A former Lakefront Brewery brewer and his wife are leasing a 5,772-square-foot warehouse in West Allis with plans to open the city’s first craft brewery and tap room.
Erik and Kim Dorfner will lease 1825 S. 72nd St., from a friend who has an accepted offer to close on the property Oct. 17. Pending city approval, the Dorfner’s will open Westallion Brewing. Erik Dorfner, who left Lakefront Brewery at the end of February, said Westallion will have eight draft lines available at all times including a rotating seasonal brew and a historical beer.
“I’m a history major so I’m always studying the history of beer,” he said.
Four of the beers will be available in the building’s 2,000-square-foot tasting room and the other four will be available at local bars, Dorfner said. Dorfner is hoping to secure tap lines at 10 West Allis bars. So far, he has letters of intent signed with five local establishments.
The couple is planning to build a five barrel brew house at the site (by comparison, Lakefront Brewery has 50 barrels), which he said has the ability to turn itself over and brew 15 barrels of beer a day.
The Dorfners would like to open Westallion on April 23, 2016 – the 500 year anniversary of The Reinheitsgebot, the German beer purity law.
Kim is an event and public relations coordinator at the Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery so she will make a perfect business partner, Erik said.
The Dorfner’s have been working with West Allis Mayor Dan Devine for almost a year to find the right location for the brewery. Devine said he has no doubt the city council will approve the Dorfner’s plan for the property.
“This really falls in line with the vision I have for the city with coffee shop, art galleries, Corvina Wine Company and now a tap room being added to the docket, it’s a great addition,” Devine said.
