A new taproom and kitchen has settled into one of downtown Mobile’s most historic neighborhoods, giving residents another reason to explore De Tonti Square. Iron Hand Brewing Co., located on State Street, will hold its grand opening celebration on Friday, Jan. 18, after a soft opening in late December drew a steady stream of curious neighbors and beer enthusiasts.
The brewpub is the culmination of years of planning by owners Rebecca Williams and Ben Ross, who searched several sites around the city before settling on the State Street property. The building has its own layered history: it once served as the sanctuary of Hunter Memorial Baptist Church, founded in 1927, and more recently housed the Waterfront Rescue Mission. Williams and Ross oversaw an extensive renovation that exposed much of the structure’s original wood and preserved elements of the old church, including its wooden pews, which have been refinished and repurposed as seating throughout the taproom. The pair also plan to fashion additional furniture, including tables, from wood salvaged during the renovation.
The name Iron Hand pays tribute to Henri de Tonti, the Italian-born explorer for whom De Tonti Square is named. De Tonti lost a hand in battle and wore an iron prosthetic in its place, a detail that inspired both the brewery’s name and its identity within the historic district.
Unlike some of the other breweries operating in downtown Mobile, Iron Hand pairs its beer program with a full-service kitchen and bar. Much of the food, including breads and sausages, is made in-house. The menu features a rotating lineup of specials, with fish and chips offered on Fridays and a brunch service held every other Sunday.
While the kitchen has been serving customers for several weeks, the brewery held off on its grand opening until its beer program was ready. Two house beers, Rebecca’s First Amber and Ben’s Oatmeal Stout, debut this week, with a pale ale called Will’s Pale Ale and a porter known as the Lost Ring Porter expected to follow soon. The brewpub ultimately plans to keep five of its own beers on tap alongside one rotating guest selection from other craft breweries. In the meantime, Iron Hand has been pouring a lineup of local and regional favorites from breweries including Big Beach, Good People, Parish and Trim Tab.
Looking ahead, Iron Hand is exploring a partnership with University of South Alabama climatologist Dr. Steve Schultze, who has been collaborating with Auburn University’s Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center on the Alabama Hops Project, an effort to grow hops commercially in Baldwin County. Weather issues have kept this season’s crop from Auburn’s research farm near Fairhope out of production, but Williams and Ross hope to eventually brew with locally grown hops, giving their beers a distinctly South Alabama character.
Iron Hand Brewing is open Monday through Friday for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 10 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It also opens on alternating Sundays for brunch, with the next brunch service set for Feb. 2. Updates on hours, beer releases and events are posted to the brewery’s social media accounts.
The opening adds to a growing craft beer scene across the region. Across the bay in Baldwin County, Fairhope Brewing Company is marking its own milestone this weekend, hosting a sixth-anniversary party themed “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” on Saturday, Jan. 19. The Fairhope brewery, one of Lower Alabama’s longest-running craft operations, will have more than 40 beers on tap for the celebration, along with live music and food trucks. Doors open at 2 p.m.