Just when you think it can’t get any better, you hear about another Bellingham brewery in planning. Add Illuminati Brewing to the list, which comes right on the heels of learning about Blaine’s first brewery in planning.
Bill and Jennifer Kimmerly, the owners of Masquerade Wine Company in Bellingham, are planning to launch a combined winery, brewery and restaurant – all under one roof. The brewery will feature a 7-barrel system made by Criveller.
Expect some quality beers to come out of this operation, as Bill has decades of wine-making and beer-making experience, combined with a background in biochemistry.
Initially, he plans to produce a traditional English bitter, a pale ale, a golden ale and an IPA, but there will be more beers in the future.
“I also plan to leverage the winery’s capability with barrels to bring on some sours and other barrel-aged beers,” he says.
A myriad of issues can delay a brewery’s planned opening date, but Bill hopes to be brewing commercially by the end of this year.
Beer people who are friends with wine people will soon have another place to hang together. And who knows, maybe beer people will begin to appreciate wine more, and maybe wine people will begin to appreciate beer more.
