Attention all beer lovers: Wop’s Hops is at last officially open! After much anticipation (seriously, I felt like all of Sanford was asking me when they could taste some local brews), Sanford’s very first microbrewery is open on the newly renovated Sanford Avenue.
I was lucky enough to attend the grand opening party (on November 22, 2014) and snap a couple of pictures. The tap room, located in the beautiful old Stoke’s Fish Market building, was packed to the gills when I arrived. When I stepped out into the beer garden, Greg’s wife Nancy was stepping up to the mike and treated us to a special ukulele performance, and was followed by an energetic set by the Afterwhile.
Behind the band was Surly-Q, a food truck boasting unique smoked meats and homemade sauces, owned and operated by one of my favorite Sanfordites, Thomas Dillon. I’ve been waiting to taste Surly-Q’s food and Wop’s Hops’ beer FOREVER, so to have them at the same time was killer.
The vanilla cream ale paired amazingly well with Surly-Q’s wings, tossed in what Thomas calls “the Sauce of Bad Judgment”. Despite the name, the spicy treat and the smooth beer turned out to be an amazing combination, and I hope we see many more collaborations between these two new Sanford businesses. If you haven’t already (with the rest of Sanford’s craft beer fan club), go check out Wop’s Hops!
