Kingman brewery expanding to Havasu

After five years of business in Mohave County, a Kingman brewery will join Lake Havasu City’s craft beer community this fall.

According to owner Tim Schritter, he was on vacation in Florida last year when he decided to expand Black Bridge Brewery into Havasu. “I was laying on a beach, watching the sunset, and it hit me,” Schritter said. “Havasu. It was a perfect moment. I knew I wanted to be there. (Havasu) loves growth, business and beer.”

Schritter hopes to open in mid-August, occupying a location that once housed Pacific Buffet, on London Bridge Road. Schritter says that while none of his business’s brewing will actually take place at its Havasu location, Black Bridge Brewery will offer a 3,000 square-foot tap house, a wine cellar and a full bar with craft cocktails designed exclusively for the Havasu demographic.

As of May 10, Schritter’s business supplied 45 craft beers throughout Arizona. “Expanding to Havasu will help grow our brand and finance brewery production growth in Kingman, so we can further our footprint all over the state,” Schritter said.

According to Schritter, Black Bridge has always shared a close relationship with others of Havasu’s brewing community including Mudshark, Barley Brothers and College Street Brewery. All three contributed greatly to Black Bridge’s growth in Kingman, Schritter said.

“Being a small brewery, capital can be tight at times,” Schritter said. “College Street was able to sell used kegs to us for much less than buying new, which allowed us to supply more accounts and festivals. (Mudshark Brewery owner) Scott Stocking has been very helpful as well, selling yeast, hops and barley to us whenever we were short … I believe Black Bridge wouldn’t be where it is today if not for their help through the years.”

The brewery’s planned opening in August will coincide with Black Bridge Brewery’s anniversary in Kingman.

“We’re not coming to Havasu to make waves or enemies, but to expand craft beer and make friends,” Schritter said.