A brewery, slated to open in Smyrna, has a new name.
Blue Earl is the name of the former Warlock Brewing Co. Blue Earl will be based at 210 Artisan Drive.
In late spring, the brewery won council approval to operate in an industrial park in the community.
Blue Earl will be the seventh microbrewery in the state.
In a Facebook post announcing the name change, the company took note of the process of building the brewery. The process included getting investors and a Small Business Administration loan.
The brewery, which is now under construction, will produce hoppy American Ales, Belgian specialties, German ale and lager, as well as a wide variety of seasonal offerings throughout the year, according to the post.
The post indicated that the name was tied to founder Ronnie Earl Price’s love of the blues and craft beer.
Price is a long-time home brewer who founded the company.
Blue Earl will be the third mini-brewery in Kent County. Mispillion Brewing Co. is located in Milford near the Sussex County line. Fordham-Dominion is located in Dover. Smyrna is also the home of Painted Stave Distilling Co., which makes vodka, gin, whiskey and brandy
Blue Earl will have a name vaguely reminiscent of Oskar Blues, which has breweries in Colorado and North Carolina. Oskar Blues is known for pioneering the use of canned beer in craft brewing. In Delaware Twin Lakes offers one of its brews in a can.
Craft brewers have been coming to North Carolina from the west. In addition to Oskar Blues, Colorado-based New Belgium’s $140 million brewery is under construction in Asheville.
The add capacity has led to predictions of stiffer competition among craft brewers, who have often prospered, thanks to premium prices and a lack of the blanket advertising used by the biggest brewers.
