Nolan Creek Brewery thrives in Belton after taking over space

By RACHEL STRICKLAND | Photos courtesy of NOLAN CREEK BREWERY

Nolan Creek Brewery is about more than just enjoying craft beer — it’s the perfect place to build community and make new friends. Located on Penelope Street in the building previously occupied by Bold Republic Brewing in downtown Belton, the folks at Nolan Creek have created a cozy, welcoming place for locals to come together and have fun. Owners Lorne and Jackie Brockway, along with their daughter, Kenna Brockway-Calderon, opened Nolan Creek in late October 2022, and they have been thriving ever since.

Lorne has always loved craft beer and had been a home brewer for about 30 years. He frequented Bold Republic when it was in Belton, and he became friends with the owners. When he heard that they were relocating to Temple, he decided it was a great opportunity for him to open a brewery. Lorne and Jackie looked at a few locations in Belton, but they quickly realized that taking over Bold Republic’s old location seemed like the best way to move forward. They bought all the brewing equipment from Bold Republic and took two months to renovate before opening.

Kenna learned all about the beer industry when she spent two years working for Bold Republic, which helped Nolan Creek’s transition because a lot of regulars recognized her and felt comfortable right away. Even though she now wears many hats at the brewery, Kenna still beer-tends nearly every day.

“It’s just fun chatting with all the regulars, and it’s a good place for friends and community,” she said.

Kenna and Jackie run the brewery, while Lorne manages things behind the scenes because, until recently, he still worked another full-time job.

“He did just retire, which is exciting,” Kenna said. “I think he’s ready to put his foot in a little bit more.”

The Brockways also employ a brewer, an assistant brewer and some beer-tenders.

Many larger breweries brew their beer on an automated system, but Nolan Creek does things the old-fashioned way. They don’t push any buttons to initiate mixing or transferring — their brewers Matthew and Rob are in the back stirring, lifting and mixing everything by hand.

“I always say that our beer is brewed with a lot of love and a lot of hard work,” Kenna said.

There are typically 16 beers on tap at Nolan Creek, and they range from light beers to hoppy IPAs. The Gold Snap, a blonde ale, is their tried-and-true top beer.

“The Gold Snap was our first ever recipe that we nailed down, and it’s still one of our No. 1 sellers today,” Kenna said.

They also offer a few wines, seltzer and Creek Water, which is a beer, wine and soda mix. Kenna says they typically have one to four beers that rotate, depending on the season. They also offer a robust menu of tasty food, including dips, flatbread pizzas, hotdogs and wings.

There’s always something fun going on at Nolan Creek. They host trivia every Wednesday night, music bingo twice a month on Friday nights, and live music on alternating Fridays. They also host an annual 5K run in March for St. Patrick’s Day, which runs from the Gin straight to the brewery, and they had over 200 people sign up this year.

“I know we’re small, but we’re mighty,” Kenna said. “Our staff is super friendly and welcoming, and we care a lot about the people who come into our brewery.”

Nolan Creek Brewery
Website: www.nolancreek.beer
Address: 206 N Penelope St., Belton
Phone: 254-613-4190
Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; noon to 11 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday; 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday; closed Tuesday