Big brewery opens first taproom in Visalia

BarrelHouse Visalia opend Saturday, bringing something different to Main Street with its popular beer, Valley roots and remodeled 1923 Buick dealership.

The taproom by Paso Robles-based BarrelHouse Brewing Co. is located at 521 E. Main St.

It’s the first beer-related business to open in Visalia’s new brewery district on the edge of downtown.

Twenty beers are on tap, including some Visalia-specific brews – more on that in a moment. The taproom sells glasses of beer, six-packs, “bombers” that hold 22 ounces and growler fills.

The taproom has two stages, a huge patio, space for regular food trucks and caterers. Some seating faces Main Street, with large firehouse-style doors that open up when the weather is nice.

“In front on Main, the whole front of the building opens up to the street to give it an open-air feel,” says Jason Carvalho, who owns BarrelHouse with Kevin Nickell.

With indoor and outdoor stages, BarrelHouse Visalia plans to host bands on Fridays and Saturdays and small bands or acoustic performances on Thursdays and Sundays.

The taproom doesn’t make its own food, but hopes to host food vendors seven days a week, including restaurants that already carry their beer. The taproom’s website has a calendar of food sellers, with places like Lumpia Hut, Pita Kabob and The Chicken Shack already scheduled.

“There’s also a bunch of awesome restaurants around and across the street,” Carvalho said. “You can order a pizza and deliver it there. If you want to get sandwiches and bring them, bring them.”

BarrelHouse Visalia is open from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays, 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays.

In addition to its best-selling beers, Sunny Daze citrus blonde ale and its mango IPA, the taproom will debut its Visalia Barbera sour beer. It’s made with barbera grapes from a Visalia farm.

BarrelHouse’s owners grew up in Lemoore and also own Carvalho Construction in Hanford. They designed or did much of the work themselves, including the chairs and the shuffleboard tables.

“It’s unlike anything else that they have in downtown Visalia right now,” Carvalho said. “It’s got character and energy and it’s just a beautiful building.”

Of course, it’s not the only brewery in Visalia. Craft beer fans from around the Valley and the state will likely hit up BarrelHouse Visalia along with Brewbakers Brewing Co., Rocky Hill Brewing in Exeter, Kaweah Brewing Co. in Tulare, or possibly Bird Street Brewing in Lemoore or Sanger’s House of Pendragon Brewing Co.

This story was originally published July 14, 2017 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Big brewery opens first taproom in Visalia."