Veteran-owned craft brewery coming to Kannapolis with an aim to give back
Camaraderie: a mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together. That was the inspiration behind the creation of The Armory Beer Company, a new craft beer brewery coming to downtown Kannapolis this fall.
Cabarrus county native Kyle Lingafelt served for over a decade in the U.S. Marine Corps. After his last tour in California, he decided to get his degree from the University of Southern California. There, he met his two business partners, Richard Bradley and Stefan Perrine, also veterans. The trio began brewing their own beer at home.
“We started brewing our Oh Dark Thirty right out of our home,” said Lingafelt, co-founder of The Armory Beer Company. “We would take it to the USC tailgates, and people loved it. They suggested that we start our own brewery.”
Lingafelt knew he wanted to move back to North Carolina, and he managed to convince his business partners to do the same.
“I probably looked at over 1,000 buildings in and around Charlotte. I had connections to Kannapolis, and I wanted to be a part of the city’s growth. Plus, they have a very strong veteran community. It all just made sense.”
The team at Armory Beer plans to hire and support other veterans in the area in hopes of sticking with the idea of camaraderie.
What they’ll offer
There will be four or five beers on tap when Armory Beer first opens. By the end of the first year, they will have 10 available. They plan to offer ciders and some sours eventually, as well.
“It takes time to develop craft beer. It’s about a 2-4 week process just to ferment,” Lingafelt said.
The flagship stout, Oh Dark Thirty, was inspired by the men’s early morning military missions. It’s a double chocolate vanilla flavored beer.
Another highly anticipated flavor is the Blue Falcon. “In the military, someone who is known to “screw people over” is said to be a Blue Falcon,” Lingafelt explained. This brew will have a really sweet smell, giving the illusion that it’s a lighter beer. However, it’s 9% ABV, meaning it will definitely sneak up on you after a while.
There are plans to introduce a Purple Heart-inspired beer that will raise money for local charities. The men will also work closely with the NC Military Hall of Fame to develop a flavor to support their efforts, too.
What the space will look like
The aesthetic will be a classic World War I, 1920s feel, all the way down to the restrooms. “Our inspiration came from Ironworks Hotel. Think 1920s and Great Gatsby,” Lingafelt said.
There will be repurposed military memorabilia around the building, too.
You’ll be able to relax in either of the two beer gardens on site, with a third coming in summer 2020. When brewing isn’t taking place, you’ll be able to walk through the brewing area and take tours of the space. A stage area will host live music events.
The Armory Beer Company is set to open in early September. It will be located in downtown Kannapolis on West Avenue in the former Rotary building.
This story was originally published May 7, 2019 at 10:03 PM with the headline "Veteran-owned craft brewery coming to Kannapolis with an aim to give back."