Burgaw’s first brewpub ‘Burgaw Brewing’ now open to the public

BURGAW, N.C. (WECT) - Burgaw Brewing, the town’s very first brewery, has launched with great success since it opened on Saint Patrick’s Day on Wright Street in the downtown area.

The brewpub is owned and operated by Kevin and Emmaline Kozak, who say they are still putting the final touches but have stayed busy since the doors opened.

“It’s been amazing, we’ve had very lots of very busy days. The support that we’ve been getting from the community has been amazing and we couldn’t have asked for a better opening week,” Emmaline Kozack said.

Burgaw Brewing’s menu consists of meats that will be smoked in-house, with guest taps from local breweries to start for beverages and eventually a dozen of their brews as well as a draft margarita on tap. The 103 Lager, a German lager named after the building’s address, will be the flagship.

The new business is 4,000 square feet, meaning it can also house a 10-barrel brewing system created by Canada-based Specific Mechanical Systems.

“After testing Burgaw’s water we learned that it is very soft and has a very low mineral content,” Kevin Kozak said in a press release. “It’s almost identical to the water in the city of Pilsen in the Czech Republic where Pilsner Urquell is brewed. It’s the perfect water for lagers of any kind.”

The restaurant is the second project initiated by Richard Johnson, founder of Burgaw Now and Own Your Own, who has funded the brewery under his ‘social entrepreneurship model’ where a winner in a nationwide competition receives a $1 million budget to design and build a restaurant in downtown Burgaw.

“Under the Kozak’s leadership, Burgaw Brewing will prove that the Own Your Own model can subsidize ownership and invest in small towns leading to a return on investment that doesn’t just benefit potential owners, but entire communities,” Johnson said.

The bar and dining area has about 100 seats available and a beer garden is currently under construction for outdoor seating. The owners estimated the brewery will be fully operational in about 6 weeks.

“We love living in Burgaw because it’s a wonderful community with great people,” Kevin Kozak says. “We just can’t wait to welcome everyone in to serve them a good pint and a great meal.”

The brewery is currently open every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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