Founded in 2014 and aiming to provide “high quality, interesting, and delicious craft beer,” the first ever Craft Brewery in Rocky Mount, Koi Pond Brewing Company has officially opened its doors for business at 1107 Falls Road, just minutes away from your new home at the premier NC golf community, Belmont Lake Preserve.
What began as a request from a friend and eventually turned into a hobby for Koi Pond founder, Eric Ghiloni has resulted in the opening of the first Craft Brewery in Rocky Mount after said hobby became more of a passion and the responses from those tasting his product were increasingly positive.
Ghiloni explains on the official website of the Craft Brewery in Rocky Mount, “I had a friend, Jeff May, who asked me to make some beer. I was at a point in my life where I wanted to try something new, s I bought a homebrew kit and made up a batch.” He continued, “Jeff told me the brew was the best he’d ever had for a beginner. My mind raced with enthusiasm and ideas, from the single, heartfelt compliment.”
The rest of the story, as they say, “is history,” as Eric continued his exploration into the world of brewing and for more than a year began developing recipes that would include much of what you can expect to find at the new Craft Brewery in Rocky Mount. He would encourage his friends to taste the vast catalog of Indian Pale Ale’s(IPA’s), Witbiers, Stouts, and other tasty selections he created, basing his next moves on the essential feedback he received from them.
“The response has been overwhelming,” he noted. “There is a strong foundation for support of products like these in Rocky Mount, and an even stronger desire to see local businesses start up and become part of the action.”
The name, which was decided upon for the first ever, Craft Brewery in Rocky Mount, Koi Pond Brewing Company, comes from very deep and personal reasoning from Ghiloni. “I literally wear my life and heart on my sleeve,” he said in explaining how the name was decided upon as he has two koi fish tattooed on his arm representing each of his two sons. “My two sons…are responsible for the greatest joy in my life and provide the harmony, symbolic to many with Koi, that each of needs to succeed and do good.”
After opening production several months back at their production and bottling facility on South Grace Street near downtown, Rocky Mount’s first ever Craft Brewery opened it’s doors on January 3 and along with his wife, Mary and long-time friends and partners in Koi Pond, Matthew and Deborah Sperati they look forward to helping with the growth of the local business community.
“There is plenty of opportunity out there, especially in the Rocky Mount area.” My partners and I want to see Koi Pond grow, and we also want to see the establishment of other local breweries and supporting businesses.”
To see more on Koi Pond Brewing Company including their full selection of craft beers and hours of operation, visit their website at koipondbrewingcompany.com.
