Her Campus sat down with Chris Weeks, the manager of Wasser Brewing Company, who is determined to make a change in the education system by donating a portion of his brewery’s profits to the 2% for Teachers program. If you haven’t been inside of Wasser yet, you should! They have over 100 seats, including bar seating and inside and outside seating to choose from. They also have an open floor concept with an industrial feel linking back to the building’s original roots as a car parts dealership. As you approach the building, you can even see the brew tanks as you walk up to the doors. You’ll just have to stop by and taste their crafted beer and food to see for yourself! But for now, let’s meet Wasser’s owner and see how this great brewery found its way to Greencastle!
Her Campus: Hi Chris! Thanks for taking time out of your day to talk with us! So, we’re wondering, why open a brewery in Greencastle?
Chris Weeks: Well while I was living in Greencastle for 15 years, I noticed there was a lack of restaurants in the downtown area. The demographics showed residents driving elsewhere to eat because needs were not being met locally.
HC: DePauw students and the Greencastle community certainly appreciate the newest addition! How does the 2% for Teachers program come into play with your brewery?
CW: I had previously been involved in educational and correctional programs that were having financial difficulties and were ultimately eliminated as a result. After a while, I decided to finally do something about it and open my own brewery. I wanted to not only take a different career path but also be able to give back to the community and make a change. I had seen a lot of success and failures during my time in the education and correctional systems and wanted to take action into my own hands for a change rather than wait on the actions of others.
HC: That’s awesome and a win-win not only for you but also for the community! It’s refreshing to see people like you taking the initiative and doing something about an issue you see being overlooked or neglected. Why did you choose the building you did to open the brewery?
CW: The building Wasser is currently located in what was known as the old Napa building. Prior to being a Napa dealership, it was a Packard dealership. We have and are still continuing to renovate the building linking it back to its historic roots. We continue to emphasize the importance of the American automobile locally through our brewery by partnering with Packard owners and other automobile groups. We are even hosting an event on November 5th for the Porsche Club of America to bring the original history back to the building and continue its legacy among the community.
HC: I think it’s great you’re incorporating the building’s history instead of covering up the old to make room for the new. The amount of thought and intuition you’ve put into opening this restaurant is commendable. You can see all the hard work you’ve done as soon as you step inside, look at the interior and try all your craft beers paired with your unique dishes. So, we’d love to know what to expect from Wasser in the future?
CW: Well we are currently under construction during the week to improve the back house projects to allow more people to be served. We are planning on adding 40 more seats inside plus additional seating outside for when it warms up, but, until then, we are open during the weekend Friday from 4pm-12pm, Saturday 11am-12am and Sunday 11am-10pm. We also have concerts and events listed on our Facebook page (@wasserbeer), which includes performances from Gravel Road, on October 21stÂ, War Radio on October 28th and much more. We also have a rotating menu created by myself and Chef John that includes dishes from several cultures and countries such as chicken curry couscous, fish tacos, pork bean sandwich and more. Keep an eye on our website (wasserbrewing.com) and our Facebook page for our updated menu! We also have our new Oktoberfest brew on tap right now. Also, 90% of our seating is family friendly, which means that DePauw students who are underage can still come into Wasser and enjoy the atmosphere and rotating menu whenever they would like!
HC: Wow, lots of exciting stuff is happening for Wasser right now! Just wanted to say again that Her Campus really appreciates your time in telling us more about your brewery and its story! I know I speak for most DePauw students and Greencastle residents when I say, thank you for all you’ve done for the community so far, and we look forwarding to being a frequent customer at Wasser!
Hours: Open Friday 4pm-12pm, Saturday 11am-12am, Sunday 11am-10pm
Phone: 844-WASSER- 1
Address: 102 East Franklin Street, Greencastle, IN 46135
Website: wasserbrewing.com
Facebook: @wasserbeer