Tradesman Brewing upgrades its Charleston taproom | Food

Outside one of Charleston’s longest-tenured breweries, brisket is roasted and diced to make picadillo llanero, a stew with a thin, cilantro-flecked broth that packs a mighty, beefy punch.

Next to the truck where the brisket is cooked over hardwood coals for hours, cornhole boards and bags rest on newly installed AstroTurf. A nearby heated patio boasts multiple big-screen televisions and a shipping container stage for musicians. 

Walk inside to find patrons crowded around a long bar, stealing sips of Circuit Breaker IPA in between bites of traditional Venezuelan fare from the on-site food truck. Regulars and beer flight-bearing visitors settle into casual conversation, checking in on the college football games shown on additional TVs. 

Welcome to the new and improved Tradesman Brewing Co. (1647 King St. Extension), recognizable by its hard-to-miss green shipping container that is visible to northbound drivers on Interstate 26. With new branding and a fresh outlook on the future, the brewery’s founders, Scott and Sara Gayle McConnell, believe these and other upgrades will help Tradesman capitalize on its popularity among Charleston craft beer enthusiasts. 

How we got here 

Tradesman became James Island’s first brewery when it opened in 2014. The McConnells’ expansion to its current downtown Charleston facility occurred in 2018.

In the nine years since they sold their first beer, the couple has demonstrated their vision of being a community-focused brewery. Sara Gayle McConnell has hosted events for women in craft beer several times a year, including a 2021 Women in Beer tap night that showcased all woman-brewed beers created at five local breweries.

Last year, Tradesman unveiled its “Know Your Zone” lager, featuring a scannable QR code that connects all 22 hurricane zone states and guides customers to a website that provides tips for preparing for a hurricane. 

Tradesman’s beers have won 13 national awards, and its patronage has increased with the rise in tourism and Charleston’s craft beer industry. Those efforts and accolades, however, have not always offset the expenses of running a downtown Charleston brewery on a 2.3-acre lot. 

In June, the McConnells added new business partners, Ron and Heather Montano, as well as Shawn and Heather Herman. Amanda Delpit has been hired to lead the taproom and manage events. 

Tradesman’s new partnership comes less than a year after the brewery filed for bankruptcy protection in January 2023. Three years prior, the brewery faced foreclosure on an $840,000 loan from Pinnacle Bank, money that helped Tradesman move its popular James Island operation downtown. 

The Nashville-based bank refused to enter into a payment plan with Tradesman after the brewery fell behind on its monthly payments. The ordeal resulted in a lawsuit, and the debt was settled in October 2021. Afterward, the McConnells continued to try to find creative ways to bring in more money, including a fundraising campaign with Mainvest. 

This financial turmoil culminated in the investment by the Montanos and Hermans, with the latter couple taking an active role in daily operations. With the working capital to make taproom improvements, McConnell is intent on looking ahead rather than lamenting the past. 

“Besides them deciding to invest in us, we also invested in them,” Sara Gayle McConnell said. “We really think this partnership is a good way to continue working this business and be the hub that we want to be in the community.” 

Moving forward 

Tradesman is not the only craft brewery that has had to fight to keep its doors open. 

In the first half of 2023, craft beer sales were in decline for the first time (other than 2020) since the Brewers Association started reporting craft beer sales numbers. In 2022, the Brewers Association reported 0 percent growth. Part of the downturn can be attributed to the rising cost of producing craft beer, particularly when it comes to upfront costs.

Most brewery enthusiasts don’t realize the money, time and effort it takes to brew a single batch of beer. Tradesman’s seasonal Sweet Potato Pie beer, for instance, calls for 410 pounds of roasted sweet potatoes just to brew a 15-barrel batch. The going rate for one of the 400-plus gallon vessels used to brew the beer is more than $10,000, a fraction of the cost of the equipment needed to produce craft beer at scale. 

The innate challenges of the business have the McConnells and their new partners focusing on alternative revenue streams, such as private events, while expanding distribution and creating a more vibrant taproom experience. 

Shawn Herman is focused on the distribution side of the business with the goal of bringing the brewery’s new branding to more supermarket shelves and taps around the Lowcountry. Just recently, two Tradesman beers landed in local Harris Teeters. 

As Herman leads efforts toward more distribution across the Southeast, a partnership with e-commerce platform LiquidData has enabled Tradesman to distribute six of its beers direct-to-consumer. To place an order, those who cannot pick up beer at the brewery can order up to a case of Tradesman cans by simply visiting its website. 

For those who can stop by the revamped taproom, Tradesman has added more seating and a dozen televisions programmed with NFL Sunday Ticket. The TVs have the potential to bring in more customers during the weekend, when Venezuelan chef Edgar Pirela serves his increasingly popular brisket soup. Pirela, who immigrated to the United States in 2017, features arepas, parrillas, cachapa and more in his food truck, El Saman, which serves during Tradesman opening hours: noon-8 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday, and noon-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 

The chef’s comforting cuisine, coupled with a tap list with more than 20 options, makes Tradesman a fitting fall and winter brewery destination. With country music over the speakers and football on the screens, it’s easy to settle into a barstool for longer than anticipated.