Something’s brewing (literally) inside St. Michael’s Church in Fells Point.

This fall, Ministry of Brewing will open to the public inside the 19th-century landmark, located on the northeast corner of Lombard and South Wolfe streets. The brewery aims to bring a classic rotation of beers and a unique gathering spot to the neighborhood.

General manager Jon Holley predicts the novel idea of a church brewery is unlike anything neighbors will likely expect, especially when they step inside the church and look up toward the vast barrel vault ceiling.

“When I came on board, I was like, ‘Oh, a church brewery—that’s cool,’” he says. “But then walking in here I think my jaw dropped. There’s nothing really like this anywhere. We just want to have a good atmosphere, good food, good beer, and good people.”

Built in 1857, the church was designed by Baltimore architect Louis Long in the style of early Romanesque Revival. It served the “significant waves of German Catholic immigrants that settled in East Baltimore during the mid-19th century and the Redemptorists who took charge of these German Catholics as part of their mission here in Baltimore,” according to National Register of Historic Places.

It became the oldest continuously operating Redemptorist Catholic church in Baltimore. After most recently serving Hispanic parishioners, St. Michael’s closed in 2011. It was abandoned until Ministry of Brewing partners—Jeff Hunt, Michael Powell, Ernst Valery and David Wendell—bought the building in 2017, with a deal closing in 2018.

The church first caught the eye of Valery, a real estate developer. As more partners became involved, a brewery felt like the right fit for the church’s next life. Hunt—who also opened MadTree Brewing in Cincinnati, Ohio—says that turning the building into a 250-seat brewery has been a “unique undertaking.”

Beer hall–style tables are made from wood reclaimed from the church, with the brewery’s logo burned into the center of each. Food will be available, and Holley says to expect pub fare such as baskets of flavored popcorn, burgers and flatbreads.

A large bar, around 40 feet long, will soon be covered with a crushed oyster shell concrete bar top. The bar will initially serve classic beer styles—all made by Ministry of Brewing—such as a fruit-forward IPA, a pilsner, and a sour. Head brewer Dave Macala will use a 20-barrel system, with the equipment fittingly perched on the altar.

“He’s excited to do some pretty unique things with beer,” Holley says. “We’re going to get pretty nerdy with it.” Holley adds that the beers will be available draft only to start, and self-distribution plans around town are in the works.

Along with the beer hall tables replacing where rows of pews once were, patrons will find a lounge underneath the choir loft with low tables, cozy love seats, and couches. A platform with stairs, which is closer to the altar on the right-hand side, will lead out to a small outdoor courtyard with additional tables.

The partners are preserving as much as they can to honor the church’s history. A number of specialized sub-contractors are working to restore the grand columns and one of the saint murals on the ceiling, as well as lightening the interior paint. The Stations of the Cross are also being touched up and will be filled with acoustical material to mitigate noise levels.

Holley says when the partners first got into the building, the stained glass was gone and only eight pews remained. They’re currently refurbishing the leftover pews to use as booths around some of the tables. Wendell says vandalism was apparent, but patrons will see a completely different sight come early fall.

Church breweries are not particularly new, but still rare. In 2017, the Associated Press reported that since 2011, at least 10 breweries opened inside old churches in the US, with four more slated to open the following year. One of the closest church breweries to Baltimore is the renowned The Church Brew Works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which opened in 1996 inside what was formerly known as St. John the Baptist.

Often the goal with church breweries is to create a “wow” factor and revitalize a historic piece of property that’s been left to dust and decay.

“Neighbors come in here and say, ‘My parents got married in this church,’” Holley says. “It’s so cool to be a part of it and hear all the stories.”

He says that Ministry of Brewing hopes to offer tours to curious patrons who want to learn more about St. Michael’s history.

Adds Hunt: “We want to preserve the place and be respectful of what it was, but at the same time, transform it.”

Hatchets and beer might seem like a risky combo, but Krista Poll assures that her axe-throwing bar isn’t as dangerous as some might think.

“The most serious injury our guests have had in more than a year of operations is a splinter,” she says. “Safety is our first priority.”

Poll, along with her husband Matt Paton, and friends Stuart Jones and Shaun Hurley, brought the popular Canadian sport stateside last year, when they launched the Urban Axes flagship in Philadelphia. They opened a second location in Austin, Texas in September, and are now preparing to debut a Baltimore iteration in Highlandtown this February.

“We really like the history of Highlandtown, and the juxtaposition of the old industrial buildings with the residential,” Poll says. “We’re looking forward to being a part of the community.”

The 10,235-square-foot space on North Haven Street will be a destination for competitive axe-throwing with six arenas (similar to batting cages with fencing in between throwers) and a total of 24 targets. The mission behind Urban Axes is to bring the typically rural sport into urban areas—something that Poll experienced firsthand while living in Toronto three years ago.

“I had just moved there for work, and I got invited to a friend’s birthday party at a BYOB axe-throwing place,” she recalls. “My immediate reaction was, ‘This is awesome, why don’t we have this in America?’”

While the other two locations are BYOB, the new Highlandtown hangout will be the first with its own liquor license. Though menu details are still in the works, Poll says that the spot will offer an array of wines and local beers. (Here’s hoping a few will come from neighboring Monument City Brewing Company.)

“It’s safe to say that all of the owners are passionate about beer and wine,” says Poll, who just so happens to be a certified sommelier. “People at Urban Axes will not go thirsty.”

In keeping with the emphasis on safety, alcohol will be limited to specific viewing areas that are a secure distance away from the targets.

As far as logistics go, the bar will have walk-in hours, as well as a reservation system for booking large groups. Though she understands that some might be skeptical at first, Poll is eager about encouraging beginners.

“Axe-throwing is a non-exclusive sport—anyone can do it,” she says, mentioning that every session begins with one-on-one coaching. “Almost everyone that comes through our doors has never thrown an axe before. The technique is actually pretty simple. We want to make sure everyone is throwing safely and comfortably before the competition begins.”

The game itself, which most play tournament-style, pits two players against one another to see who can throw the hatchet closest to a bullseye. Not surprisingly, every competitor must be over 21 and sign a waiver before participating.

Aside from bringing a new social concept to the Baltimore community, the co-owners are enthusiastic about their role in making axe-throwing more mainstream. Their hope is to launch seven more U.S. locations by the end of 2018.

“We always joke that the first axe was thrown about 30 seconds after the first axe was created,” she says. “We’ve just taken something that people have been doing for years in more rural areas or while camping and brought it into an urban environment—with a competitive spin. Once people stick their first axe in the target, they’re hooked.”