Bell Tower Brewing Co.
Tylar Calhoun
Tylar Calhoun
Tylar Calhoun
Tylar Calhoun
The bell at the 1858 red brick church in Kent still rings, but it’s no longer a call to worship. It now welcomes visitors for beer and pub fare at Bell Tower Brewing Co. that opened in 2021. The 3,900-square-foot taproom has cathedral ceilings, pews painted sage and an L-shaped bar.
“You do get to drink beer in church,” says head brewer Jennifer Hermann, who previously brewed at Market Garden Brewery. “People are impressed by the immensity and … how intimate it does feel.”
The certified beer judge and homebrewer of 24 years focuses on classic lagers and ales. She also makes session beers rather than trendy high-alcohol ones and uses local ingredients like West Branch Malts from Brunswick. A popular pour is the light Amazing Grace lager that’s approachable to Bud Light fans, while the bitter Revival Rye pale ale appeals to Sierra Nevada drinkers with its Cascade hops, light caramel malts and spicy rye.
Tylar Calhoun
The female-led brewery joined the Brave Noise movement to call out harassment and discrimination in the beer industry and brews the collaborative Brave Noise to benefit Kent’s Townhall II.
Visits are a testament to Hermann’s years of refinement of traditional beers, and she recommends getting a flight that spans styles.
“I enjoy seeing light lagers, orange hues, ambers, dark beers,” she says. “It’s quite beautiful.”
