oysters and home brewing into a successful business?
 
About four years ago they began to put the pieces in motion, but when his father passed away unexpectedly, Jud Watkins  faced the daunting task of moving ahead without his guidance.
 
“I had huge hesitation at first to move ahead without my dad,” Jud Watkins said. “But it was too good of an idea not to do it.”
 
And so the Watkins have built a nearly 10,000-square-foot brewery and restaurant at the corner of Greenville Avenue and Oleander Drive, with a menu dedicated to celebrating local seafood.
 
Jud Watkins is a licensed commercial fisherman, which allows him to purchase directly from other commercial fisherman.
 
While the menu is designed to showcase oysters and local seafood, it also provides a wide variety of other options, including pizza, tacos, pasta and sandwiches. Chef David Owens, a vegetarian himself, has created plenty of vegetarian options such as veggie pizza, portabella tacos, a vegetable ragout wrap and spaghetti squash with oven roasted vegetables. There’s also a substantial kid’s menu with some healthful options beyond just chicken tenders. 
 
Brunch will be served on Saturday and Sunday, featuring frittatas, pancakes and French toast, biscuits and gravy and even a breakfast pizza.
 
As for the beer, head brewer Kevin Zelnio, a former marine biologist and brewery owner, will run a 20-barrel system complete with canning capabilities. Jud Watkins said he chose canning over bottling because canning prevents any light from penetrating the beer and cans are safer for boating. They will likely select two or three beers from their lineup to offer in cans.
 
Customers will have to wait just a few weeks to be able to sample Wrightsville Beach Brewery’s beers however, as the restaurant’s Certificate of Occupancy, one of the final permits for opening, was just granted last week and is required in order for brewing to begin. Therefore, while the restaurant was ready to roll, it will be about four weeks before the first batches of beer are ready to be poured. In the meantime, Watkins has secured guest taps from several Wilmington breweries.
 
“We’re really attentive to details when it comes to the quality of the beer, and that’s something that can’t be rushed,” Jud Watkins said.
 
Jud Watkins and Zelnio designed the brewery with a direct draft system, which Watkins said allows for colder, cleaner pours. With 40 taps, they will continue to feature a variety of rotating North Carolina beers in addition to their own brews.
 
The brewery offers a private event space that can accommodate up to 60, as well as a private tasting area within the brewing room. Zelnio plans to host brewery tours, small group tastings and beer and wine dinners in collaboration with Owens.
 
Amber Watkins, a former social worker, said the couple feels a sense of duty to give back to the Wilmington community.  Eleven percent of the gross sales from one draft per month will benefit a local charity, and throughout the month of December each year, all of Wrightsville Beach Brewery’s beers will be partnered with charities.
 
“We want to be as approachable as possible to area organizations,” Amber Watkins said. “Jud’s dad was big preservationist and philanthropist and we want to honor that.”
 
A grand opening will be held in early February once the breweries own beers are ready to serve and the outdoor beer garden is complete.
 
Wrightsville Beach Brewery is located at 6201 Oleander Drive and is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

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