YesterYears Brewery plans for bright future in Carrboro

Huge silver tanks line the walls, and wooden scaffolds shape the room, outlining the construction that still needs to be completed.

Residents can already envision the YesterYears Brewery Co., which will be located in the 300 East Main development, running with local grains boiling and the cafe smelling of fresh coffee beans strained through a French press.

Owner David Larsen said the craft brewery, which is slated to open in April, is dedicated to his father, who was a commissioned officer in the military for 27 years.

“YesterYears is more of a tribute to my dad,” Larsen said. “He passed away last year, and so with that it’s more of a memory to him.”

The brewery is themed around a 1940s to 1960s style to take customers back in time.

Larsen started brewing in high school and has won several contests throughout Pittsboro. He originally planned to open the brewery in Pittsboro about five years ago but said he wasn’t quite ready.

“(Carrboro) has more of a city atmosphere than Pittsboro,” he said. “There are more people walking around.”

The brewery houses a system capable of brewing 10 barrels of beer at a time and four fermenters able to process 20 barrels at a time. Each barrel of beer holds 31 gallons.

Larsen will brew and serve a double IPA beer, a spicy pepper jelly beer, a fruity Saison beer, a seasonal Oktoberfest beer and a Hefeweizen beer with a citrus taste.

Carrboro residents selected the specific type of IPA beer during a taste testing that was held at the brewery.

Carrboro’s newest coffee roaster — Gray Squirrel Coffee Co., owned by Shaw Sturton — will also be located inside the brewery.

Sturton has said his coffee beans will be what separates his shop from others. He’s incorporating his coffee and other flavors into craft beers.

Patti Benedict, leasing manager and investment partner for 300 East Main, said the brewery adds to the interesting mix of businesses in the block.

“They’re locally owned with connections to the community,” Benedict said. “To have the products actually made here, you’re able to really experience the start to finish of a product.”

Larsen also created a fundraising drive, called the Founder’s Club, to which customers can contribute and get special offers and items in return. The highest level, a $500 contribution, will get a contributor a personalized 20-ounce mug that will hang at the bar for their use only. The Founder’s Club will be available up until the grand opening.

Larsen said the brewery’s service, beer and outreach will be a huge part of its success.

“We already have two nonprofits that we work with — The Abundance Foundation and (Camp Kindle),” he said. “With every beer that’s bought, they get proceeds from it.”

He said the brewery will do a lot locally, including holding solo artists, bands, jam sessions and something he called “drag bingo” — a drag show and bingo event that will raise money for charity.

“Our grand opening will be free, and we may end up doing it for a couple of days,” Larsen said. “We’re ready to put Carrboro on the map.”

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