10,600-square-foot brewery with Nordic flair coming to Wesley Heights

Traust is taking the 1.5-acre property formerly occupied by an animal pharmaceutical company named Fleming Laboratories. It’s located in Wesley Heights, across Thrift Street from Lucky Dog Bar & Brew. Oh, and they’ll have a 130-space parking lot, a rare feature for a brewery this close to Uptown.

“We are most excited to add another brewery to the FreeMoreWest area and anchor the redevelopment of the Thrift Road corridor,” founder Eric Stevens told the Agenda. “With all the new businesses coming to that area, and established businesses like Lucky Dog Bark and Brew, we envision Thrift Road as a westside destination and a jewel of Wesley Heights.”

Scandinavian influence: In terms of design, expect the usage of natural elements and some Northern European design concepts. Scandinavian design is all about minimalism, coziness and functionality, so think sleek low-lying mid-century modern furniture, natural wood tones and textures and mostly neutral color pallets with occasional pops of color. On the beer side of things, Traust will use a variety of Scandinavian yeast and hops strains.

Food: The brewery will have a full kitchen and plans to open at 11 a.m. daily. “We will do some Scandinavian-inspired dishes that will please the Southern palate as well as complement our beer selection,” said Eric. Leading the kitchen and hospitality operations will be Kevin Parker, a 20-year hospitality veteran who recently moved back to Charlotte after seven years as the executive chef at The Hotel Tavern in West Jefferson, NC.

Outdoor space: Traust will have a huge wrap-around patio and a hardscaped beer terrace. There will be an enclosed space for dogs and kids as well. “Look for progressive climate control methods on the south-facing patio — including fire, water and plant features — to make the Traust patio enjoyable despite the elements,” said Eric. I’m not 100 percent sure what this means, but it sounds cool. The elevated south side of the beer terrace will offer a cool view of Uptown in the distance.

Beer: “We plan to take on some traditional styles, such as strong ales and stouts, as well as some nouveaux styles, such as hazy IPAs, sours and funky saisons,” said Eric. “We also plan to explore Scandinavian hops and yeast strains as well a modernization of Northern European historical beers such as sahti, kvass and rye-based ales and lagers.” Ryan Walsh, who previously brewed at Mitten Brewing and Presidential Brewing in Michigan, will serve as Traust’s lead brewing engineer.

Agenda related guide: Complete list and map of Charlotte’s 30 local breweries, plus the most popular beer at each

Founder: Founder Eric Stevens is a former journalist who covered craft beer culture in southeast Michigan. “My goal is to bring passionate people together to move toward a unified vision and ultimately produce a product that is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Don’t forget: About 100 yards down the street, Hygge’s coworking empire is growing with new 20,000-square-foot building that’ll have our city’s largest Not Just Coffee