The craft brew scene has expanded into downtown Suffolk with the addition of Brick and Mortar Brewing Co. After about a year of preparation, the brewing company opened up its doors to the public on St. Patrick’s Day.

The grand opening was poised to be a large day for the brewery, but the crowd grew much bigger than anyone expected. The doors opened at noon for festivities, and after just an hour of being open, they had let in more than 300 patrons.

“It’s really epic,” said part-owner Rachel Stacknick. “We were expecting it to be crazy, but this has really exceeded our expectations. It’s honestly exciting.”

St. Patrick’s Day was a perfect day for the opening of a brewery, but they had originally wanted to open around Octoberfest. When that didn’t happen, they believed that the Irish holiday would fare just as well, according to Stacknick.

The entire building, as well as the outdoor patio, buzzed with guests enjoying the new beers and food. While the brewery doesn’t serve its own food, it makes sure to have food trucks on site to provide something to fill the hungry stomachs of patrons.

Cast Iron Catering and Get Stuffed were the food trucks of choice for the grand opening. Cast Iron provided patrons with a Caribbean and Latin menu featuring slow-roasted meats and empanadas. Get Stuffed served up organic and gourmet tacos to guests.

Guests at the brewery can expect different food trucks every weekend, as well as live music to keep them entertained.

“We will continue with live events,” Stacknick said. “We have bands scheduled every Saturday until June. Food trucks will be on site Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”

The brewery had six original beers on tap for guests. According to Stacknick, the Sweet Cherry Pie and Riddick’s Irish Red were the best sellers for a portion of the day.

While the crowds were large in the beginning of the afternoon, Stacknick knows they will taper down as the evening nears, but she’s positive they can maintain the crowds after the holiday comes to an end.

“The response on social media has been great,” Stacknick said. “The Facebook page has over 1,500 likes, and they were all organic. We haven’t had to pay for any of them.”

The holiday was a great time to open the brewery, and they anticipate steady crowds through the rest of the year.

“It gives people something to do in Suffolk,” Stacknick said.

Not only does the brewery have a large room to house a big crowd but also it has a private room in the back that can host a multitude of events such as business parties, birthdays, meetings and even baby showers.