THE COOPER RIVER BREWING COMPANY BEGAN WITH FRIENDSHIPS.
Cooper River Brewing Company joined Charleston’s thriving craft beer scene in November, 2015. In a top to bottom renovation of a 7,500-square-foot warehouse at 2201 Mechanic Street, just a block north of Mount Pleasant Street on Charleston’s upper peninsula. The idea for Cooper River developed over a decade, along with the friendships of its co-founders. They knew the character and vibe of Charleston were ideal for another brewery option. And they realized their personal strengths would blend into a great business partnership, so they decided to make their dream a reality. These friends discovered that a common thread in most successful local breweries was genuine friendship. Happy people working together fostered a real atmosphere of camaraderie—and made some excellent beers. They were thrilled when Mark Fesche signed on as head brewer. He’s a Seibel Institute graduate with over 20 years of head brewing experience around the country in brewhouses ranging for 7 to 50 barrels.
MECHANIC STREET, CHARLESTON, SC
They found an ideal location on Mechanic Street, and renovations are underway. After a top to bottom renovation, the brewery opened in 2015 with a large tasting room and an outdoor courtyard area—for that back porch feeling. Charleston is steeped in history, so it’s only right that the guys insisted on American-made equipment. They’re starting with a 15 bbl brew house, with plenty of room to expand to 30 bbl in the future.
MEET THE BREWER
When Mark Fesche signed on as head brewer, he fit in perfectly. After college, Mark got the “calling” and moved to Oregon to work as a keg scrubber for Deschutes Brewing, working his way up to brewer. Mark is a Siebel Institute grad who has been the Head Brewer on brewhouses ranging from 10-50 barrels for almost 20 years.
As Mark says, the goal of Cooper River Brewing Company is clear: “Our approach to brewing will be to brew unique ales in traditional styles. In other words, each beer will be distinctive and flavorful, but follow a time-honored brewing process.” They’ll start with their own Blonde Ale, an IPA and a Stout, and move forward to other blends. Jamie, Michael, Dustin and Mark are four guys with a common dream who want to make excellent craft beers their neighbors will enjoy.
