District 14 Brewery and Pub will open next door to Cafe Lulu this fall at 2273 S. Howell Ave. Owner Matthew McCullough is hoping to open in September or October.

I stopped by today to get the full scoop.

Yesterday, McCullough was officially approved for his liquor license – contingent on occupancy and health code inspections. The next step is to get his federal and state brewpub permits finalized.

"If I can get those inline by early-to-mid September, we can be ready to open in late September or October," he says. "Otherwise November for sure."

According to McCullough, the concept for his new brewpub is simple but unique.

"I am opening a craft brewery – brewpub technically – and instead of trying to schlep kegs and bottles of beer all over the country or even all over the state, I will be selling it a glass at a time," he says. "I don't trust distributors to sell it for me, and I don't like that they take half the profit, so I am bypassing all middle men and selling the freshest possible beer directly to the person who is drinking it."

District 14 will also sell growlers to go.

McCullough says he will make a few exceptions and deliver beer to a few handpicked Milwaukee area bars/restaurants owned by personal friends and maybe a couple of neighbors. Cafe LuLu might have a beer or two on tap.

"We are just talking about it now, but I really hope that will come together. I think of Cafe LuLu as setting the standard for upscale casual food in this area and would be honored to work with them," he says.

McCullough’s plan is to open the pub with four beers on tap and then add a new beer every day for the first week. 

"I will have 10 tap lines and likely keep four or five the same with five or six rotating. I don't know of any other brewery that can and does run 10 unique beers at the same time," he says.

McCullough started out as a homebrewer about 10 years ago. He credits his parents for his confidence and vision.

"Both of my parents are gone, but they were both teachers. My mother used to brag to students and friends that as a child, she taught me to color outside the lines. This is what has become of that, I guess," he says.