John Serda was fascinated with brewing beer even before he could legally drink it.
“Serda Brewing has been in my brain since I was probably 17 years old,” said Serda, the founder and CEO of Serda Brewing Co. in Mobile. “It’s been a long time in the making.”
While he couldn’t buy the finished product until he was 21, Serda could buy the ingredients and he did.
He started home brewing beer and “developed a passion and appreciation for the art” of it.
After spending some time in Costa Rica where he learned about coffee (he also owns Serda’s Coffee Co.) and some time at film school in California, Serda returned home to Mobile.
“Coming back to Mobile I realized what Mobile had to offer,” he said.
Alabama Maker Serda Brewing has plenty on tap in the Port City from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
After sharing a beer with his father in downtown Mobile and remarking on the resurgence in the heart of the city, the idea he had as a 17-year-old returned to his head.
“I always had the idea that I wanted a brewery … but when I decided to go all out for it, that was actually four years ago and it took four years to finally get everything together and to open our doors,” he said.
The doors to Serda Brewing are now open in the former Sweat/Goodyear Tire shop on Government Street.
“We’re the first brewery to open in Mobile since Prohibition,” Serda said, noting that brewpubs have opened in Mobile and other breweries are operating but not yet producing beer in Mobile.
Serda Brewing serves up its four flagship beers – Hook Line & Lager pilsner, Tidewater Vienna amber, Mobile Bay IPA and Clear Prop porter – in a brewery that offers a 360-degree view of the brewing equipment and an inviting courtyard.
“We just wanted to be a relaxed environment,” Serda said. “We’re pet-friendly. We’re family-friendly.”
You will find people playing games and food trucks selling food off the courtyard on any given day at Serda Brewing. The taproom is always introducing new experimental beers and seasonal brews like the just-released Homeport hefeweizen on tap for summer.
Serda Brewing’s first canned beers are expected to be available the end of April with bottling expected to start in May.
The Product: Craft beer produced in Mobile. Enjoy any of the four flagship beers at the taproom for $6 per pint.
Take home: A growler of Hook Line & Lager pilsner ($19).
Serda Brewing Co.
600 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602
Taproom hours: Monday-Thursday, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 11 p.m.; and Sunday noon to 9 p.m.
(Courtesy of Alabama NewsCenter)
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