Lessons Learned: Newcomer City Built Brewing Shares Goals and Experience

As they finish their third month of being open to the public, we checked in with City Built Brewing Company to see what they have learned along the way.

Though the brewery had been slated to open in September 2016, it actually became open to the public in May 2017. Brewery Co-Owner Edwin Collazo doesn’t see that as a failure.

Edwin Collazo

“I think we had a really strong opening because we had lots of time to prepare and change our minds, and change our minds, and change our minds again. In hindsight, it was a blessing,” Collazo said.

City Built is located in Grand Rapids. It occupies 6,800 square feet at 820 Monroe Ave, just north of the Sixth Street Bridge–an iconic structure in Grand Rapids. City Built is owned by Collazo, the brewery’s general manager, and Dave Petroelje, chief brew officer. The two have over 25 years combined brewing experience. Petroelje is accompanied in the brew house by Rob Qualls, a seasoned homebrewer who used to work in a local home brew shop.

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