HOLYOKE – A local craft brewery is asking for the help of their loyal customers after their unexpected growth during the coronavirus pandemic led them to close their taproom.

Michael “Mike” Pratt, who owns Holyoke Craft Beer with his wife Catherine, said their taproom on 208 Race St. closed in 2020 a week before statewide business restrictions were announced. “We closed the taproom due to COVID[-19] concerns. It’s a small space, we didn’t feel comfortable. A week later all the mandates went into place,” he said.

Pratt said they continued to keep the taproom closed “all through COVID[-19].” He explained that the brewery adopted a curbside pickup model.

“We went to an ordering online setup and did pickups every Friday for a whole year,” Pratt explained.

While this was a successful business model for the brewery, Pratt said they missed the interaction with customers. “We wanted to be back in front of people pouring, but we didn’t want people down in that small space in the spring,” he said. This, Pratt explained, led them to open an outdoor beer garden, Armour Yard on Race Street in collaboration with the owner of CubitCo during the summer of 2021.

“We went all summer, it was a great success. A lot of people came down, it was an awesome scene. It was a really good summer,” he said. Pratt said their plan was “to go back to the basement where the brewery was,” however, due to their growth during the pandemic there was limited space.

“A number of things forced us to grow in some ways. We’re making more beer than we ever have before and that required us to take over space that was the former taproom,” he explained.

Pratt said part of the original plan was to expand their brewery but those plans were ended quickly when they saw the cost. “The plan was to expand within the Steam Building in the basement, but we realized that the cost to do an additional buildout and work with the landlord and do everything to make a new taproom was not possible,” he said. “That’s where we sat down and thought about it. We decided to launch the Indiegogo [crowdsourcing campaign] while we search for a new taproom space that will be a better fit for us.”

He explained that the Indiegogo campaign was similar to other crowdsourcing platforms, but allowed customers who take part to receive a product in exchange for their contribution. “We still want to bring beer and have beer pickup,” he said.

Pratt said those participating in the campaign can select from a variety of “perks” in exchange for their contribution. Such perks include a social media shout-out for $10, a pair of pint glasses for $16, wax-sealed bottles of their latest conditioned offerings for $25, a six-month subscription of a four-pack of beer for $120, a virtual tasting for $200, a six-month subscription of an eight-pack of beer for $240, a six-month subscription of a case of beer with 24 cans for $600 and for a $1,000 contribution be able to serve as assistant brewer for the day.

Beer subscriptions begin in November until April and they will do their best to accommodate people’s beer preferences. Pratt said the subscriptions offer people a chance to get a variety of beers and styles made by the brewery. “It’s an all-or-nothing crowdsourcing fundraiser. People are getting what they put their money towards. You’re getting a product,” he said.

The crowdsourcing campaign has a goal of raising $16,000 before Oct. 31. “We’re hopeful, it’s a lofty goal, $16,000. But in one week we’re almost at 10 percent,” he said.

The funds, as explained by the Indiegogo campaign page, are to “pay for our rent, payroll, utilities, supplies and more for the next six months so we don’t need to hibernate until next spring.” Pratt went on to say they were “asking people to think about it,” and if people were unsure of what beer they’d like or wanted to try beers to visit Armour Yard. “We’re offering free samples to people that are pledging,” he said.

Pratt said the brewery tried to “do a little of everything” and brew a host of beer varieties. “One thing we try to do, and we’ve done a good job, we’re so small it allows us to brew small batches. We try to have a beer for the people into hops, New England IPA’s that’s our Race Street IPA or Theory. We have a porter and a pilsner and will probably have a wheat ale,” he said.

The lack of the taproom, he said, was not only a hindrance financially, but also took away from their mission. “Having the taproom is key to our financial success. Also key to our mission is to have a spot for our patrons to come and gather and hang out and share a beer together, whether it’s Holyoke residents, Chicopee, South Hadley. We do get a lot of people from outside of the city,” he said. Pratt added that the goal was to continue to operate out of Holyoke if possible.

He said that they were also hoping to continue Armour Yard next year, so long as they have the space to do so. “Eventually it may get developed, but as of right now that space is available to us. We don’t own it, but our goal is to reopen if it’s an option,” he said.

For now, Armour Yard is winding down for the season with a German-style event that took place on Oct. 2. He said during the event they served a pilsner-style beer that was “inspired by German and Czech traditions,” had live music, homemade sauerkraut, homemade pretzels from a baker in Greenfield and live music. Pratt said Oct. 16 would be the last weekend the beer garden would be open for the season. In honor of the final weekend, he said they would have an ‘80s vinyl night. In addition to their normal hours of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., they would be open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Those wanting more information about the campaign, to contribute or learn more about Holyoke Craft Beer are encouraged to visit https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/holyoke-craft-beer-operation-hunker-down#/ or their website at https://www.holyokecraftbeer.com/