Two breweries team up on King

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Two breweries are teaming up for the next round.

Nate Tomforde will maintain ownership of Chucktown Brewery while Rusty Bull Brewing Co. owners Ben Mayer and Brian Bogstad take over beer production and help manage day-to-day brewery and restaurant operations.

“This is one of the first combined local concepts that we’re aware of, where two breweries are truly partnering together to collaborate and share resources,” Tomforde said in a news release. “Ben and Brian are great guys and smart businessmen. We’ve known each other for years. We’re excited to grow together and create a unique brewery experience to better serve the Charleston community.”

The opportunity came together at the perfect time, the collaborators said in the news release. Chucktown had been looking for a brewing partner to help increase beer production and keep up with demand, at a time when Rusty Bull was looking for opportunities to expand after five years of brewing.

“We all saw this as the perfect opportunity to combine resources and really capitalize on the strengths of both establishments,” Tomforde said in the release.

The partnership is effective immediately, and changes will happen gradually over the next several weeks. One of the first and most noticeable changes will be the draft selection, with a shift to more Rusty Bull beers, including some of the favorites from its North Charleston location, the release said.

“We’ve built a great relationship with Nate over the past five years and we are looking forward to having a local taproom presence in the heart of Charleston,” Mayer said in the release.

In addition to the regular Rusty Bull line-up, the brewers plan a steady flow of small-batch beers, brewed on the in-house system at Chucktown Brewery. A refreshed food menu will combine the best-selling menu items from both locations.

“It’s a great thing for us to be able to partner with another local brewery, to try some different things and continue to grow,” Bogstad said in the release. “Building community around beer is what we’ve always been about. This is a great opportunity to collaborate with Nate and extend both local brands.”

Chucktown Brewery is at 337 King St. in Charleston.