Long-planned brewpub taking shape in Mosinee

MOSINEE — An up-and-coming microbrewery is a few steps closer to opening as a pub and restaurant in Mosinee.

North Abbey Brewing Co. has undergone several changes over the last month as it works to renovate the site of its future home at 401 Fourth St., the former site of Discount Liquidators.

Owner Chad Hoffer, who has been making home brews for more than 20 years, purchased the building in July 2013 with plan of opening the pub by the end of that year.

Hoffer said obstacles related to renovating the 100-plus-year-old building, which sits along Mosinee’s Main Street, held up progress until recently.

“The building has pretty much been forgotten about for the last 10 years. We thought we’d have to patch the roof and make a few other repairs here and there, but it turns out it needed a lot more work,” Hoffer said. “I want to do everything the right way instead of just putting a Band-Aid on the problems the building might have.”

With the needed renovations and upgrades estimated to cost double Hoffer’s original budget, he and his friends from the Bull Falls Home Brew Club and a licensed contractor have slowly but steadily worked at renovating the building, including adding a new brick exterior, removing asbestos and replacing a large portion of the ceiling.

“A lot of people thought this building was such an eyesore for such a long time. Now I think they’re finally seeing the vision I had in mind and that it was worth saving,” Hoffer said.

With more than 5,000 square feet to work with, Hoffer plans to open North Abbey initially as a neighborhood pub, serving his own beer on tap as well as beer by other Wisconsin microbreweries such as Red Eye and O’so.

Once things are up and running, Hoffer also plans to offer food and has already started to amass kitchen equipment for when the time comes.

“We plan on opening as a bar first, a brewery second and a restaurant third,” Hoffer said. “I really want to focus on our beer first and getting to know the people before we open up the kitchen.”

With plenty of renovations still to come — installing new windows and flooring, building the bar and dining space and renovating the tap room — North Abbey tentatively is set to open in late spring, Hoffer said.

In them meantime, Hoffer will continue working the festival circuit, offering his beer for sale at events like the upcoming WinterFest in downtown Wausau.

For more information or to keep track of North Abbey Brewing Company’s progress, visit www.facebook.com/north.brewing.