At Monday night’s Jeffries Point Neighborhood Association members voted 28 to 4 in favor of Downeast Cider’s plans for a ‘pour license’ in order to open a tap room at their distillery located at the Boston Shipyard and Marina on Marginal Street.
The vote came after Downeast’s Manager Nick Sudheimer appeared before the JPNA last month and told residents that the distillers of the popular, locally crafted hard cider, has petitioned the Boston Licensing Board for a ‘pour license’ for a tap room.
At Monday night’s Jeffries Point Neighborhood Association meeting, there was little to no opposition to the plan and Sudheimer reaffirmed that his company has just started going through the process of obtaining a pour license.
Sudheimer argued that Downeast customers can currently only come in and have samples and take a tour of Downeast, and that a pour license and tap room would allow the company to sell a full pint of cider on site. Basically, the distillery can sell sell its product offsite and would like to also sell its popular cider on site.
Massport, who owns the land and leases it to the Boston Shipyard and Marina, gave permission for Downeast to begin the process of obtaining the pour license on a 90 day trial period. Downeast also received a green light from their landlord, the Boston Shipyard and Marina.
“We received permission from Massport and the Boston Shipyard and Marina to try it for 90 days and see if it is a good fit for us and the shipyard,” said Sudheimer. “We realize it is a working marina so we don’t want to cause any disruptions with that operation.”
Downeast also hosted a city-sponsored abutters meeting on Jan. 17, at their distillery.
According to their filing with the licensing board the application is for a pour license in a taproom area around 3,500 sq. ft. There will be 15 beer style tables, six high tops with stools and several custom built large tables to accommodate for large groups
“If our 90-day trial goes well we’ll come back before this group and discuss our long-term plans,” said Sudheimer.
Downeast, the hard apple cider that began making waves in Boston several years ago relocated from Charlestown to Eastie in 2016.
The company was founded by Ross Brockman and Tyler Mosher during their senior year of college. They were later joined by Brockman’s older brother Matt.