What to expect when father & son team open The Brass Tap in Warner Robins

A father and son team aim to create a new gathering spot in Warner Robins when they open The Brass Tap in May.

Pratham Patel, a 23-year-old Warner Robins native and computer science graduate from Georgia Tech, will serve as general manager. His father, Rahul Patel, who owns a gas station and laundromat in Warner Robins, will serve as managing partner.

Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, The Brass Tap franchise is known for its 60-plus rotating taps, full spirits selection and upscale bar food.

The new 3,700-square-foot craft beer bar is going into suites 500 and 600 of the new Shops at Aria near the corner of Russell Parkway and Tharpe Road. The new spot is expected to include a roll-up garage door that will open to a 1,000-square-foot patio.

After a short stint in the corporate world, Pratham Patel decided to venture into entrepreneurship like his father and his uncles. One uncle owns the Cinnaholic on Ga. 96 in Warner Robins and the other uncle owns a liquor store in Perry.

“Me and my friends, we’ve always wanted a social hangout spot — something that people can come together and relax, sit back, enjoy, watch the game, chill with their friends and family,” Pratham Patel said.

Catch the vision for the new spot

His vision for The Brass Tap is to create a sports bar feel with an open layout and an immersive sports viewing experience with a huge LED screen capable of simultaneously casting several sporting events.

Patel was inspired by the LED screen at Sports & Social Atlanta inside The Battery Atlanta, a favorite hangout when he lived in Atlanta.

His space doesn’t have room for that large of a screen, but he hopes to have one scaled to the size of The Brass Tap that will serve as a focal point for the venue.

Patel noted that sports draw people together, as do interactive events. He plans to offer events such as trivia nights, poker nights, watch parties and live music.

He also plans to invite local breweries such as Fall Line Brewing Co. and Piedmont Brewery to feature their beers on tap.

Patel expects to feature “tap takeovers” where a local brewery may take over a tap to feature a new beer it’s debuting.

He may try something similar with food entrees by inviting a local restaurant to feature a favorite dish on The Brass Tap menu from time to time.

Expect restaurant-quality food

Patel noted that The Brass Tap menu offerings are restaurant quality, which is why he considers the craft bar to also be a full-service restaurant. About 40% of The Brass Tap’s revenues are expected to come from food based on how other locations perform.

Menu offerings include Korean barbecue pulled pork sliders, beer battered cod street tacos, boom boom shrimp, build your own baked mac & cheese, prime rib sandwich, chicken tender salad and more.

Under the franchise agreement, Patel may add five of his own food items to the menu, hence, the idea to possibly feature dishes from local restaurants in similar fashion to the tap takeover.

The Brass Tap has an ‘in-house beer expert’

“They’re looking at analytics,” Patel said. “They’re looking at what’s selling across the nation.

“We have a software platform that tracks all the beers that are being sold across our various locations, and then we cater that to our local and regional needs.”

As a result, the tap list is constantly evolving, he said.

“Everyone’s trying different things. But also we want to have our domestics. We want to have our regulars as well. So it’s a mix of both worlds,” Patel said.

The bar will have a full liquor selection, offer hand-crafted cocktails, wines and mocktails.

Patel also plans to hold wine tastings and tequila tastings.

A look inside and next steps

The planned interior’s open space includes swivel chairs at a long bar, table seating and banquettes. The new spot is expected to be able to seat 100 inside and another 50 on the patio.

Patel said they expect to hire 15 to 20 servers, five to eight cooks and four to five bartenders. He expects they’ll also hire an assistant manager or shift lead.

The Patels are awaiting the architectural design, which will be submitted to the city of Warner Robins for permitting. The next step after approval will be to get bids for a general contractor, and then the selected contractor will begin the build-out to modify the space and add the patio.

“I don’t see this as a business investment,” Patel said. “I see it as investing in the community. I want this to be the neighborhood spot, the hangout spot … the family gathering spot.

The space can also be designed for private events, such as hosting birthday celebrations and wedding after-parties, he said.

“It’s adaptable to whatever the situation,” Patel said. So, what I’m trying to say is there’s something for everybody.

“It does not matter if you don’t like beer. We have a full service bar. We have a whole variety of food. And even if you don’t drink, like me, there’s mocktails.”

The Brass Tap has more than 50 locations in 12 states, including in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The Warner Robins location will be the first in Middle Georgia. Hours will be 11 a.m to midnight daily, with the kitchen closing at 9:30 p.m.

The parent company of The Brass Tap is Tampa-based FSC Franchise Co., which also owns Beef ‘O’ Brady’s and Newk’s Eatery.