PIPES O’ PLENTY. Inside the recently opened Chippewa River Distillery and Brewster Bros. Brewing Co.

There’s a new player in the Valley’s quickly evolving craft brew scene, but this one’s got a twist. The Chippewa River Distillery and Brewster Bros. Brewing Co. recently opened in the old Celebrity Video store at 402 W. River St. in downtown Chippewa Falls, and it distills homemade spirits as well as microbrews.

Co-owners James Stirn and Kurt Schneider worked together at Cray Research and had always talked about one day opening a business together. Naturally, they decided brewing beer and making spirits would be a lot of fun.

“We love the location with its proximity to the river, the new park that’s being built, and the traffic that will drive by us as they enter and leave Chippewa.” – owner Jim Stirn, on the Brewster Bros. Brewing Co. and Chippewa River Distillery’s choice location near downtown Chippewa Falls

They decided on Chippewa Falls because the city was “very helpful in the entire process of finding this location and getting started,” Stirn said. “We love the location with its proximity to the river, the new park that’s being built, and the traffic that will drive by us as they enter and leave Chippewa.”

They opened their doors Easter weekend, and a grand opening is planned for May.

If you’ve driven by the area lately, you may have noticed the majestic 2,500-liter copper still shining through the windows. That sweet machine is of the owners’ own design. In fact, Jim and Kurt teamed with a third partner, Dave Behling, to form MSP Engineering. Through this company they designed all the equipment, including the automated control systems, which they plan to sell to other breweries and distilleries. (And you thought mechanical engineering had to be boring.)

Currently the taproom is open only on weekends, but Stirn says they will expand their hours as the weather warms up and they get more staff involved and trained.

By late May, there will also be a deck for outdoor seating in sight of the Chippewa River, and they plan to consistently book live music and to have food trucks on site. For now, they have pretzels, peanuts, cheese, and crackers for sale. They also encourage you to bring in food from local restaurants or to have food delivered right to the taproom.

They have seven of their own beers on tap: Rumble Bridge Cream Ale, Ginger Red Ale, Wood Tick Pale Ale, Portersville Porter, Dark Timber Stout, Four Horse IPA, and Mel’s BBA. Wood Tick, Portersville, and Dark Timber are also available on nitro – however, the nitro taps will be changing out regularly, so they encourage beer lovers to grab a growler of their favorites while they’re available.

For the spirits, the Chippewa River Distillery currently produces vodka and rum, spirits that do not require aging. The lineup will expand over the next six months, and it will include whiskey. As the spirit offerings increase, so will the drink selection as they create signature cocktails and other unique combinations.

You can also get a free behind-the-scenes tour of the brew house and still setup. “We are currently doing tours at various times as we have demand and staff to support them,” Stirn said. “The plan is to go to scheduled tour times.”

The Fill Inn Station, a popular restaurant in Chippewa, is the first and currently only place to pour Brewster Bros. beer outside of the actual taproom. Once Stirn and Schneider make a final decision about potential distributors, you’ll be able to buy their products around the Chippewa Valley.

But why wait for it? Get a taste of these fresh new pours this weekend.

The Chippewa River Distillery and Brewster Bros. Brewing Co. (402 W. River St., Chippewa Falls) is open Fridays from 4pm to midnight, Saturdays from noon to midnight, and Sundays from noon to 6pm.