JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Snow King has been the scene for furious construction all summer and headed into fall. One project, in particular, has caught the eye of several Buckrail readers so we thought we would answer some questions about what exactly is going in at 45 E. Snow King Ave.
Bourbon Rock Brewing Co. broke ground on the property about two months ago with plans for a new three-story brewery restaurant to be open in June 2018. Co-owners Don Alan Hankins and his wife Chaney Scott said they are excited about making Jackson their permanent home after spending most of their lives in the Deep South.
Hankins spoke with Buckrail recently to explain his vision for the new eatery and to unveil the new name (the brewpub was originally to be called Teton Brewing but it was decided that name was too close to Victor, Idaho’s Grand Teton Brewing).
“After my wife, the state, and maybe a lawyer or two, you are the first people to know the name,” Hankins told Buckrail. “We just filed the paperwork days ago. The name will be StillWest Brewery and Grill.”
Hankins received a brewing master from London in 1995. His wife holds a culinary degree from the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Tennessee. He’s all red—a staunch Alabama supporter, by the way. She roots for the Auburn Tigers. The teams meet November 25, and Hankins admitted the happily married couple probably won’t have much to say to each other for about a week.
Plans call for a first level of retail including a coffee shop, which is still to be named. Hankins said he is working with an outside roasting company to supply the beans. The second floor will be the restaurant area with seating for 120. A large outdoor patio/balcony will also overlook Snow King to the south. On the top floor, Hankins will build housing for eight.
“We didn’t know about affordable housing when we began this. We then learned more about it, including the option of buying our way out of providing actual housing,” Hankins said, referring to a fee-in-lieu. “But my wife and I eat out a lot and we started talking to kids in the restaurant business living eight to a two-bedroom. We knew then we had to build employee housing just to give our employees some stability and build loyalty.”
As the building comes together, Hankins and Scott are planning the brewpub’s menu.
“I have a 10-barrel brewing system with seven fermenters and serving tanks coming from California,” Hankins said. “And the food menu will completely changeover every three or four months with the season.
The menu will be kept small and source locally as much as possible, particularly meats and vegetables. The owners plan to serve a lunch menu, then transition to fresh bar food selections from about 3-5:30pm, daily, until dinner begins at 6pm.
Concrete slabs are being poured now on the foundation. Hankins said he hopes to have the project framed up in December so crews can work on the interior all winter long. A dual restaurant liquor license and microbrewery permit were secured in June.
“We are excited about all the things going on at Snow King and happy to be a part of it,” Hankins said. “Our customers will have a front row seat to all the many events that take place there like Fourth of July fireworks, JacksonHoleLive concerts, and Hill Climb.”
