Winter Hill Brewing Company Opens for Coffee Service

Winter Hill Brewing Co. / Photo via Facebook

Winter Hill residents woke up to smell coffee in their own neighborhood today. Winter Hill Brewing Company debuted its café this morning, a full espresso bar with Wifi, ample seating, and Counter Culture Coffee in a neighborhood that wants for such amenities.

“Brewing” in the new venture’s name doesn’t refer to the coffee, though. The project comes from Bert Holdridge, a former Publick House manager, and Jeff Rowe, an alumni of Harpoon and Cape Cod breweries. The spot has six draft beer lines, and soon, Rowe will debut a year-round cream ale and an IPA, plus an imperial stout, a black IPA, and an American strong ale, Eater Boston reported. No word on exactly when the beer will begin to flow, but the spot has a full pouring license in place. Winter Hill will eventually introduce a dinner menu, too.

In the works for about five years, the concept was a brewery first (and it was originally called Indignant Brewing). When the cofounders learned the landlord chose their proposal over a Starbucks for the Broadway building, they realized the neighborhood lacked a community-focused coffee house, Rowe previously told Boston. The five-barrel system will produce beer for on-site consumption only. “Without distribution, it’s cool to see what you can accomplish with an older model of business where you’re not trying to conquer the world,” Rowe says. “It feeds the neighborhood, but if people come from outside, that’s great, too. But we definitely want to be Winter Hill’s brewery.”

Winter Hill Brewing Co. seats 60 around at tables, a window-side counter, and a bar built by Holdridge, Eater reported. A 40-seat patio will open this spring. It’s open daily for coffee 7 a.m.-1 p.m.

Winter Hill Brewing Company, 328 Broadway, Somerville, winterhillbrewing.com.