WILMINGTON—After a quiet soft opening, Mad Mole Brewing is now open for business.
On Tuesday afternoon, Owners and brewers Martin de Jongh and Ole Pederson relaxed on the customer side of the bar; the two had just spent nearly 12 hours brewing.
READ MORE: ‘People talking, drinking good beer’: Wilmington’s new Mad Mole Brewing will keep things intimate
“We’ve been taking it very slowly with the brewing, just making sure everything is right,” de Jongh said.
After several weeks of brewing, de Jongh and Pederson had seven beers on tap; the unique Mueller stacked serving tank system allows the relatively small Mad Mole Brewing space to hold plenty of beer. It just happens to be a bonus that the business end of the tanks resembles the brewery’s mascot.
“We’ve been asked if we’re going to paint a face on the side of the tank,” de Jongh said.
The system isn’t just a space-saving feature, it also keeps the beer fresh. The tanks are pressurized and contain an internal bag system that prevents the beer from becoming oxidized.
Pederson and de Jongh said after their first few days they’ve already attracted a regular crowd from nearby neighborhoods, as well as the brewery team from Wrightsville Beach Brewery. Apropos of the brewery name, de Jongh joked that the two breweries should construct a connecting tunnel under Oleander Drive.
As promised, Mad Mole Brewery forgoes walls of televisions in favor of photos of their favorites “mad scientists.” The outside beer garden is open for business, with a cover to be installed soon for the inevitable afternoon thunderstorms. And the brewery runs on solar power alone most days, according to de Jongh, pulling just a little off the grid on brewing days.
On tap
On tap, Mad Mole has IPAs, Belgians, a stout, a saison and the brewery’s own take on kölsch. According to Pederson, it’s crisp and light like a traditional version, but hopped slightly to “keep it from getting boring.”
Pints run $5 to $6, with flights, small pours, pints and growlers available.
On tap right now:
- “Molicious” – IPA – 50 IBU* – 7 percent ABV
- “Boston Mole Party” – New England IPA – 57 IBU – 6.7 percent ABV
- “Darth Mole” – Stout – 27 IBU – 6.5 percent ABV
- “Molsch” Hoppy Kolsch – 39 IBU – 5.5 percent ABV
- “Mole Cowbell” – Saison – 22 IBU – 7.65 percent ABV
- “Marilyn MonMole” – Belgian Blond – 20 IBU – 7.7 percent ABV
- “Penitent Mole” – Belgian Golden Strong – 21 IBU – 10.5 percent ABV
*That’s Internation Bitterness Unit, a measure of how a bitter a beer is on the palette. A Budweiser Lager has low bitterness and rates about 10 IBU. Sam Adams Boston Lager rates around 35; many IPA-style beers rate into the 40s to 60s.
Hours and more info
For more information, you can visit Mad Mole Brewing’s website and Facebook page. The brewery is located at 6309 Boathouse Road off Oleander Drive.
Hours:
- Monday: 4 – 9 p.m.
- Tuesday: 4 – 9 p.m.
- Wednesday: 4 – 9 p.m.
- Thursday: noon – 9 p.m.
- Friday: noon – 11 p.m.
- Saturday: noon – 11 p.m.
- Sunday: noon – 9 p.m
Send comments and tips to Benjamin Schachtman at ben@localvoicemedia.com, @pcdben on Twitter, and (910) 538-2001
