LYMAN —  Making beer together started out as a way for Paul Lorrain and his son, Abraham, to reconnect and rebuild their relationship. Fast forward about four years later, and they have a successful business.

After being estranged for several years, the two men reunited over a beer. For Christmas, Paul Lorrain bought his son a beer brewing kit and soon after, Funky Bow Brewery and Beer Company was born.
Nestled at 21 Ledgewood Lane, on a hilltop at the end of a dirt road of Route 35, the brewery is located at Lorraine’s 20-acre farm, where he has grown winter lettuce for many years.

The brewery, established in 2013, has grown steadily, with a range of brews available in cans at local retailers and on site on “Growler Nights,” when beer and wood-fired pizza are served at the brewery along with live music.

Growler nights are 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Lorrain estimates that in the past year, the brewery has had about 32,000 visitors.

“That’s a lot of people, especially considering we’re only open 17 hours a week,” Lorrain said.

A local yoga instructs a class on-site Saturdays, and admission to the class includes a beer afterwards for students to enjoy while socializing. Lorrain also rents out a Yurt on Airbnb.

Business is going well and now Lorrain is looking to make some upgrades, including an in-house canning system that will allow the brewery to can the 800-1,000 cases of beer weekly and will, in the long run, be a more cost efficient system than having an outside company can the beer. 

Lorrain said he also plans on installing rest rooms and getting rid of the portable toilets used by patrons on the weekends, as well as installing an additional pizza oven.

The business is also seeking a contract zone from the town to allow it to operate as a commercial-scale business. 

Planning Clerk Irene Single said the business is operating as a home business, and has outgrown the threshold of having no more than two employees other than family.

Lorrain said there are three full-time employees not including himself and his son, plus about 10 to 15 part-time staff in the tap room.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.