Locals line up for a taste of Forney's first brewery

Forney Brewing Co.'s taproom, tapwall, German hefeweizen, 10-bbl brewhouse, cobb salad (All photos: © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

If the steady line of locals visiting on opening day is any indication, the first brewery to do business in the City of Forney should be well on its way to realizing the goal of being a go-to entertainment destination for area residents.

Owned and operated by Eric Britton, Forney Brewing Co. is located at 203 E. Main St. in the heart of Downtown Forney. Method Architecture did the work to renovate and modernize an existing structure on the site, which has around 5,000 square feet of interior space supplemented by a 1,500 square foot covered patio outdoors.

Inside, patrons seated in the taproom are surrounded by a variety of visuals. Windows on one end of the building provide views of the production space, while a wall on the opposite end is adorned with vintage photos paying homage to the city's history. Then, of course, there's the requisite array of widescreen TVs.

A full kitchen is also among the amenities, and Britton - a confessed foodie - says an attention to detail will be applied to the food offerings as well as the beer. At a glance, the focused menu has an elevated pub fare feel, featuring starters (deviled eggs, nachos, wings), salads, sandwiches, smash burgers, and kids items, not to mention Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert.

Liquid options naturally begin with the beer, but Forney Brewing also serves wine, cocktails and sodas. Flights and full pours are filled from a 17-handle tapwall, with four house beers and five guest offerings from Manhattan Project Beer Co. now on tap. The context there is Britton worked at the Dallas-based firm before taking the leap to open a brewery of his own.

On the current beer lineup, Britton is quick to emphasize it's in the introductory stage. He says "the fun stuff will come out once production gets going," but at the outset, the idea is to get a feel for Forney's flavor preferences. So, for now, his recipes include standards like an American light lager, a German hefeweizen, a juicy IPA and a hoppy brown ale.

And therein lies another bit of insight into Britton's approach, as new beers will debut with style nomenclature only. "Our beers will have names, but they have to earn a name first," explains Britton. In other words, both he and his customers will have to be happy with a beer before it assumes any sort of identity. That said, the hoppy brown could be a nominee, at least based on favorites discussed with fellow drinkers seated at the bar.

As for other things to look forward to, Britton says the "just getting started" thing really applies to the whole operation. On top of expanding the house beer portfolio, they'll add events, kids games and more as they work to further establish Forney Brewing Co.'s family-friendly atmosphere.

For more on Forney Brewing Co., including updates on operating hours going forward, follow the brewery's social media channels on Facebook and Instagram.