NEWPORT NEWS — Andrew Schlichte is one of three business owners who run the nano brewery, Twisted Knot Brewing Company at City Center. The grand opening is toward the end of the summer.
“We brewed out of Huntington Heights for a couple years,” said Schlichte, 36, who was born and raised in Lousiville, Kentucky.
He’s also an engineer at the Newport News Shipyard.
“I used to bartend at a nightclub back in Lousiville,” he added.
Together with Jeremy Jackson, who originally came up with the idea to start a brewery, and Dan Peters, they now operate the brewery two days during the week.
In fact, all three of the owners have full-time jobs.
Because the trio had a small budget, they settled at City Center after looking at a couple places in Hampton, York County and the Hilton area of Newport News.
The nano brewery is set up into three spaces with a “quiet” front room with tables, a taproom in the middle and in the back room, a “very industrial” space with six tables with a view of the brewery and equipment, Schlichte said. In addition, there is a garage door leading to two picnic tables outside.
And being a small brewery, the owners get the opportunity to experiment with their “one barrel” system.
Featured beer taps include Milky Waves, a milk stout which has received the most positive feedback, Key Lime Twist, made with key lime puree and pink sea salt and other brews. Food trucks like DD214 and Hungry Pug are on-site as well.
And, they will release two new beers: Dust, a pale ale and Noctilucent, an India Pressed Ale or IPA.
Schlichte said they came up with Noctilucent as a name for the IPA because it has a “cloudy mouth feel”.
“I’m very interested in science and stuff like that,” Schlichte said.
At the moment, the brewery is not hiring any staff, keeping it between the three families. In the future, the business plans to work with other breweries in the area.
“We’re hoping to collaborate with Traditions and Oozlefinch,” Schlichte said.
Peters and Jackson were not immediately available for comment.
The brewery, 11838 Canon Blvd, Suite 400, is open Fridays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturdays noon to 8 p.m.
