New rose

Location, location, location. The first word in real estate is also the first word in just about everything else—including beer. When Under the Rose Brewing Company first opened five years ago, its Fourth Street location seemed like it might become part of a prime corridor for beer-drinkers (see “A beer to remember,” feature story, May 9, 2013). It was near hip businesses, like Lincoln Lounge and Bootleg Courier Company, and there were other breweries in development nearby. And although there is now a viable brewing presence there, anchored by popular brewpub The Depot, Fourth Street isn’t quite the attraction it once might have seemed poised to become.

So, now that UTR is ready to add a second location, they’re aiming it at the neighborhood where people might expect to find a homegrown brewpub: midtown.

“Fourth Street is more of destination,” said Jesse Kleinedler, who co-owns Under the Rose with her husband, Scott Emond. “If you’re coming to our brewery, you’re coming to our brewery. Here [in midtown], we’re coming to the people.”

The midtown branch launches with a soft opening at 11 a.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, and a grand opening March 31.

The 5,100-square-foot space is divided into two large rooms. The front room will feature a full bar with 24 handles, three of which will be wine and one of which will be cider. The rest will be UTR brews.

Both rooms have high ceilings and a lot of natural light. The southern walls feature large, gorgeous murals depicting Mt. Rose painted by well-known local artist Erik Burke, making the name “Under the Rose” suddenly apparent.

The front room features custom-made tables with Nevada-shaped tabletops and support gussets. They were designed by wood and metal craftsman Justin Hahn from Hammer and Saw.

Andrea Keil, formerly of Tahoe Mountain Brewing Company, will be the midtown head brewer. Patty Cronin, based at the Fourth Street location, will remain head of brewing operations. The Fourth Street location will remain in operation primarily as a production and distribution facility for UTR’s flagship beers, like nevadabeer and saisonbeer. Its tasting room will remain open for limited hours.

The new location will be more a “test kitchen,” according to Emond, where he, Keil and Cronin can test out unusual styles.

“We really wanted to start highlighting what we can do and have a small-batch production facility,” Emond said. “We all have these ideas that have just been percolating for years.”

UTR Midtown’s brewpub menu, developed by chef Justin Longroy, includes small plates such as sausages, fries and tater tots.

The simple fare will also appeal to kids. “We’re family friendly,” Emond said. “It’s a huge part of a lot of our customer base.”

Emond looked at buildings around midtown before first opening UTR five years ago, but it wasn’t financially feasible for the fledgling company back then. “We were always adapting to circumstances, and now we’re able to get back home. We’ve loved midtown since we moved here, 10-and-a-half, 11 years ago.”

“We’re coming in to be part of a community in midtown,” said Kleinedler.