ROCKLAND — Six friends, homebrewers themselves, launched their dream job last month. Taking over after Liberator Brewing Company closed, Shawn and Andrea Wilcox, Jill Mitchell, Brandon Allen, and Tara and Todd Boynton launched Stone Alley Brewing at 218 South Main Street in Rockland.

Like most great stories, their entrepreneurial venture began over pints of home brew with their buddies.

"We got the crazy idea we should start a brewery together," said Todd Boynton. "When Richard [Ruggerio, owner of Liberator] was ready to sell, I met with him and then met up with my friends for trivia. We all were like, 'Where do we sign the papers? Let's do this!'"

"When Todd started home brewing, and we talked to other craft brewers about their stories, we realized how many breweries started from home brew operations," said Tara Boynton. "We were always like 'Maybe, someday...' and launching the operation with our friends, that day came a lot sooner than we anticipated."

Five months later, the friends opened their first brewery together. Everyone still has a day job in order to make this venture work, so the brewery for now is only open on the weekends (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays). 

"It's been a lot of work, but it's also fun," said Mitchell "It's so different from what we all do at our jobs. We'd like to add another night, but we're just starting."

Their brew setup includes a three-vessel 2BBL system. They use Maine-grown grains and hops whenever possible, allowing the team to make IPAs, saison ales, stouts, cream ales, seasonal selections, and even a hard seltzer with signature natural flavor emulsions created by the group's resident "foodie," Shawn Wilcox.

Their signature brews include a Stone Alley Cream Ale and two styles of IPA—a Stone Alley First Pitch IPA (a nod to the team's softball team as well as the first beer they made) and a West Coast style From Away IPA.

Guest taps include some of Liberator's original brews and a rotational cider produced by their friends from Rockport's Sea Hag Cider. They also offer wine and non-alcoholic options.

The current food offerings include chicken bites, pork egg rolls, soft pretzels, warm mixed nuts, and some bagged snacks.

Many Liberator customers have remained loyal to the new operation and have remarked that they like the new bright and airy interior. 

"We've been working on making it our own," said Todd Boynton.

The back tasting room still has room for potential.

"We have games that people can come in and play," said Mitchell. "We're also open to public events and private events."

To learn more visit, Stone Alley Brewing's Facebook page.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com