New Lodi brewery ready to flow
Lodi’s newest brewery, High Water Brewing Tap Room and Beer Garden, is ready to let the beer and the good times flow when it holds it grand opening this weekend.
Owners Steve and Barri Altimari started brewing High Water and selling their beer to local restaurants and breweries. Looking to sell directly to consumers, they began attending beer festivals.
“Working at beer festivals we got to meet customers, but it felt a bit impersonal because we could not speak to them because there would be a large line of people,” Steve said.
With demand for their beers growing, the Altimaris decided it was time to put down roots and began searching for a property in Stockton, where they reside, but the search proved unsuccessful.
“We discovered this property in Lodi and it seemed to be a perfect fit,” he said.
The Altimaris purchased an old building at 927 Industrial Way and converted the existing 20,000-square-foot warehouse into a brewery, distillery and tasting room.
The brewery also offers a tasting menu with an eclectic assortment of appetizers and dishes, which includes macaroni and cheese made with beer cheese fondue, a seared ahi salad, and a lamb meatball pizza with tzatziki that can be made on naan or a gluten-free crust.
For non-beer drinkers, there are several beverage options, including cider, wine, kombucha and craft sodas.
“We saw the potential here after our architect, John Vierra, showed us a concept design,” Steve said. “We were immediately won over because you get a feel for downtown here. It is the perfect base for us.”
The building has 22-foot ceilings adorned with black metal. The building offers a unique industrial feel that provides a minimalist approach to design.
“There is a lot of metal and concrete here, but it has a warm feel to it,” Steve said.
The brewery provides a family environment with both indoor and outdoor restaurant seating, and a turf field for games like corn hole and connect four.
“We wanted to create an atmosphere that would be great for families, so we knew we wanted to have something everyone would enjoy, from kids to big kids,” Steve said jokingly.
People that visit the taproom can try exclusive releases or take home a growler — a 32-ounce can — of 36 varieties of the beer available on tap.
According to Steve, the distillery production of their beers is still done offsite, but they do have fermentation barrels on location.
“We are hoping to have our distillery on-site by the end of the year,” Steve said.
High Water still operates by using other breweries to manufacture its products, which are distributed across 16 states and 20 countries.
The new facility finally gave High Water a brick and mortar space to call home, Steve said.
“We still live in Stockton, but I tell people I have a bedroom in Stockton, but this (Lodi) is my home,” he said.
Saturday’s grand opening will include a ribboncutting ceremony from 1 to 3 p.m. with the Lodi Chamber ambassadors. Food and live music will be available until 10 p.m.
High Water Brewing Tap Room and Beer Garden will be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information about High Water Brewing,