Local 'Brew Farm' in the Works

The North Hampton Planning Board gave a preliminary green light to Throwback Brewery's new "brew farm" this week, as members unanimously accepted the plan and waived a sign limit in order to allow the business to continue its quest to return Hobbs Farm to a working farmstead.

The only thing remaining before Throwback can begin work on transforming the barn at Hobbs Farm into a tasting room, brewery and event center is the approval of the site plan, which will likely come during the planning board's next meeting June 4 after members and residents expressed strong support for the project Tuesday.

"I don't see any reason it wouldn't be approved," said member Phil Wilson, the North Hampton Select Board's representative. "I hate to delay you a month, but you'll be delayed anyway because you have to meet the conditions of approval."

The board voted Tuesday to continue the project to the next planning board meeting and held off on granting conditional approval because Aquarion still needs to hook up the building's water and the septic system still requires approval, among other things.

Transforming the Hobbs Farm barn will give Throwback the ability to hold up to 150-160 people in the tasting room — the only part of the barn that will be heated — as well as add a kitchen for the tasting room, bathrooms, outdoor seating, and, of course, expand Throwback's brewery operations, according to Annette Lee, Throwback's head brewer.

The business purchased Hobbs Farm last year, and Lee said building a new brewery in the basement of the barn will allow Throwback to expand from a three-barrel system that yields 90 to 100 gallons per batch to a 15-barrel system that would yield 450 to 465 gallons per batch.

The company is focused on maintaining the appearance of the property, and the two signs and grass-and-gravel parking lot approved by the planning board Tuesday won't impact the historic character of the property — which will also still feature and prominently display Jericho, Hobbs Farm's popular white donkey.

"We really love this property and we’re so excited to be there," said Lee, who lives in the Hobbs homestead along with Throwback co-owner Nicole Carrier. "We tried to approach this design with minimal disturbance to the views of the property. We hope we can work with you guys to restore Hobbs Farm to an active farmstead and really keep this property one of the icons we have in town."

Lee said Tuesday that no hours or operation have yet been set, although she said she envisions the brew farm's tasting room to be open six days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. She said traffic in the area, located just off Lafayette Road not far from Throwback's current brewery, shouldn't be dramatically impacted, nor should the lights on the signs or the brewery sounds and smells negatively impact abutters.

Several residents, many of whom are abutters, voiced strong support of the project Tuesday night. North Hampton Planning Board Chairman Shep Kroner said Arthur "Jo-Jo" Nadeau, owns property at nearby 4 Elm Street and is married to a member of the Hobbs family, wrote a lengthy letter in support of the brew farm, while multiple abutters said Lee and Carrier have been "great neighbors" so far.

"I wholeheartedly welcome Annette and Nicole, and welcome them as neighbors," said Paul Fitzgibbons, an abutter at 15 Hobbs Road.