Radar Brewing Co., located at 216 East Ninth Street in Winston-Salem, is under new ownership. Matt Armbruster, alongside his fiancée Amber, is taking over the brewery, with plans to usher it into its next era.
Armbruster has had a connection to the beer industry since a young age. His uncle started a brewery in the 1990s in Pennsylvania, which left an imprint on Armbruster.
“I’ve always had a passion for draft beer and the industry,” Armbruster told What Now Charlotte. “It’s just something I got enamored with at a younger age.”
When he was laid off in 2022, he decided it was a sign to finally pursue the path of entrepreneurship. He eventually connected with Radar Brewing Co.
“I felt like it was a good fit based on my personality and my business background,” Armbruster said. “The previous owners, Eric and Aaron, and I got along really well and felt that it was a good fit that I would be the one to take Radar to the next level and into the future.”
Armbruster is planning to make some upgrades to the business, starting with hiring a new head brewer to supplement his own business know-how. He hopes to keep their popular beer offerings while expanding the offerings with new brews. Right now, they are using about eight of their 20 taps. He hopes to get that number up with new offerings.
“The new head brewer is going to have full creative license to have some fun with different styles and experimenting,” he said. “I believe that by doing that, we’ll get a new set of guests to our taproom as we expand that out.”
Customers can also expect to see new food trucks, and potentially some decor and patio upgrades at the taproom down the line.
“Our patio and the views that we get of the city and the sunsets are few and far between in the city and differentiate us from some of the other breweries in the area,” Armbruster said.
There might also be an expansion of the rest of their beverage program, such as additional seasonal cocktails.
“We have some good, solid ideas on how we can grow,” Armbruster said. “My fiancee and I are just really excited to be part of the community here. We’re looking forward to taking Radar into the next phase.”
