Brew and chew: Monroe craft beer maker wants food trucks

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When Tess and Mark Szamatulski opened the Veracious Brewing Company on Route 25, the idea was to give people a chance to drink quality craft beer and wine while being a part of a grander experience.

For most in the brewing world, that includes good food — often from a local food truck on the grounds.

But due to a town “peddler law” prohibiting the selling of items from a vehicle, outside of receiving a special one day permit, Veracious has been unable to bring the popular collaboration into their business plans.

“People want food trucks,” Tess Szamatulski said. “It’s not a bad thing. It’s just the convenience.”

They can point to Two Roads Brewing Company in Stratford, which uses food trucks to feed staff and visitors several times a week, and is hugely successful.

Veracious started a petition last weekend to get the Planning and Zoning Commission to speed up the process of changing the law.

“It’s the same as any senate bill,” for example, said Planning and Zoning Administer Will Agresta, comparing the petition to the very beginning of a legislative process.

But it’s taking too long for the Szamatulskis — and for First Selectman Steve Vavrek, who said he signed the petition.

“The regulations were written when (food trucks) had a bad connotation,” Vavrek said. “I’m a foodie, I believe in that type of business.”

Although the first selectman said planners have done a good job considering the large amount of things they have to deal with — repealing an antiquated law that is stifling the town’s lone brewing company has to be a priority, he said.

“I can’t fault them,” Vavrek said. “They are doing their job. I just hope we can get this thing done sooner rather than later.”

The couple understands it can be a long process, Mark Szamatulski said. “Things take a while when it’s the first time,” he said.

Veracious Brewing opened in 2015 at 246 Main St. (Route 25). It’s now offering craft brewed IPAs, lagers, stouts and ales with names like Bloobs, Black Velvet, 29 Pews, Jack’d Up Pumpkin and Johnny The Destroyer.

On their website, http://www.veraciousbrewing.com, a bright orange Pizza Pie Wagon is ever-hopefully on display.

At Two Roads in Stratford, brewery patrons are already making the most of food trucks on the premises.

“When we first opened we didn’t have any foods,” said Tasting Room Manager Ted Pert. “We just had little snacks and stuff.”

Back then, patrons ordered food and had it delivered to the brewery, same as Veracious does now. But having the trucks on the grounds brings in even more business.

“When we’re thinking about food trucks, we think about beers we have and think about how it will complement and go well with their food,” Pert said.

“My passion for craft beer is really a cultural appreciation and the two outstanding features of that are food and drink,” he said.

There was no legislation in Stratford, however, that would have prohibited Two Roads from bringing in food trucks, said Pert. “As far as I know there was never any red tape,” he said.

The issue in Monroe is not whether the town will allow food trucks at Veracious - but when, Vavrek said.

“To me, it’s a priority,” he said.

The commission will take the same steps it would with any other planning and zoning matter, Agresta said. That means following procedures and looking at every angle, before finalizing details and getting public comment.

Veracious has been in touch with several local businesses that could potentially operate food trucks in the future, including Vazzy’s, Carl Anthony, and Firehouse Grill.

“Food trucks are really prevalent in our society today,” Tess Szamatulski said.

Because it’s the only brewing company in town, Vavrek said giving the business every opportunity to succeed will have positive results for Monroe.

“It can be a drawing point; people will come to Monroe,” he said.